FBP LC Sheller
| Keywords | low cost nut sheller, nutcracker |
|---|---|
| Uses | agriculture, development, industry |
| Authors | Scott Hargreaves |
| Status | Prototype |
| Made? | Yes |
| Replicated? | No |
| Designed in | United States |
| Affiliations |
Humboldt State University Engr215 Introduction to Design |
| Materials |
cement sand clay |
| Cost | USD $ 46.00 |
| SDGs | SDG08 Decent work and economic growth |
| Manifest data | |
| Language | English |
| Updated | 2020-06-04 |
| Author | Kathy Nativi |
| Author affiliation | Appropedia |
| Author email | info@appropedia.org |
Abstract
Background
The Full Belly Project is an organization which creates low cost, simple technological solutions to be implemented in developing countries. One of these solutions, the Universal Nut Sheller, minimizes the work load of women in Western Africa by allowing nuts to be shelled through this device rather than by hand.
Problem Statement and Criteria
Currently in West Africa, the nut sheller that are in use, weighing some ninety pounds are placed on the back of bicycles and transported long distances. This presents serious drawbacks in terms of trasnportability and raises the risk of breakage. Additionally, the cement in West Africa is costly and of poor quality. For these reasons, the Full Belly Project's executive director helped Team Nuts for Peace come up with the following criteria:
- Cost
- To reduce the cost of the Universal Nut Sheller
- Transportability
- To improve the transportability
- Durability
- To maintain or increase the durability of the UNS
- Safety
- The degree of safety required for the final product
- Ease of Construction
- To minimize the number of specialists in the implementation process
Costs
The costs, in both dollars and hours, required to build an LC sheller are estimated to be:
Materials
| Product | Quantity | Price ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Cement | 1 bag (94 lb) | 15.00 |
| sand | 1 bag (60 lb) | 12.00 |
| clay (dry) | 2 gallons | harvested |
| Machine Grease | 1 can | 4.00 |
| Threaded Rod | 1 | 15.00 |
| UNS Mold | 1 | provided by Full Belly Project |
| Total costs | 46.00 |
Time
| Project Step | Approximate Time Required |
|---|---|
| Mold Assembly, mixing and pouring | 2 hours |
| Roughing the inner surfaces (24 hours later) | 20 minutes |
| Form assembly | 1 hour |
| Total time | 3-4 hours |
Construction instructions
The construction of the LC Sheller is carried out in the same fashion as the Universal Nut Sheller; the only difference being the materials going into the initial mix.
The changes to the mix include the addition of dry, finely sieved clay and sawdust. Soak the sawdust in water until it is soaked thoroughly. Mix the sawdust with the clay, sand and cement and mix until a homogeneous material is formed. Additional water might be needed. The mixture should have the consistency slightly less moist than that of cottage cheese. Follow the instructions provided from Full Belly Project for the rest of construction. Instructions from Full Belly Project.
Next steps
While improvements were made to the UNS, additional materials testing could result in a mixture that more thoroughly meets the Fully Belly Project's criteria. The final mixture decided upon is a base to move from. Other possible modifications include replacing metal hardware with bamboo. Using bamboo, a local material in parts of West Africa, would further reduce weight and cost. The most easily replaced parts are the top and bottom brackets.
Contact
Contact us at:
Scott Hargreaves: User:ScottH smh80@humboldt.edu
Zach Johnson: zdj1@humboldt.edu
Marcus Grant: User:Marcus Grant mcg29@humboldt.edu
Sterling Wallstrum: User:Sterling sjw59@humboldt.edu
See the full documentation of the LC sheller's development here.