2013

WASHING MACHINE

Pedal your way to

health and clean
cloth!
TCBTP phase 3

6/21/2013
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Acknowledgement
First and for most we would like to appreciate Jimma
University for preparing such a kind of community based courses
to help us explore the problems of the community and find some
solutions based on our fields of study so that the community is
benefited and help us experience our knowledge practically in the
real world as well.

We would also like to express our deepest gratitude to all

Mechanical Engineering staff’s without whom this would have
not been possible.
This project is dedicated to all the people, whom we met,
took guidance, interviewed and learned something from them, at
this occasion we would like to express our heartily thanks to all
of them while submitting this TCBTP project report.
We always have felt the invisible help from almighty,
without the blessing of almighty, we could not have succeeded.

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Abstract
Throughout much the developing world, laundry is the
same way as it was thousands of year ago. The strenuous and time
consuming task of clothes washing often falls on the women, who
spend many hours every week on household chores.
Powered washing machines exist, but they are
impractical in rural regions because running water and electricity
are expensive or unavailable. Several groups already tried to build
machines for these regions but they have been unsuccessful. Their
machines were either expensive to build repair because they
require imported parts or they do not wash efficiently.
The following pages in the report includes about the
construction of pedal powered washing machines that is designed
around readily available parts, its raw materials, it’s working,
benefits of the pedal powered washing machine with respect to
actual electronic washing machine save the time, water,
electricity, and not very expensive. Its main expect is exercise
with applying the pedal to wash the cloth. It is simple design and
its use of inexpensive plastic barrels and bicycle components. It
is reliable, easy to operate and uses on electricity. The parts are
available locally. So it can be manufactured and repaired in the
community. This will allow them to spend more time on profitable
tasks and less time doing chores.

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Preface
Our eager effort to choose the “PEDAL POWERED
WASHING MACHINE” for our project work promised to be very
exciting from the point of view of both the manufacturing and
application which has never been introduced in Ethiopia ever
before. “PEDAL POWERED WASHING MACHINE” the most
efficient community based appropriate technology. It is used for
washing clothes by means of applying pedal. It is one of the most
compact and efficient models. It’s less time consuming compared
to board washing. So what we are doing here is just introducing
this wonderful innovation to our community by improving the
previous design of other people in the manner that it will be
acceptable in terms of cost and efficiency. If we are successful in
producing best prototype then it will also create a good job
opportunity and income for the local entrepreneurs as well as the
community.

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Contents

1) Introduction…………………………………………………….………………………6
2) Washing Machine……………………………………….……….....................7

2.1) Working principle of washing machine…………….…….………9

3) Pedal powered washing machine…………….……………………………11

4) Background………………………………………….………………………….……12
4.1) Need……………………………………………….…………………………..12
4.2) Problem statement……..…………………………………..…………..15
5) Prior Art………………………………………………………………………………..16
6) Design Specification……………………………………….………..……........24
7) Design Alternatives.…………………………………….………………………..26
8) Final Design Choice……………………………………………………………….30
9) Analysis…………………………………..………………….…………………………31
9.1) Shafting ……...………………………………………….……………………31
9.2) Gearing ………………………………………………….…………………….31
9.3) Bearing……..…………………………………………….……………………32
9.4) Drums…………….……………………………………….…………...........33
9.5) Water Usage…………..…………………………….………………………33

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10) Cost…………………………………………………………………………….…….34
11) Ease of Use……………………………………………………………...……….35
12) Justification………………………………………………………….……………36
13) Critique of prototype………………………………………………………..38
14) Next step…………………………......………………………………………….39
15) Advantage and Disadvantage …………………………………………..41
16) Comparison………………………………………………………………….…..43
17) Implementation Plan and Timeline……………………………………44
18) Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..45
References……………..……………………………………………………………..46

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1. Introduction:
 Pedal power washing machine means applying the pedal
rotate the drum attached with the shaft by means of chain
drive and create the resistance (Turbulence) between inside
drum water, cloth, power to wash the cloth.
 To support the basic family economy, through the design and
distribution of bicycle machine, providing an efficient
alternative for the rural development of Ethiopia.
 Women in Jimma (also Ethiopia) wash clothes manually, but
the detergents are chemically harmful to their hands, and the
motion of scrubbing is straining to the muscles. Our goal is
to design an inexpensive and durable pedal-powered
washing machine for use in rural areas to gently wash
clothes. Due to cost constraints, the washing machine is to
be shared among several families or can be used by a local
entrepreneur to run a laundering service. The washing
machine must be easy to build and maintain locally with
local materials, easy to operate (minimal required step), and
easy to power by women or children. It must also be
comfortable to use than manual method and culturally
acceptable in Jimma.

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2. Washing Machine
 Although the breakthrough technology of different brands
turn each washing machine into a unique device, we can
define the minimum and basic function of a washing
machine. The washing machine has a central loading
cylinder with holes and a spinning system on its own axis.
Once it is filled with water, the process ends and throws the
machine contents out.
 Its function is based on spinning movement over a container,
generally of cylindrical shape. Inside of it, water, detergent
and dirty clothes are mixed. This movement mixes the
detergent with dirtiness and the relative movement between
water and clothes, which develops the cleaning process.
Automatic washing machine have a program system that
allows the machine to perform different cleaning processes.
According to the one you chose, spinning speed vary as well
as the time and the chosen temperature.

 The basic components of the machine are:

 An electric engine which transmits movement to the

cylinder so that it spins in the right way.
 A microprocessor that controls the function of the
different cleaning chooses as well as the programs.
This devise order the priorities.

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 A cylinder or tube which mixes the clothes, water

and detergent and which acts as a container of the
elements.
 A small vat which protects and supports the tube or
cylinder, allows water and temperature changes and
supports all the elements while the process changes.
 A housing which supports the small vat and muffles
the cylinder’s vibrations.
 A couple of buffers which help support the cylinder’s
weight and muffle the vibrations.
 A resistance system in charge of heating water.
 Water inputs which transport and evacuate clean
water.
 A filter, which chooses the conduct’s content
avoiding the obstruction of the drain pipe.
 A belt which transmits the engine’s movement to
the sheave.
 A blocking automatic system which does not allow
the door to open while functioning.

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2.1 Working Principle of Washing Machines

A washing machine has become a vital household item that
most people simply cannot do without these days. For one, it is
designed to make washing clothes a lot easier. If you have already
tried washing your clothes by hand, then you will certainly
understand what it means not to have this appliance with you.

A washing machine is a pretty straightforward piece of

contraption which can be run practically anybody. It is designed
to remove dirt and strains from your clothes and make them
suitable for wearing again. The machine moves the clothes and
make them suitable for wearing again. The machine moves on.
One thing that you should understand about how washing
machines work is that these contraception are actually made of
two drums instead of one. The inner drum works to let water in
and out to spin your clothes and clean them and has a lot of small
holes on it for that purpose. The bigger drum, that you really don’t
see works to hold water while the inner one works on spinning
your clothes around.

The machine also has an electrically-powered pump which

works to remove water from the drum after you are done with the
laundry. All these parts are controlled by a central programmer.
The programmer is an essential part that will explain how
washing machines work. You can probably think of it as the brain

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of the whole machine because it regulates all sorts of tasks. It

makes the machine goes through the whole process of washing
clothes – wash, rinse, and spin. The programmer also dictates the
wash cycle to use according to your specification. Clothes have
different wash requirements so it’s important for the programmer
to be given specific instructions to enact.

Once the detergent has done its job in removing dirt from
you clothes, the drum opens to drain the wastewater and then
replace it with a cleaner one. This will then be used to risen your
clothes. After rinsing, the drum will rotate at high speed your
clothes, separate water from them and dry your laundry.

3. Pedal Powered Washing Machine

Mission:

“To support the basic family economy, through the design and
distribution of bicycle washing machines, providing an efficient
alternative for the rural development of Ethiopia.”

It all started around 2 years ago, when we are going

around Hermata to work on our TCBTP phase 1(Problem
identification phase). Form the questionnaires, question number
2.2.2 says like this,

“Is the house electrified? ___________

If yes, state how many of these appliances they use?
I. No. of electric bulbs/tube lights________
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II. No. of referegretor ______________

III. TV/Radio_____________
IV. Electric iron/Heater coil_________
V. Others(specify)____________”

From the data we have gathered, we never have seen

anybody having a washing machine. So we have identified
that the community, especially women are spending much of
their time by washing clothes. This issue greatly attracts our
attention. So we thought about trying to make something out
of locally available materials. Then we goggled a lot of
websites and watched a lot of videos which drastically
helped us to design the best, efficient, simple and affordable
washing machine from locally available materials.

A washing machine that is ecofriendly also help

you exercise some sport activities is designed and this
washing machine is called a pedal powered washing
machine. Our team is designing a washing machine that is
powered by one person on a stationary bicycle. The
simplified washing machine utilizes two concentric barrels,
one inside the other, to wash, toss, and spin dry the clothes
just like a modern washer, except this design utilizes 100%
renewable energy and empowers the local people with an
open-source design that they can replicate to spur the local
economy.

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4. Background
4.1 Need
In developing countries, rural women are among the least
privileged. Women are both essential to the family unit and
integral to the economy, yet they rarely have equal opportunities
for education, career development, or social status when
compared to men. One factor behind the inequality is the long list
of responsibilities that traditionally fall to women. Not only do
women perform agricultural duties and care for livestock
alongside men, but women are also responsible for many
domestic chores. Usually, new technology improves people’s
efficiency, but women benefit less from new technology for
several reasons. First, women’s duties are neglected by
technological improvement efforts because domestic chores are
often seen as cultural obligations for women so little effort is
expended to diminish them. Second, foreign aid in the form of
appropriate technologies is unevenly distributed because women
are often considered less technically competent than men. Factors
like these tend to prevent the development of improved

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technology for women’s uncompensated, time-consuming, and

laborious tasks.
Figure 1: Women washing laundry.

Currently, women wash and wring out each clothing item

individually by hand. They must bend over the tanks and
submerge their hands in washing solution for 8 hours each week.

Our team intends to directly address the plight faced by

women by developing a pedal-powered washing machine. Our
target community for concept design is Jimma, Ethiopia.

An average woman may do two to three loads per week for

a family of about five children and her husband. It generally takes
at least 8 hours of washing time, not including the extra time
needed to walk to the public washing reservoir or hang up clothes
to dry. Additionally, while washing clothes by hand, women
spend hours leaning over a concrete basin. Clothes are washed by
laboriously scrubbing each section of cloth over a cement

washboard with their hands immersed in detergents that are

harmful to the skin.

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A pedal-powered washing machine would allow women

to wash clothes faster and with less strain. Which will increase
generated income by making crafts or food to sell by reducing the
time of washing. Young daughters who help their mothers with
domestic chores may also have the opportunity to concentrate
more on their studies. Laundromat micro-enterprises may even
arise if our washing machines are successful. Conditions vary in
developing countries, but women in many regions are washing
clothes manually while they could be doing more profitable or
rewarding work elsewhere.

Several local organizations across Central America and

Africa have already expressed an interest in pedal-powered
technology. It is an affordable, environmentally-friendly
alternative to devices powered by electricity or fossil fuels. Since
it is based on bicycle components, the machines can be
manufactured locally and repair parts are affordable and readily
available. We are hoping that the pedal powered washing
machine, designed to be produced and maintained in any culture
where bicycle technology exists, will help to bring appropriate
technology and opportunities to women in developing nations
across the world and pave the way for other pedal-powered or
appropriate technologies that would help women.

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4.2 Problem Statement

Women in Jimma wash clothes manually, but the

detergents are chemically harmful to their hands, and the motion
of scrubbing is straining to the muscles. Our goal is to design an
inexpensive and durable portable pedal-powered washing
machine for use in rural areas to gently wash clothes. Due to cost
constraints, the washing machine is to be shared among several
families or can be used by a local entrepreneur to run a laundering
service. The washing machine must be easy to build and maintain
locally with local materials, easy to operate (minimal required
steps), and easy to power by women or children. It must also be
more comfortable to use than manual methods and culturally
acceptable in Jimma (also Ethiopia). The machine must clean as
well as or better than, and in less time than hand-washing, and be

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compact yet stable enough to be transported by foot in an urban

setting.

5. Prior Arts
There are existing solutions to the clothes washing
problem, but no existing technology is both practical and
affordable for people in our target community. Existing solutions
are either designed for industrialized nations with running water
and electricity, or they are not practical for rural setting where
replacement parts are difficult to find.

Commercial washing machines have existed for many

years, but they are expensive and require electricity to operate.
Sometimes, they are available in urban settings, but the average
family cannot afford to purchase one. In rural areas, commercial
washing machines are not an option because electricity may be

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unavailable or extremely expensive. A number of groups have

modified commercial washing machines to power them with
human power.
They attached a pedal-drive mechanism to the washing
machine drum and attached a suspension system. This technique
is not feasible in rural areas of developing nations because
washing machines and their old components are usually difficult
to find.

Figure 2: Modified commercial washing machines

Commercial hand-cranked washing machines do exist, but
they are not intended for continuous use; they are designed for
traveling or camping trips.

Figure 3: Commercial hand-cranked washing machine (wonder wash)

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Maya Pedal
The NGO Maya Pedal in Guatemala attempted its first
bicilavadora (pedal powered washing machine) in 2005. This
bicilavadora had a vertical-axis and top-loading. It tended to rip
clothes and was hard to power, and as a result the project was
abandoned.

Figure 4: Maya Pedals first bicilavadora

Radu Raduta
The bicilavadora development was picked up again in 2006
when Radu Raduta and several other MIT students helped to
continue the project at Maya Pedal. This MIT team worked with
Maya Pedal to build a proof-of-concept horizontal axis washer
solely out of materials that could be found in Guatemala. The MIT
team first constructed a prototype on campus, and won an
International Technology Award from the IDEAS competition in
2005 (Raduta). They were successful in building a very similar
prototype at Maya Pedal as well, and materials were locally
available, but some materials were not locally abundant.
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Figure 5: Horizontal-axis bicilavadora built by MIT team and Maya

Pedal in 2006.
Left is original MIT prototype design. Similar prototype was
built at MIT for IDEAS competition. Right is local adaptation
from original design. Image Credit: Raduta, 2005.
Radu continued to look thoroughly into washing clothes and the
mechanisms of washing machines in order to continue the
bicilavadora project as his master’s thesis in 2007. In this thesis,
Radu focused primarily on the large-scale dissemination of the
bicilavadora and on the design of the inner drum. Radu suggested
a business model that was inspired by International Development
Enterprises’ (IDE) model of centralized manufacturing with local
assembly. The inner drum of the bicilavadora would be made in
a centralized factory setting, and a kit containing only the parts
necessary to build the inner drum would be sold at local markets
by stand owners who currently sold chemical washing powders.
In designing the inner drum, Radu explored different materials
that could be used to make the inner drum and developed a
functional and easily transported shape for the final inner drum.
Radu ruled out metal for the inner drum because metal corrodes
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easily. He also built a test inner drum entirely out of relatively

water-resistant (oily) wood, but found the construction to be
“expensive, cumbersome and exceedingly heavy.

Remya Jose
A student named Remya Jose in India also engineered a clothes-
washing machine that consisted of a cylindrical drum made out of
wire mesh inside of a custom-welded aluminum box casing.
Pedals on either side of the washing machine directly drive the
turning of the inner drum, and the seat is detached Remya’s father
brought the original designs to an engineering workshop for
manufacturing, and it appears that Remya’s family has been using
the resulting washing machine. Remya’s story and the technology
she created received attention from the Indian government and a
legal firm, which helped Remya submit her design for patenting.
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However, it seems that the patent never came through and the
design has not been disseminated commercially.

Figure 6: Remay’s washing machine

Lisa Tacoronte
Lisa Tacoronte built a bicilavadora using one of the ABS drums
designed by Radu during the winter of 2009. This bicilavadora

was implemented during a D-Lab: Development trip at an

orphanage called Sagrada Familia in Lima, Peru. When we
visited a year after the implementation, the bicilavadora was in
use, although not well maintained. The bicilavadora was
extremely well received, and very useful in helping with the huge
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volume of laundry at Sagrada Familia (there are approximately

800 children who are housed and schooled at this orphanage). The
community requested that D-Lab students bring more of the ABS
drums and build more bicilavadora, but had not taken the
initiative to find alternative inner drums or build additional
bicilavadora on its own. For whatever reasons, this model seems
to be the most well-known bicilavadora, and has been
documented in many news channels like CBS.
Figure 7: Lisa Tacoronte’s bicilavadora

Kathleen Li
Kathleen Li also built a pedal-powered washing machine
during a trip to India in summer 2009. Because it is relatively
inexpensive to have local craftsman make custom parts in the
community where Kathleen was working, the inner and outer

drum, as well as several other parts were manufactured to order,

primarily out of sheet metal. Unlike Lisa’s design, this washing
machine had a detached seat. One employee at the NGO where
the washing machine was built likes using the machine to wash
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her clothes regularly, but it is unclear whether it has been used

extensively by the community as intended.

Adam Talsma
Adam Talsma, William Chin and Josh Geltman built a
pedal-powered washing machine prototype at MIT in spring 2008
through CityDays, and implemented an improved prototype in
Tambo de Mora, Peru the following summer. The washing
machine had a detached seat, simple steel frame, and plastic
barrels for the inner drum. The CityDays team was able to find
appropriately sized plastic barrels, but it has been noted in Radu’s
thesis that even when a few barrels can be obtained, the supply is
likely to be too limited to accommodate scale-up. The
construction process for this washing machine is very well-
documented. However, the washing machine, as far as the team
is aware, was not used after they left Tambo de Mora.

6. Design Specifications

The most important aspect in the design of the machine

is its ability to perform as a device that eases the task of washing
clothes. In order to be a viable solution in Jimma, the machine
should be able to deliver the same quality of washing without
adding excessive overheads (in terms of water use, clothing wear,
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effort required to operate, etc.). Thus the design and operation of

the machine should be firmly grounded in the physics of clothes
washing, with a special emphasis on the mechanical aspects
(since water temperature and detergent composition are likely to
vary). The group also identified a number of secondary goals with
varying degrees of importance that could help make the machine
more useful and thus more successful. The ability to spin-dry
clothes would increase water economy by requiring fewer wash
cycles, and could relieve the strenuous task of manually wringing
the clothes before they are hung to dry. If the layout of the
machine allowed the user to perform manual work (hand-craft,
food preparation, etc.) while pedaling, we could further reduce
the amount of time consumed by washing. A number of safety
features should also to be included in order to mitigate the
inherent safety issues involved in a chain-driven machine. If the
machine was to be used in a home, insuring its portability of
would allow it to be shared among families, transported close to
a water source for operation, or used in households where space
is limited. Another set of specifications for load sizing, water
usage and pricing, depend on the targeted community. Since we
are expecting the amount of laundry to vary between families, an
initial size was selected based on existing washing machines, and
designs allowing for easy re-sizing were preferred.
Design Specifications:
• Cleaning:
Machine-washed clothes must be as clean as those hand-
washed for 5 minutes
• Gentleness:

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Must wear clothes at slower rate than hand-washing [hole/tear

growth]
• Capacity:
Minimum 2.5Kg of clothes/load – should be easy to re-size.
• Water:
Effective washing must occur in soft and hard water at
temperatures from 70-120_F
• Water usage:
Maximum 20L water / 1kg clothes
•Active pedaling time for effective washing:
Maximum 20 minutes each for wash and rinse Cycles
• Total operation time:
Maximum 1 hours, including fetching water, filling, washing,
draining, and cleaning machine
• Power:
Maximum 100W (comfortable level of human-power output)
• Cost:
Maximum 4000Birr (comparable to cost of other MP machine)
• Detergent cost:
Maximum 4Birr / load
• Maintenance cost:
Maximum 250/year

• Lifetime of structure:
10 years, assuming daily use
• Manufacturing capital cost:
30000Birr (welder, metal cutter, shop tools)
• Manufacturing location:
Jimma University, Mechanical Engineering workshop.
• Materials:
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Local (wood, wieldable metals, oil drum, bike parts, etc.)

• Dimensions:
Less than combined size of a bike and commercial washing
machine
• Weight:
Maximum 30kg, or 45kg if it has wheels (1 woman can move it
indoors so it can’t be stolen or damaged).
• Culturally acceptable:
Suitable appearance, user position and motion such that most
of Jimma women are willing to use the machine.

7. Design Alternatives

The team evaluated a number of mechanisms that could serve as

the basis for the washing machine. Initial concepts were
developed starting from the mechanical requirements of laundry

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washing, with inspiration drawn from existing and historical

washing machines.

• Vertical-Axis Agitator:

The usual washing machine found in American homes consists of

two vertical-axis concentric tubs. The inner tube, which holds the
clothes, has densely-spaced perforations which allow the water to
run in and out easily. Soap and water are kept inside the outer tub
during the washing cycle. A central agitator alternating directions
induces friction between the clothes to mechanically remove dirt
and stains. For the spin cycle, water is emptied from the outer
drum and the inner drum is spun to centrifugally extract water
from the clothes.

• Horizontal-Axis Tumbler:

Commonly used in European homes, this washer also uses two

concentric tubs, however their revolution axis is horizontal.
Instead of using an agitator, the horizontal washer utilizes fins

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Figure 8: Front loaded and Top Loaded washer

along the inner barrel that lift the clothes on the side of the drum,
and let them fall back in the water on top of other clothes. Cycling
the clothes through the water in this fashion eliminates the need
for rapid changes in the direction of rotation of the agitator, which
results in lower energy requirements. Since the drum is only filled
up to one third with water, the machine realizes a sizeable water
economy.
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• Tilted-axis Tumbler:

A tube spinning at a inclined axis using a helical fin would

perform the same kind of action, in a fashion similar to a cement
mixer. The tilted design would allow for easier addition of water
and clothes. No known commercial washers use this mechanism.
Manufacturing of the helical fin proved to be problematic, and the
other construction benefits we were hoping for in the tilted axis
design did not end up materializing themselves. No conclusive
cleaning experiments were performed using this design.

• Crank-shaft piston:

Rather than using rotational motion to agitate the clothes, we were

considering using a crack-shaft to convert the rotation of the
pedals to vertical translation of a piston. There are several
possibilities for the piston design. The clothes can be held in a
container with holes that is plunged into and out of the water. The
piston can also be a solid block pushing the clothes underneath it
through the water. Two plates with holes could hold clothes
between them as they plunge in and out of the water. We did not
select this design because it seemed inefficient to convert the
rotation of the pedals into vertical motion since commercial
washers operate on rotational motion already.

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• Pressurized Bubbler:

A rather new concept is pressurizing air and bubbling it forcefully

through the clothes. This may lift the dirt off the clothes without
requiring them to be scrubbed against one another. Heated water
has also been shown to increase cleaning efficiency. Since this
idea is not common in commercial washers, we thought it would
be too risky to base our prototype on it without having a good
understanding of the cleaning mechanism or how to implement it
with cheap, available, easy-to-maintain components.

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8. Final Design Choice/ Description of

Prototype
Our final design resembles a commercially available horizontal
axis washer. The inner drum which holds the clothes is
constructed by modifying a plastic utility tub. Tubs like these are
widely available in Jimma (also Ethiopia), but could easily be
substituted for other types of buckets, perforated sheet metal or
mesh, depending on availability. The inner drum is perforated, so
that spinning the drum will extract water from the garments.
There are also four triangular fins inside the inner drum that
agitate the clothes during the wash cycle. The main structure of
the machine consists of a simple tube frame. The frame can be
built by modifying an existing bicycle frame. The inner drum is
mounted on one side of a pedal shaft. Rotational force turns the
drum via a drive gear attached to the opposite side of the pedal
shaft. A bicycle chain connects the gear at the drum to a set of
pedals mounted on the washing machine frame. There is an outer
barrel that surrounds the inner drum and contains all the water. In
our current design, the outer barrel is constructed using a common
plastic oil drum. The operator loads and unloads clothing from the
inner drum through a cutout on the side of the outer barrel. The
operator drains the soapy water and rinse water by opening a drain
value at the bottom of the barrel.

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9. Analysis
9.1 Shafting
Here we are using a iron-hollow shafting. It is main base for the
mounting the bicycle gears, fins and both the drums. First of all
when we apply the pedal this shafting is rotated by means of chain
drives.

9.2 Gearing
The machine uses a regular mountain bicycle transmission which
can provide gear ratios between 1:1 and 3.5:1. The user is
expected to turn the pedals of the machine at about 60 rpm for the
wash cycle, and a higher 80 rpm during the dry cycle, where the
lack of resistance from water makes pedaling easier (continuous
pedaling is not necessary in this case). With a inner drum diameter
of 19in, at a 1:1 gear ratio, pedaling at 60rpm results in a
centripetal acceleration on the clothing of about 0.87 g, which
results in efficient clothing tumbling. For the spin cycle, the user
would switch to the highest available gear, and a pedal speed of
80 rpm results in an acceleration of 18.5 g. This has been shown
to extract 50% of the water from wet cotton clothing (remaining
water weight in clothing is approximately 90% of the dry fabric
weight -comparable to commercial vertical axis washing
machines).

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9.3 Bearing

Sliding Bearing and Rolling Bearing:

Bearing are used as a mechanical component to transfer the power

and to move a certain part, and is done by utilizing the small
frictional force of the bearing, which makes rotating easily
withstanding the force and weight load acting against them.

Bearing house be classified into two major groups, namely,

sliding bearings and rolling bearing depending on their friction
type.
Three types of bearing are shown in fig. and ball bearing has balls
between inner ring and outer ring and roller bearing has roller
instead of balls. Either balls or rollers of rolling bearing serve the
same purpose as the lubricating oil in the sliding bearing.
Rolling bearing have some advantage as listed below, compared
with the sliding bearing.
 Because bearing specifications are standardized
internationally, most rolling bearing are
interchangeable, and could be replaced easily with the
made by different manufacturers.
 Surrounding structure of a bearing could be simplified.
 Easy to diagnose and maintain.
 Comparatively easy to be used even under the high or
low temperatures.
 The rigidity of bearing could be increased by applying
preload.

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9.4 Drum
Here we are using a plastic barrel for the outer drum and barrel
for the inner barrel. Outer barrel surrounds the inner drum and
contains all the water. The operator loads and unloads clothing
from the inner drum through a cutout on the side of the outer
barrel. The operator drains the soapy water and rinse water by
opening a drain value at the bottom of the barrel. A convenient
feature of the washing machine is the optional table mounted
above the structure. The operator can use her hands to do manual
work like weaving while pedaling the machine.

9.5 Water usage

Our machine is not optimally efficient in terms of water use, since

the plastic construction of the inner drum required larger
clearance between the two tubs in order to prevent contact during
the spin cycle. The front of the outer drum also extends
considerably past the front of the inner drum to provide easy
access for clothes. With approximately 1/3 of the capacity of the
outer drum filled with water, the machine requires about 10
gallons of water. Total water usage for one load of laundry adds
up to approximately 20 gallons, half of which is used for the wash
cycle, while the other half is used for the first rinse cycle. The
water from the second rinse cycle, containing just soap, can be
reused for washing the next laundry load. We expect that clever
design would allow for sizeable reduction in the water
requirement in the next prototype.
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10. Cost

The majority of the cost of the initial prototype is found in

the price of the outer barrel and bicycle parts. The manufacturing
cost can has not been determined since an optimum assembling
sequence has not been identified.

Material Quantity Value(Birr)

Hollow shafting 1
Bearing 2
Inner drum 1
Outer drum 1
Bicycle 1
Frame structure 1
Painting 1
Metal sheet 1
Fins 4
Hinges 4
Rivets 30
Get valve 1
Total

Because of shortage time we didn’t identified the current values

for the given items.

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11. Ease of Use

It is easy to use by younger and older women. After loading the
machine, washing requires three cycles. Between each cycle, the
drum spins quickly to draw the water out of the clothing, as it
drains out of the drum. In the first cycle, water and detergent are
added to the drum. The operator pedals the machine for roughly
25 minutes, spins, and drains the water. The next two cycles are
rinse cycles. In each rinse cycle, the operator pours clean water
into the machine, pedals for 10 minutes, spins, drains the drum.
After the last rinse cycle, the operator spins the clothes dry and
saves the slightly soapy water for the next wash cycle. Our
research into existing washers and our earlier prototypes indicate
that the power required for washing and spinning is relatively
low. We demonstrated that it is not difficult to spin a perforated
plastic drum up to extraction speeds with clothes inside. For these
experiments, we used a geared transmission from a bicycle. Both
younger and older women can generate enough power for the
wash and spin cycles. We estimate this power to be 50-75 watts.
While familiarity with pedaling in general and the machine in
particular will reduce the effort expended by the user, no prior
experience will be necessary for its operation. The ability to
change gearing ratios will allow some level of tuning to individual
users and also allow for shorter wash times with more power input
or conversely less strenuous operation if the user can pedal for a
longer amount of time.

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12. Justification
Efficient:

It is much more efficient to wash clothes using the machine than

to use the manual washing tanks. The machine washes and dries
many clothes concurrently whereas each item must be washed
individually in the wash tank. The machine also requires less
energy when compared to vertical axis washing machines. The
horizontal axis of rotation in the machine uses less power because
it rotates continuously without changing directions. The operator
does not need to combat the momentum and drag forces of a
barrel full of water.
The machine is also more comfortable to use than the washing
tanks. The operator does not need to lean over the washing tank
and submerge her hands in the soapy water. Instead, the operator
sits on the machine’s seat and pedals most of the time. She only
needs get up to load the machine, change the water and unload the
machine. This leaves her hands free to work on making crafts and
keeps them out of the harmful detergent.
Affordable:

The target buyer for our Bicilavadora is an entire community in

contrast to a single family. With a common washing machine, an
individual family will not need spend a large sum of money for a
home washing machine. A Bicilavadora is also inexpensive to
operate because the user does not need to pay for power. This is
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especially important in places like Ethiopia, where electricity is

expensive.
Easy to Build and Maintain:
Unlike any of the other alternatives, the Bicilavadora uses locally
available materials or recycled bicycle parts. It can be produced
in any area that has prevalent bicycle technology and things like
plastic buckets. Since the parts are widely available,
the Bicilavadora can serve as a basis for local entrepreneurs to
start micro-enterprises which would stimulate the local economy.
Another advantage of using locally available parts is that the
Bicilavadora is easy to repair. It is mechanically simple enough
that any bicycle repair shop would be able to service the pedal-
drive.

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13. Critique of Prototype

• Inner Barrel Instability:

The inner barrel was cantilevered from a rotating shaft supported

in a bicycle bottom bracket. Since the plastic was so flexible, the
inner barrel distorts quite a bit during rotation and needs a large
clearance within the outer barrel to avoid collisions. Frequent use
would probably lead to fatigue failure of the bucket, shaft, or
bearing.

• Vibration:

Having a light-weight structural frame makes it difficult to

prevent vibrations during the spin-dry cycle when clothes may
gain a centripetal acceleration of up to 20G.

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14. Next Step

Next Generation Prototype
• Double Supported Inner Barrel:

The inner barrel will be supported at both ends fixed to a rotating

shaft. Since the first prototype had one open end to allow for side-
loading, alternative loading mechanisms must be designed. One
option is to have a trap door in both the inner and outer barrels.
Another is to make one of the support for the inner barrel movable
so that the inner barrel can still be opened and accessed from the
side.

• Welded steel structure:

To reduce the assembly time and prevent others from tampering

with it in public areas, the structure will be made out of welded
angle iron. Welding fixtures may be designed to make it easier to
weld several structures with proper alignment of components.
The welded structure will add to the weight of the machine,
making it inherently less likely to vibrate. The steel structure may
also be cemented into the ground to ensure stability and security
of the machine from theft.

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• Different Materials for Outer Barrel

We are considering using a steel oil drum so it can be welded

directly to the structure. Welded attachment points would not
require any bolt holes that need to be sealed. The oil drum may
also be shortened by cutting off the end, and welding on a steel
lid. Steel would also be more rigid than the plastic drum we used
for the initial prototype, so it would be easier to align the barrels
and avoid collisions during rotation. We are also considering
using a cement basin that has the structure incorporated into it.
This would make the machine much easier to manufacture
because most of the machine would be a single intact piece.

• Steering Column or Industrial Bearings:

Since MayaPedal does not currently have a use for the steering
columns they receive, it would nice to incorporate it into the
washing machine design so the component would not go to waste.
Industrial bearings are also available in Jimma. If we find that
bicycle bearings are not suitable to support the load, we may use
industrial bearings with greater tolerances and load capacities.
• Extend Barrels Axially:
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We are assuming that extending the barrel axially will not greatly
increase the effort that must be exerted to rotate the barrel. Having
longer barrels would increase the capacity of the machine and the
amount of clothes that may be washed at one time. There are
possibilities for dividing the outer barrel so that there are two
compartments, which would allow for washing to occur on one
side and rinsing to occur on the other with the same shaft rotating
two separate inner barrels.

• Faucet Drain Spout:

To maximize the ease of use, we will use a faucet spout rather

than a rubber stopper so the outflow of water can be better
controlled. Leakage may be less of a concern if there was a fixed
spout rather than a removable stopper which could be easily lost
or may not fit properly after repeated use.

15. Advantage and Disadvantage:

Advantage:

Having a washing machine will make you forget about

Laundromats. If you buy one, you will have enough freedom to
wash clothes when you need to with comfort.

The greatest washing machine’s advantage is time. Just think

about all the things you could be doing while clothes are being
washed. Although price s are high, your time is precious.

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Specially, if you are with your family or performing activities you

like. If you have your own washing machine, you can determine
what kinds of washing procedures you need for each piece of
cloth and you do not need other people to do it for you.

 Use less water, power, and soap

 Cleans as well as commercial washer with similar capacity
 Spin dries so no wringing needed
 Comfortable to use
 Enables women to do more rewarding things
 Technology for women
 Community based appropriate technology that also benefits
the poor
 Sustainable with local production and maintenance
 Replicable anywhere with bicycles
 Save the water
 It is a non-polluting, as well as not using any type of
electricity
 The system is also useful for the work out purpose because
pedaling will act as a health exercise and also doing a
useful work.
 It is very useful into the local rural areas,
 Saving in detergent and the water,
 Scale free plastic tubes,
 Reduced traces of detergents on the clothes,
 Better wash quality,
 Softer clothes,
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 Easy to operate and the less effect of chemical on hands.

 Exercise is also done by applying the pedal

Disadvantage:

 The washing machine needs detergents, and water. This

means an increase of consumption and expenses in your
house. If you are about to buy a washing machine, you
should bear these items in mind as future expenses and
analyze your economic possibilities.
 The washing machine occupies too much space. If you
generally change spaces or live in small apartments, having
a washing machine will be disadvantage for you to move
around and for the machine too.

16. Comparison between Commercial washing machine

(CWM) and pedal powered washing machine (PPWM).

CWM PPWM
1. Its cost is high Cost is lower
2. The production require Making is easy anyone
special programmers can make at home
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3. Electricity is necessary No electricity is

for the working. required
4. Life is relatively longer Life is little bit
shorter
5. Maintenance is costly Maintenance is easy
and not costly

17. Implementation Plan & Timeline

Going forward, we must complete our first prototype of the
washing machine and work out the technical challenges. After we
have a working prototype, we intend to run a small trial period
with one of the local women’s groups. We will collect their
feedback and revise our design.

To transfer the technology to any local interested

manufacturer, we will write a production manual that contains
fabrication techniques and an operating manual. This local
manufacturers will be able to continue constructing the washing
machine for the community. If our work is successful, we will try
to distribute the pedal powered technology to other places in
Ethiopia and East Africa where other groups have expressed a
strong interest in pedal-power technology. To ensure that these
sites have the infrastructure to produce the machine, we will

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implement the training program and distribute the production

manuals.

18. Conclusion:
From the above project, it can be concluded that the
“pedal powered washing machine” is a very simple yet very
powerful design of washing clothes which if brought into
application in the rural areas of the developing countries can aid
a lot of plight and the suffering of the poor peoples who find it
very difficult to wash clothes by means of hand. Thus it is used
as a application keeping in mind the social welfare of the people
of the rural areas. Also it is safe in working conditions and hence
it does not require any safety guards during operation. The cost of
maintenance is a low and it has a long life.

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References

 http://en.wikipedea.org/wiki/washing machine
 http://en.wikipedea.org/wiki/bearing_(mechanical)
 www.google.com
 www.ecofriend.com/entry/another-pedal-powered-
washing-machine/
 www.igreenspot.com/laundering-a-pedal-powered-
washing-machine/
 www.mit.edu/teresab/www/bicilavadora/index/htm
 www.ibike.org/library/tech.htm
 www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-advantages-of-a-front-
loading-washing-machine.htm
 www.circuitprotection.com > application

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 http://www.benjul.com/portfolio/bicilavadora/#!prettyPhot
o

Group Member List

Name Id No.
1. Lemi Chala…………………………………………………………01165/03

2. Uzii Siyoum…….…………………………………………………..01676/03

3. Robika Hunduma…………………………………………………..01404/03

4. Goftila Gudeta……………………………………………………..00993/03

5. Welteji Bena………………………………………………………..01687/03

6. Bekele Beyene………..…………………………………………….02030/02

7. Teshome Beka………………………………………………………02692/03

8. Misganu Babu………………………………………………...…….02517/03

9. Megersa Lelisa……………………………………………………...02356/02

10. Mustefa Muzeyin………………………...…………………………01340/03

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11. Kassa dessalegn…………………………………………………….

12. Tamiru Mokonnen………………………………………………….

13. Tesfaye Tegegne……………………………………………………01962/03

14. Dagmawi Ketema…………………………………………………...00692/03

15. Dessalegn Hailu…………………...………………………………..02110/02

16. Hayredin Showmolo………………………………………………...01890/03

17. Biniyam Ayalew…………………………………………………….03747/03

18. Lelisa Oljira………………………………………………………….02445/03

19. Branu Debela……………………………………………...…………00622/03

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