Electrocomponents announces winners of People.Planet.Product student design challenge

Three winning designs by Joseph Baker, Kai Goodall, and Team Scentury were selected from a shortlist of six finalists. The challenge tasked student members of the DesignSpark engineering community to apply original thinking and practical skills to the ongoing development of The Washing Machine Project’s first water-saving off-grid manual crank-handle washing machine, the Divya. Entries were invited in three different focus areas: People (empower people to use the Divya by improving the technology or implementation of the design); Planet (filtering out greywater or microplastics); Product (encourage better posture through changes in weight, portability, for example).

Joseph’s concept in the Planet category uses gravity to move all the water through the whole filtration system, removing the need for mechanical advantage from components such as pumps. This keeps costs down while also reducing the need for frequent maintenance and the associated knowledge and tools. To ensure there is enough pressure head (height) for the water to travel through the whole filtration system via gravity, a base/platform is required to raise the height of the Divya washing machine’s drain. This base is also used to house the low-tech filtration system as well as some potential other items for storage.

Kai’s ‘Pedal n Spin’ design in the Product category is a foot-cranked washing machine that rotates easily using a combination of the principle of a treadle system and pedal system. It is a pedal-powered connected rod driven rotating drum washing machine system that is purely mechanical in nature. It improves the user’s posture, ease of use, and sustainability of the current Divya washing machine, allowing longer-term adoption, improved hygiene, and increased rotation efficiency with a huge mechanical advantage.

Also in the Product categoruy, Team Scentury (Kwek Hong Wei, Benseun and Xu Wenhao) developed the concept of connecting two Divya washing machines via a bicycle pedal to increase efficiency, allowing two loads to be washed simultaneously. The design also makes it easier to rotate the barrels powered by the legs, using muscles on both sides of the body. This design can be used in a standing or seated position and not only reduces time spent on handwashing, but also improves posture for the users.

All six finalists, including Team Oro (Product), Team Neolithic (Product), and Ketki Dave (Planet), pitched their designs at a live virtual event to a panel of judges from leading industry and humanitarian organisations that share the common goal of helping to improve lives.

Panel judge Navjot Sawhney, founder of The Washing Machine Project, commented: “These are the scientists, engineers, and mathematicians of tomorrow, and the amazing quality of designs we have seen through this challenge is really heart-warming and proof that the younger generation are fully engaged in playing their part in a sustainable future.”

Fellow judge Mike Bray, VP of innovation and DesignSpark at Electrocomponents, which hosted the challenge, said: “The Washing Machine Project is such a great engineering initiative to help improve people’s lives, and combining this with the inspirational ideas of student engineers through our DesignSpark community we have the ability to work together to truly make a massive difference to people around the world.”

Each of the three winners receives £1000 in RS products or a cash equivalent to support their prototype development, plus access to a business mentor and a knowledge session with The Washing Machine Project founder, Navjot Sawhney.