Design for dissemination of a low cost washing machine

Abstract

Throughout much the developing world, laundry is done the same way today as it was thousands of years ago. The strenuous and time consuming task of clothes washing often falls on the women, who spend many hours every week on household chores. A low cost mechanical washer can reduce the time and physical toil of doing laundry by hand. The washer was designed for the lowest cost, using a hybrid manufacturing strategy that leverages the flexibility of industrial manufacturing with the low cost advantages of local assembly. The washer can be constructed from a kit that weighs only 8 lbs and packs in less than one cubic foot. The kit is centrally manufactured at at estimated cost of $25, and would reach the final user at maximum of $45. The washer is then assembled on location by a local welder, using locally available materials. The installation costs for rural Guatemala are estimated at less than $90, for a total installed unit cost of $135. Marketing partnerships with producers of chemical powder detergents, who could use the washer as a promotional effort, can further reduce the cost. The unit is affordable, especially when shared by groups of families or larger communities. It is designed to be easily serviced on location, and can be easily adapted and enhanced by a skilled local worker based on the needs of the user. In order to meet the dissemination goal of 1 million units installed in Guatemala over 5 years, the design had to be optimized not only for low production cost but also ease of dissemination. Because of the reduced weight and volume, the washer can be disseminated along existing product distribution channels in the form of a kit. By simplifying local assembly, the dissemination of the design can be done through a simple set of instructions. Since all distribution costs are paid for by the end user, this dissemination approach is not only sustainable, but also scalable, allowing the product to succeed based solely on its level of usefulness and affordability.