The importance of understanding the market when designing pit-emptying devices

摘要

There is a lot more to designing a pit-emptying device than the technical, engineering-based aspects. In order for a device to be successful it needs to be profitably manufactured, readily available, and actually be purchased by businesses that use it to make a living. The designer is caught between two immovable issues. On the one hand, the more complicated the technology's design the more it will cost, the more difficult it will be to manufacture in the country where it is to be used, and the harder it will be to establish a supply chain. On the other hand, the simpler the device the less power it will have, the less likely it is that it will be capable of removing heavy sludge, and the less successful it will be at providing a pit-emptying solution. The complexity of the problems are compounded by the fragmented, weak, and informal nature of the pit-emptying profession. This paper explores the issues around developing pit-emptying devices that meet both the needs and the constraints of the marketplace.