Design that Matters Field Journal

Amy Smith's Screenless Hammermill

Here is an overview of Amy Smith's screenless hammermill design. Amy has built and field-tested this device in Senegal. We're bringing data and technical specs for our NGO collaborators in Mali and Benin.

Here is a conventional hammermill, which features a metal mesh or screen to separate the flour from the rubbish [Photo courtesy Amy Smith].

Here is a picture of Amy's screenless hammermill prototype, which she built in Senegal.

A new type of hammermill was designed to operate without a screen. To further reduce milling fees, the mill was designed to minimize the manufacturing and operating costs. [...]

Further improvements to the mill include a single hammer blade which is directly mounted to the motor shaft and a grits discharge which allows continuous operation of the mill. These improvements allow the mill to be produced at about a quarter of the cost of conventional hammermills. In addition, the energy consumption to operate the mill is decreased by about seventy percent and a superior product is produced." -- Amy Smith