What The Gears Taught Me About Better Design

This photo shows the two gears on the right-hand side of the TerraWash machine, where the hand crank is attached. These gears drive the inner rotating drum, allowing for both the initial wash with water and detergent and the second stage of rinsing.

During testing in both Toronto, Canada and Georgetown, Guyana, one issue that emerged was material wear. Although the gears are made from hard plastic, repeated use causes gradual degradation, meaning they will eventually fail over time. To address this, we are exploring the use of stainless steel, similar to the material used for the internal shaft, to improve durability and reduce long-term wear.

Another challenge observed was gear misalignment, which caused slipping during operation. This is likely due in part to heat expansion in tropical conditions, which can affect plastic components more significantly. This further supports the shift toward metal gears for greater stability, precision, and reliability.