LAC
Useful information
- Team members
- Luke Kelly
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Keywords
- milk distributed cafe supply chain
Short Description
How might we reduce single use items and maintain hygiene in a cafe environment?
Detailed Description
As a part time Barista I felt the current methods can be troublesome during busy periods, and following the Covid-19 pandemic heightened hygiene procedures would be necessary. I wanted to change this and ensure cafe can stay open and that customer and staff would feel safe.
LAC is an alternative milk distribution and delivery method, using gastronorms, 3D printed parts and standardised fittings. The 3D printed assembly, allows for a variety of standard pipe fittings and gastronorms to be used as a basis for the device. The design combats both hygiene issues as well as the incredible volume of waste from the 4 pint milk bottles. I have also worked with a coffee roasted and several cafes to find tune the design and interactions, to ensure service isn't disrupted.
The design follows a distributed manufacture approach to create a cheaper and more repairable alternative to large costly systems, such as the Juggler, a system that costs over $8,000 available in Australia
Project Details
- Does your design take social and cultural challenges and human wellbeing into consideration?
Following on from COVID-19, cafes will need to reduce contact with drinks and ensure good hygiene is met. The device provides Baristas with contact free milk, both helping the baristas and customers feel cafe, ensuring that there are no barriers to cafes reopening and working through this tough time.
- Does your design support sustainable production, embodying circular or regenerative design practices?
By utilising kegs from local breweries that are no longer safe to be pressurised, and pipes available from coffee machine service engineers, it shows that distributed design for electronic and mechanical products are food safe and fill the gap in the market that the more expensive product leave.
- Does your design use principles of distribution and open source?
The standard pipe fittings and components along with a parametric design for multiple types of gastronorms available on CAD sharing sites such as thingiverse. All files are covered under the creative commons noncommercial share alike license.
- Does your design promote awareness of responsible design and consumption?
The reduction in plastic and milk waste would encourage cafes around the world to rethink this supply chain, as well as provide a platform for further changes to the cafe or home environment.
Images
