adminBianca Mlilo Business Reporter
THE Bulawayo Polytechnic has invented an innovative bicycle grain grinder, which is being showcased at the on-going Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
The new machine is a miniature grinding mill (chigayo/isigayo) that uses a bicycle technology and can be operated manually when one cycles on it.
The machine grinds about five kilogrammes of mealie-meal or samp at one go and 25kg an hour.
Bulawayo Polytechnic principal Gilbert Mabasa said his institution has since been invited to participate at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust)-organised expo dubbed “International Network on Appropriate Technology” to be held in Victoria Falls later this year.
“We’ve received an invitation from Nust to come and exhibit the grinder because it’s an apt technology, a relevant and applicable technology,” said Mabasa.
“Apart from grinding, it keeps the grinder fit so it’s multipurpose. Right now we’re working on coming up with different gears, which can be rotated depending on the size of the user.
“We’ll have heavier gears for those who would want to work out on the bike and lighter ones for the young children.”
Dillin McAtier, a 20-year old automotive engineering student at the polytechnic, is the brains behind the unique innovation.
He said he got inspired during his numerous visits to Mashonaland and other areas where women grind maize with the traditional pestle and mortar.
The lad said this led him to think about how he could make the lives of fellow Zimbabweans easier.
“The journeys I often undertook to Mana Pools, Vumba and some areas in Mashonaland took about six hours and most of the rural homes by the wayside had these women toiling to grind the maize into mealie meal,” he said.
“So that got me thinking and this is the concept I came up with. I created the grinder from scratch, did the research and planning, which culminated in the creation of the bike at a factory along Plumtree Road.”
Online Reporter