Becca Smith

goals

• Improve manufacturing processes, installation processes and overall quality control for the dispenser system for short-term pilots

• Explore redesign of the dispenser system using large-scale manufacturing processes to meet future needs

outcomes

• During my time in Kenya, dozens of dispenser systems were installed in western Kenya, each providing chorine for water purification for up to 1,000 people. 

• As a result of work with the local manufacturer, an interchangeable parts system for the dispenser stand was introduced, greatly increasing ease of installation and maintenance. Other quality control systems put in place included checklists for metal stand production, paint application and tank system assembly and a pictorial installation manual, resulting in increased durability, robustness and reliability.

• In parallel with short-term improvements, several new design concepts were developed and shared with partners and practitioners for feedback. This work informed the dispenser design that was used during the project scale-up and is still in use today, with nearly 12,000 dispensers now installed and providing 4.7 million people with access to clean water.

role

Engineering Coordinator
Collaborators: Jeff Berens, Eric Kouskalis, Richard Cassada, Shiroko Melexadeck, George Otieno.

location

Innovations for Poverty Action - Busia, Kenya

timeframe

2009-2010

process

I began engaging with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and the chlorine dispenser as a student in D-Lab Design at MIT in spring 2009 and then worked with IPA in Kenya from October through June 2010 as the first engineering staff member for the project. In Kenya I visited existing dispenser sites, observed new dispenser installations and spoke with users and other stakeholders for feedback to inform ongoing work. I worked closely with local manufacturers (welders and painters) and visited plastic molding manufacturers in Nairobi for quality control improvements, collaborating with the dispenser scale-up team and two engineering field officers. Related experimentation and testing took place at the IPA office and in the field, and a number of solid models and physical prototypes were developed to explore and communicate future design ideas.