A Practical Challenge:

Top 12 Design Issues

paperclaylab: clean water project

 

Some Challenges


In what way can we bring down the costs of clay pot filtration systems to the families who need them most? 


Key: P Check is a stated wish/concern that is likely to be improved by a paperclay pot filter manufacture system. W is design opportunity: wish/concern not yet solved in either system.


Practical Engineering and Design Wish List

as stated by Clay Pot Filter Manufacturers


Cost reduction in production  to pass on to customers.


P to reduce the costs, quantity used, and to minimize dependency on imported goods such as small parts, fittings, spigots, hoses, caps, disinfectant, adhesives, tools, packaging and the like.


P to reduce the costs of production, labor, loss and breakage, power, fuel use and firing time.



End User Product Considerations


P reduce the loss: vulnerability and failure rate of seals, joins between the ceramic and the non-ceramic connectors, spigots, caps, valves, hoses, adhesives, fixtures, and breakable small parts.


P microbial effectiveness: further reduce the chance of microbe and viral

recontamination of filtered water.


P design for a multi-purpose life span that includes re-claim, recycle, re-sanitizing,

or a means of eco-friendly disposal.


P design for “beautility” in the kitchen. Beauty is a mark of care and concern by the maker. It lifts spirits daily.


P enough simplicity in the basic design for to allow variations and integrate elements of handwork, imagination that can be shared by entire community.


Sustainability and Health Considerations


  1. P reduce health hazards of manufacture in the factory. (e.g.: dust, smoke, heavy lifting,

  2. exposure to chemicals, etc.)


  4. P use sustainable materials and renewable power.


  6. P plan for reclaim of the manufacture byproducts and wastes.


W feature a cheap “instant visual marker” to reliably identify which filters are safe. (need for all types)


W maintain a microbe-free work area near, or in the factory, for microbial

testing and consistent quality control of filters before delivery. (not directly related to paperclay)


(Excerpt from page 11 of the Rosette Gault Reports of 2011-2012 reprinted from Ceramics Technical.  For some benchmark issues, these are the top practical requests as stated by 17 international contributor authors/clay pot filter manufacturers of the Lantange 2010 Report. (funded in part by the Gates Foundation.)