Archive for WOT Blog

MTAD award 2023

Sunday, October 29th, 2023 2 Comments

We are thrilled to announce that the board of the WOT has been awarded the “best part-time board of the year 2023”

This price was awarded at the MTAD award, the event with which the student union of the university of Twente aims to thank students who achieve “More Than A Degree” by spending their time on running the different student associations and organisations that fuel the student culture in Enschede.

Great thanks go out to the jury and all our fellow students who voted for us. ❤




Intro activities 2023

Wednesday, August 30th, 2023 No Comments

The WOT is hosting introduction activities every Wednesday and Thursday throughout the month of September.
Yes, that is a lot of intro activities.
The intro activities are easy to follow and well prepared, you need no prior knowledge and can come by to have a look what the WOT is all about. Interested? Use the signup form below to let us know that you are coming and to join the free dinner (If you so wish).

The evening starts at about 17:45 and we have dinner together (which you can join), or come by later in the night for the activity, to help with a project or to join us around the campfire.

Sign up here

Wednesday the 6th of September
Terrain tour and marblepump workshop.
This Wednesday we will be giving tours of our terrain, multiple members will be walking around to explain what each contraption or building is and answer any questions you might have.|

After the tours (and dinner) we will be starting construction on marble pumps, each course taker can make their own marblepump and take it home with them afterwards.
Here (Dutch, English) is the manual we will be following, but you don’t need to prepare anything.

Thursday the 7th of September
Lecture on well drilling.
We will host a lecture on well drilling, and in particular manual well drilling. Different techniques and concepts will be introduced and discussed and of course there will be time for all your questions.

Wednesday the 13th of September
EMAS drilling!
Today we will put some of the learned theory in practice. (or give you a very quick catch up course if you missed last Thursday)
We will be drilling a well by hand using the EMAS method, last year we got to 6,5 meters. Will we be able to beat that?

Thursday the 14th of September
Fix your bike for free, (repareer je fiets voor niets)
This night you will get the chance to fix your own bicycle! we will provide parts and expertise to help you (within reason), you bring a bicycle and your unbridled enthusiasm.

Wednesday the 20st of September
Workshop course
We will be giving a workshop course, you can get experience with different techniques like welding, grinding, cutting, reading technical drawings etc.

Thursday the 21th of September
Working on “the Diever” the Diever
Today we will be working on WOT projects, one of which is our big steel windmill at the front of the terrain: the Diever.
If the weather allows us we will be repairing the tail.


Wednesday the 27th of September
Working on “the Diever” the Diever
Continuing work on projects.

Thursday the 28th of September
Working on “the Diever” the Diever
Continuing work on projects.

Please sign up for an activity if you are interested, it is always possible to withdraw but this helps us estimate how many people (and thus food and materials) to expect.
Signing up can be done here.




UNDP rotary swivel

Friday, December 30th, 2022 3 Comments

In 2022 a technician from the UNDP got in contact with us after seeing our rotary jetting video (showing Menno’s small rotary jetting rig, powered by a corded drill). This technician wanted to buy a swivel from us to be able to make this small set and test out the drilling method. We wanted to sell him one as the UNDP is one of the largest organizations in the development cooperation sector. 

But, to sell a swivel we first had to produce one. So the stainless steel metal parts where machined by a CNC company after which Menno welded the assembly together and assembled the working swivel.

The swivel was then packaged and shipped all the way to Palau where the UNDP office made the rest of the set and has actually already tested the setup with the swivel once.

Since then the UNDP has pointed out some small improvements which we are currently in the process of researching and testing. A new swivel with some minor changes is made and will be send out to Palau shortly.

We are very excited to work with the UNDP and we hope to see small scale electrified manual drilling used more often to provide another source of good quality water for people in hard to reach areas.




Working weekend 8 and 9 October

Sunday, November 6th, 2022 No Comments

During this incredibly productive weekend in October, a group of dedicated members came together to work on numerous projects, repairs and improvements. A list of projects including an EMAS cistern and a new electrical system for the Kiwanda was prepared beforehand as to allow the work to start more smoothly. It wouldn’t be long until the sound of digging music filled the field as members got out shovels and spades and got to work. 

Cistern

During the working weekend we started constructing an EMAS cistern. The EMAS cistern is an alternative for an above ground water storage, which uses very few materials. As we have quite sandy soil we planned to make the sand variation of the emas cistern in which you don’t make a bottleneck but have straight walls. This due to collapsing hazards of the sand based bottleneck while constructing.
After a morning of digging we had a hole with a diameter of 150cm and a depth of about 230cm. The floor of the cistern has a slight slope with the lowest point at the center. This means that all the water can be removed for cleaning purposes. We then started making the reducerring, which is made out of cement and rebar and plastered the inside of the hole with a layer of cement. The next day we added another layer of cement after which we started painting on a pure mixture of just cement and water to seal the cistern and prevent it from leaking. We also added a layer of bricks on top of the cistern walls to place the reducerring onto. In the weeks hereafter we added another layer of bricks on top of the existing layer and plastered the in and outside of the ring. We then placed the reducerring on top. We are currently working on the first flush system and the appropriate connection to the gutter.

Burgert pump

On Saturday morning we started working on installing a new Burgert pump for testing under the PTB. To do this we first needed to move the pump mount under the flywheel which will power the pump during the testing phase. The last time this had to move, a sledge hammer was used to get the desired result. This was problematic, as there was no room to manoeuvre the sledgehammer to knock the pump mount back. To overcome this issue we lifted the hole assembly from the bottom and used al our strength to push it back to the original spot. After it was secured to the frame we started to measure the distance from the current end of the shaft to the water level to determine the length of tube necessary to mount the pump flush with the water and add a pressure gauge. We also needed to extend the connecting rod from the flywheel to the pump. After some adjusting the pump worked and stopped hitting the valve on the bottom of the pump which would have critically damaged it if turned on without adjustment. On Sunday the only thing that needed work for this project was the sensor electronics which keep track of the performance of the pump. This wasn’t finished at the end of the day however, due to some unforeseen issues with the code that runs the microcontroller.

Electrical system

Besides all these projects a start is made on a new electrical system suspended overhead through the middle of the workshop, bringing power to the moveable workbenches. With this project finished the hassle of extension cords and wire mazes will become a thing of the past in our beloved Kiwanda!




Intro activities 2022

Monday, August 29th, 2022 No Comments

The WOT is hosting introduction activities every Wednesday and Thursday throughout the month of September.
Yes, that is a lot of intro activities.
The intro activites are easy to follow and well prepared, you need no prior knowledge and can come by to have a look what the WOT is all about. Interested? Use the signup form below to let us know that you are comming and to join the free dinner (If you so wish).

Sign up here

Wednesday the 7th of September
Terrain tour and marblepump workshop.
This Wednesday we will be giving tours of our terrain, multiple members will be walking around to explain what each contraption or building is and answer any questions you might have.|

After the tours (and dinner) we will be starting construction on marble pumps, each course taker can make their own marblepump and take it home with them afterwards.
Here is the manual we will be following, but you don’t need to prepare anything.

Thursday the 8th of September
Lecture on well drilling.
We will host a lecture on well drilling, and in particular manual well drilling. Different techniques and concepts will be introduced and discussed and of course there will be time for all your questions.

Wednesday the 14th of September
EMAS drilling!
Today we will put some of the learned theory in practice. (or give you a very quick catch up course if you missed last Thursday)
We will be drilling a well by hand using the EMAS method, last year we got to 6 meters. Will we be able to beat that?

Thursday the 15th of September
Project presentation and project night
We will give a short presentation on all the current projects the WOT is working on. Afterwards we will split into groups and work on some of these projects. This is a great way to get to know the practical side of our association and learn where everything is in our workshop.

Wednesday the 21st of September
Normal project night
Today we will continue working on different projects on our terrain and in our workshop. Every project has an assigned member so there is always someone to whom you can ask your questions and who can help you with your project work.

Thursday the 22th of September
Pubquiz “Or is it putquiz?”
Today we will be hosting a pubquiz on our terrain, expect normal pubquiz themes but also questions about development aid etc.

Wednesday the 28th of September
Workshop course
We will be giving a workshop course, you can get experience with different techniques like welding, grinding, cutting, reading technical drawings etc.

Thursday the 29th of September
Team vs. Team challenge
We will be having a buildoff one team agains the other, how creative are you? How well can you translate ideas into working machines using the different tools in our workshop? Will you be te one to win the team vs. team challenge?

Please sign up for an activity if you are interested, it is always possible to withdraw but this helps us estimate how many people (and thus food and materials) to expect.
Signing up can be done here.




Wotters in Kenya

Wednesday, June 1st, 2022 1 Comment

A few months ago, two organisations specialized in well drilling training, invited the WOT to join them in Kenya. They wished to reach more people through a YouTube video of the drilling and training process. Two members of the WOT accepted this challenge and travelled to Kenya in May.

The course was focused on water supply for poorer communities in rural areas. The drilling method is designed in such a way that no difficult or expensive tools must be utilised in the process. The wells and boreholes are often a lot safer and more hygienic than the alternatives present in the area. The training stretched across 3 weeks in which multiple wells were drilled. Water tanks, various pumps and DIY solar showers were also demonstrated. People from all over the country, and even some from abroad, joined the course: a huge success!

Training as such, can be found all over the world. Unfortunately, this specific drilling method is used almost only in Bolivia, where the inventor lives. We hope that, through promotion efforts, the EMAS drilling method can be used more often in Kenya. And that the WOT can do our bit in distribution of said knowledge.

Afterwards we made a video on the EMAS drilling method:




Working weekend 1st and 2nd of April

Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 No Comments

After a long winter we’ve organised our first working weekend of the year! With joint efforts, the main goal was to drill a well at the back of the terrain for the new ‘Umoya’ test-setup that will use the earlier posted ‘new gearbox design’ by one of our members. The well was planned to be 12 meters deep with a diameter fitting for a PVC-tube of 125 mm. This seemed quite a challenge since this diameter has not been tried before on our terrain. However, with our EMAS drilling tip extended and filled with good hope whilst wearing warm clothing, we set to work.

Throughout the weekend some of our members posted stories on our new Instagram page to show to the outside world how the EMAS drilling method is used to drill a well and of course to show part of what we do as the WOT. So if  you do not do so already, be sure to follow us on Instagram! A big thank you to all members who worked on the Instagram stories!

In one Saturday we managed to drill to 9 meters in depth, not quite the depth we had hoped for. Next Sunday we set to work with an extra heavy first drilling pipe. Even this didn’t increase the amount of meters per hour achieved, so after lunch a less conventual electric pump was used to pump water into our well, combined with the newly developed rowing machine for lifting the drill pipes up and down.

 Getting stuck on a layer of coarse gravel the depth was eventually settled on just short of 12 meters, which is after all quite deep considering the PTB-tower next to the well is even smaller than that. After dinner the PVC pipes have been lifted in and the well was made ready for development and use.Despite the smaller amount of people joining this working weekend because of bad weather conditions and COVID-symptoms we managed to achieve the our main goal. To all members who joined, thanks for all enthusiasm, exhaustive drilling, building a rowing machine for Euros to be jealous of, a great campfire, all the necessary technical advice and, above all, a great time!




Youtube Video – Testing “Free Energy Water Pump”

Sunday, January 9th, 2022 3 Comments

A new youtube video has been published on our youtube channel.

The youtube channel ‘Learn for Life’ has posted multiple videos on a “free energy water pump’. Because we were sceptical whether this pump works or whether the video is fake we decided to build the pump ourselves.

You can watch the video below. Don’t forget to also have a look at the other videos at our channel




Plastic recycling projects – progress

Wednesday, November 17th, 2021 No Comments

Since last year, the WOT has been in contact with HGI, an organisation that focuses on solving the plastic waste problem on small islands in the Moluccas. Several projects have been worked on since then.

Shredder

First of all a shredder has been made. Most commercially available shredders use rolls with teeth to slowly grind plastic into small pieces. The tolerances on these machines should however be rather small for it to function properly. Often advanced machines are used such as a laser/plasma cutter or parts have to be bought, to fabricate these types of shredders. The idea behind building the shredder at the WOT was to investigate if it would also be possible to create a shredder which requires less precise parts and can be made with widely available tools.

In this case an engine from an electric lawnmower has been used, mounted on a wooden frame and a custom blade was made. The shredder basically resembles a large blender. A mix of plastic waste (mostly packaging waste) was put in the shredder. This was a mix of PE and PP films (such as plastic bags) and harder products from PE,PP or PET.

After some tests, teeth were filed into the blade to decrease the possibility of film winding around the blade. After this adjustment the shredder performed reasonably well. It did not shred material quickly, but, with some help it was able to shred film, which is a difficult material to shred for most shredders. This shredder serves as a proof of concept to show it is possible to shred plastic without an advanced setup. Further research should be done to see if the shredding process can be made more efficient so it takes less time. Also, still some foil winded around the blades, further improvements might mitigate this. If these problems are solved a more generic model (with construction manual) may be designed.

Melting oven

Furthermore a melting oven was designed that can be used to melt the plastic. The molten plastic can then be pressed in a mould to form a product. The oven was designed to work on woodfire. Often electric heating elements are used to melt plastic, but the choice for fire was made because the product was designed to be as accessible to as many people as possible, and the large electricity demands for heating may be a limiting factor for people.

Fire is made on the lowest plate, of which the height can be adjusted. The bottom half of the oven is filled with sand to act as a buffer. This way temperature regulation is more controlled. Plastic is placed and melted in the top half of the oven.

Tests using the oven revealed that it was suitable for melting plastic, but that the temperatures reached were not high enough for melting PET properly. Possibly the buffer region could be made thinner to allow the oven to heat up further, but a more feasible approach is to separate the PET from the PE and PP. Also mixing the plastic when molten in the oven was difficult, the plastic is very viscous and the oven does not allow for great access.

Extruder

Via HGI the WOT got into contact with Rik Voerman as he had designed an extruder for plastic. This extruder was made such that it would be easy to transport so that people in remote locations can use this machine. It uses a cement mixer that drives a wood auger, while plastic is heated with electrical heating elements. The machine extrudes a lump of plastic that is placed in a mould and pressed together. The extruder does not inject plastic into the mould under pressure as this would require more power and a bulkier setup. The machine is fed plastic pallets or agglomerated plastic film (film made into clumps). Foil is not picked up well by the screw and cannot be processed directly, even if it is shredded.

At the WOT we decided to build this extruder for ourselves. Rik supplied us with the necessary components which were assembled and a simple mould to perform tests with was made on the lathe. The extruder worked well, the molten plastic was deposited in the mould and the mould was closed in a vice. The results were as desired, and the machine was simpel to operate.

Challenges ahead

The extruder performs well at melting and mixing the plastic and it was easy to use. It seems to be a better option for melting plastic than the oven that was made. There are a few things that could be improved however. First of all the extruder is made in the Netherlands and shipped abroad, as it requires advanced machinery to produce. This raises questions about what happens if the machine breaks down, can it be fixed locally? Possible failure and the possibility of fixing the machine will be investigated.

Also the processing of film is difficult, while a significant portion of plastic waste is film. Shredding and agglomerating it is possible, but agglomerators are generally heavy machines that need a very large power supply. These machines may not be accessible to small businesses in developing countries. Research will be done to investigate if it is possible to agglomerate plastic with a smaller machine that requires less power. Also the shredder should be further improved to reliably and quickly shred plastic foils.

Another solution to this problem would be to study what happens inside the extruder and investigate whether the design can be changed such that it accepts film directly.

The further progress of these projects will be posted on this website.




New Youtube Video – Rotary Jetting Well Drilling

Saturday, October 23rd, 2021 38 Comments

A new youtube video has been published on our youtube channel.

The video shows a custom made well drilling method called rotary jetting. It combines a rotating drill head with a water jet. If you are interested also have a look at the experimental setup of airlift drilling and the motorised airlift drilling setup.

You can watch the video below. Don’t forget to also have a look at the other videos at our channel