Dual-P Homer

It started with my mother

Dual-P Homer is an idea that came from watching my mother go through the stress of grinding food ingredients on a stone, or using a mortar for the ones that could not be ground on the stone.

There are other vegetable blenders and grinding machines on the market, most of them either manually or electrically powered. After buying my mother an electrically powered blender, the unsteady power supply in my country made it less helpful than intended. That led to the idea of a dual-powered blender.

Inspiration and ideation

Some of my design ideas were drawn from existing machines — all credit to their original owners — with significant modifications made to ensure ruggedness and durability. SolidWorks was my preferred modelling tool, but its instability at the time led me to use Fusion 360 for this project.

Material selection

Enclosure

The materials were carefully selected from the best food-contact-safe options. The enclosures were made from a blend of polyamide, acrylonitrile styrene and polycarbonate.

Blades

For durability and cutting precision, high-tempered steel was selected for the cutting blades. They exhibit characteristics similar to surgical blades and are detachable for replacement when blunted.

Bucket

The clear bucket was designed from highly treated and blended polyethylene terephthalate.

Design considerations

• Size. Compact yet stable, with an overhead motor allowing the bucket to be carried to the dining table.
• Cost. Material selection focused on quality at minimal cost, to keep it affordable for rural dwellers.
• User friendliness. Minimal components and easy assembly, with well-labelled controls anyone can operate with little instruction.