Our partner cooperative gathers clay at the bottom of a valley, carrying it on their heads up a steep hill before mixing, pressing, and firing the clay into roof tiles. The pathway to and from this valley was a rough dirt trail approximately one mile in length and three feet wide. While this trail width was acceptable for foot traffic, the path would need to be widened for any clay transportation system to be used properly, safely, and effectively.

During Summer 2017, the cooperative brought the team to a neighboring business that used tractors to haul clay for them, expressing their desire to have a similar machine for their own needs. The tractors were too wide for the cooperative’s trail, difficult to control, and overpowered compared to the community’s needs. It was also important that the wagon was electric because gasoline is costly and difficult for the community to acquire.

EWB-SCU began the electric wagon design after need finding and data gathering during Summer 2017. Elevation data collected showed that the clay needed to be transported 250 feet of elevation over a ⅓ mile distance with an average slope of 8° degrees. The worst parts of the trail are as steep as 20° with occasional sharp turns and uneven terrain. Members of the cooperative make this journey carrying 15 lb at a time. About 15 cubic feet or roughly 1250 lb of wet clay needed to carried each week.

EWB-SCU decided to purchase a garden wagon as a base frame for the cart instead of welding a custom frame as it was more cost-effective and would expedite the design process allowing the team to focus on the critical electrical and mechanical systems. A Sandusky Lee CW3418 Steel utility wagon was chosen as a base frame for the electric wagon because it satisfied the 2 ft width requirement of the trail and could hold 400 lb. As community members cannot easily lift much more than 100 lb, the 40 lb frame would allow the cart to be more easily lifted if it were to get stuck.