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Africa’s Modular Machines

One of the things that I find most interesting in my travels around Africa is the similar uses of technology to meet the varied demands of different types of mechanics and workers. The particular case I’ve been thinking over is the use of a simple frame and different engines to meet a specific need.

Many of the same components are used from one machine to the next. The fabricators know that each machine has a different use, but that the parts used to make them unique are not that many.

For instance, below is an image of a painting machine.

Low Cost Paint Machine

The painting machine has an engine, an air compressor and a tank for holding the compressed air.

I’ve seen the same setup, switching out the air compressor for a circular saw, water pump, or a generator. In the same way, the compressed air tank can be switched out for a larger fuel-holding tank or some other machinery that fits the specific need.

Below is an image of the same type of machine, this one with the same setup, except that the compressor is used for tire repair instead of painting.

Tire Machine

Generally, the engine and the frame are the mainstay. The engines used are primarily Briggs & Stratton, the old workhorses of Africa, though I’ve seen Honda trying to make headway in this market lately as well.

The machinery setup is a good example of low-cost fabrication using a modular setup. All of the local fabricators tend to use the same frame setup so that they can mix and match with each others work.

More pictures on the AfriGadget Flickr Group.

[Update: I'm currently going through my archive of pictures and videos for more machines like this. If you have some pictures of these types of machines, please send them my way.]

Another example:

the compressor

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13 comments for this post.

Comment from   Africa’s Modular Machines by swiftda
8 November 2007 - 1:40 pm - :

[...] here for [...]

Comment from Bouphonia
9 November 2007 - 10:08 pm - :

air and discharge that humidity to the outdoors. A desiccant system can be combined with a conventional air conditioning system in which the desiccant removes humidity and the air conditioner lowers air temperature.AfriGadget has a nice feature onmodular machines, which allow a few functional parts to be adapted to multiple uses:One of the things that I find most interesting in my travels around Africa is the similar uses of technology to meet the varied demands of different types of mechanics and workers. The

air and discharge that humidity to the outdoors. A desiccant system can be combined with a conventional air conditioning system in which the desiccant removes humidity and the air conditioner lowers air temperature.AfriGadget has a nice feature onmodular machines, which allow a few functional parts to be adapted to multiple uses:One of the things that I find most interesting in my travels around Africa is the similar uses of technology to meet the varied demands of different types of mechanics and workers. The

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Comment from Pax Americana
10 November 2007 - 2:05 am - :

air and discharge that humidity to the outdoors. A desiccant system can be combined with a conventional air conditioning system in which the desiccant removes humidity and the air conditioner lowers air temperature. AfriGadget has a nice feature onmodular machines, which allow a few functional parts to be adapted to multiple uses: One of the things that I find most interesting in my travels around Africa is the similar uses of technology to meet the varied demands of different types of mechanics and workers. The

air and discharge that humidity to the outdoors. A desiccant system can be combined with a conventional air conditioning system in which the desiccant removes humidity and the air conditioner lowers air temperature. AfriGadget has a nice feature onmodular machines, which allow a few functional parts to be adapted to multiple uses: One of the things that I find most interesting in my travels around Africa is the similar uses of technology to meet the varied demands of different types of mechanics and workers. The

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Comment from africa » Africa’s Modular Machines
12 November 2007 - 12:01 pm - :

[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]

Comment from Africa's Modular machines Continued: Saws — AfriGadget Archive
21 December 2007 - 7:38 am - :

[...] This is a continuation of Erik’s post on African Modular machines. [...]

Comment from Mashada Blogs
21 December 2007 - 8:34 pm - :

This is a continuation of Erik’spost on African Modular machines. The video below shows how the machines are used in wood workshops to make design cutouts, carve out pieces for furniture and to split planks of wood. It is essentially the same machine pieces, motor, pulleys and frame, just customized for different

This is a continuation of Erik’spost on African Modular machines. The video below shows how the machines are used in wood workshops to make design cutouts, carve out pieces for furniture and to split planks of wood. It is essentially the same machine pieces, motor, pulleys and frame, just customized for different

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Comment from Development news round-up – 11/1/08 | Katine | guardian.co.uk
12 January 2008 - 4:06 am - :

[...] train a doctor.Finally, over on the AfriGadget blog, Erik Hersman has been reporting on the use of modulated machinery in Africa. He discusses the varied ways in which people are using simple frames and engines to [...]

[...] train a doctor.Finally, over on the AfriGadget blog, Erik Hersman has been reporting on the use of modulated machinery in Africa. He discusses the varied ways in which people are using simple frames and engines to [...]

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Comment from AfriGadget: African tinkerers make strange but effective use of technology
16 January 2008 - 12:58 am - :

[...] metal animalshttp://www.afrigadget.com/2007/11/08/africas-modular-machines/modular machines make for unintentional [...]

[...] metal animalshttp://www.afrigadget.com/2007/11/08/africas-modular-machines/modular machines make for unintentional [...]

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Comment from Mashada Blogs » AfriGadget
31 January 2008 - 7:56 pm - :

[...] This is a continuation of Erik’s post on African Modular machines. [...]

[...] This is a continuation of Erik’s post on African Modular machines. [...]

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Comment from Y-Voir-Plus
7 February 2008 - 3:54 am - :

Africa genius………

Comment from Paint Machine on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
14 February 2008 - 10:48 am - :

[...] Paint Machine To take full advantage of Flickr, you should use a JavaScript-enabled browser and install the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player. F.decorate(_ge(’button_bar’), F._photo_button_bar).bar_go_go_go(1922929158, 0);F.decorate(_ge(’photo_notes’), F._photo_notes).notes_go_go_go(1922929158, ‘http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2401/1922929158_f3e72e42ae_t.jpg’, ‘3.1444′); View whiteafrican’s map Taken in a place with no name (See more photos here) Read the rest of the story on AfriGadget on "Africa’s Modular Machines" http://www.afrigadget.com/2007/11/08/africas-modular-machines/  [...]

[...] Paint Machine To take full advantage of Flickr, you should use a JavaScript-enabled browser and install the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player. F.decorate(_ge(’button_bar’), F._photo_button_bar).bar_go_go_go(1922929158, 0);F.decorate(_ge(’photo_notes’), F._photo_notes).notes_go_go_go(1922929158, ‘http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2401/1922929158_f3e72e42ae_t.jpg’, ‘3.1444′); View whiteafrican’s map Taken in a place with no name (See more photos here) Read the rest of the story on AfriGadget on "Africa’s Modular Machines" http://www.afrigadget.com/2007/11/08/africas-modular-machines/  [...]

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Comment from AfriGadget » Blog Archive » AfriGadget: the story behind the stories.
18 February 2008 - 6:17 pm - :

[...] video that I took back in the summer of 2007 shows Hash (aka WhiteAfrican) hard at work getting the Africa’s Modular Machines piece that went up in AfriGadget last November. Yes, the sound quality and camera work are [...]

Comment from Informal standardization in African DIY | X2
22 April 2008 - 3:49 pm - :

[...] This is significant because we’re starting to see stories of African inventors doing interesting things, and observations like this remind us that most inventive activity involves independent but not completely solitary inventors: successful inventors tend to be members of communities of practice, who share ideas and technical skills, and have to work together. They compete, but they also have to cooperate. Source: http://www.afrigadget.com/2007/11/08/africas-modular-machines/ [...]

[...] This is significant because we’re starting to see stories of African inventors doing interesting things, and observations like this remind us that most inventive activity involves independent but not completely solitary inventors: successful inventors tend to be members of communities of practice, who share ideas and technical skills, and have to work together. They compete, but they also have to cooperate. Source: http://www.afrigadget.com/2007/11/08/africas-modular-machines/ [...]

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