Micro enterprises

Silk Worm Rearing Tray

Name of the inventor : S. M. Mangali, City: Gadag district, State: Karnataka

Advantages of the innovation

Mr. Mangali has optimized the size, material, weight and arrangement of silk worm rearing trays thus achieving increased cocoon capacity along with a host of benefits.

1. These modified trays are rectangular unlike conventional round trays and can be stacked on racks.
2. He has made these 3 feet by 4 feet trays using wooden strips and plastic wires. Hence they are light weight and of low cost.
3. A single person can handle them comfortably and they can be hoisted up to a height of 5-6 feet.
4. More trays can be accommodated on the racks as with the use of these trays the space between two trays on the stands can be reduced to 10" - 12". Thus by using these trays one can double the capacity of silkworm rearing room.
5. These trays are also easier to sterilize and disinfect by dipping in bleaching powder solution or any other disinfectant.
6. With these trays it is more convenient to feed the silkworms, harvest mature cocoons and clean dead and decomposing worms or cocoons. This will also help to prevent the spread of infection if there is any.

For more information, click here.

An innovation that generates revenue for rural women

Mr K. Vivekanandan of Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) invested Rs.8 lakh and created a 3 HP pin pulverizer for grinding chilli and coriander. "The machine is an ideal revenue generator for rural women who are interested in increasing their domestic income,” says Mr. Vivekanandan.

Most of the existing machines to grind chilli and coriander require high installation costs, and use a lot of power making it unsuitable for rural areas, where power supply may also be undependable.

Challenges faced

Mr. Vivekanandan thought he solved 90 per cent of the grinding problem when he developed the machine, and manufactured nearly 100 of them. But to his dismay he found that only 20 pieces found buyers. Some of the buyers returned the machine, because the chilli and coriander did not pass through the filter screen, and created too much dust while grinding. Work came to a standstill, and did not resume for almost a year.

Mr Vivekanandan came to know about Villgro (an organization that supports rural entrepreneurs) and he approached them for guidance. The staff at Villgro tapped different resources to work on this problem. Technical expertise first assisted Mr. Vivekanandan in producing a 1 HP, single phase machine, because the machine could not initially run at a speed on 3 HP. (In rural areas the preference is for a one- HP, single-phase machine due to voltage fluctuation).

After several trials they identified the problem of chilli and coriander getting stuck on the screen was not because of their high fibre content, but due to the speed of the rotor. Accordingly, the weight of the machine was reduced, its wall thickness, size, and diameter of the stator and rotor altered to suit rural application.

Cost

Mr Vivekanandan brought down the cost of the machine to cater to rural needs by focusing on the types and amount of materials used. Each unit is priced at Rs. 11,500 (with motor).

For more information readers can contact:

Mr K. Vivekanandan,

M/s Vivega Engineering Works, New No: 116-118,

Sathy Road, R. K. Puram, Ganapathy, Coimbatore - 641 006

Mobile No: 94437-21341.

Source : The Hindu