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Field Ready recently conducted a site visit in Kathmandu Valley to document the impact of improvements made to cook stoves in the area that grew out of collaboration with local innovator Madhukar KC. His improved cook stove design, a decade in the making, resulted in a better burner to get more oxygen to the wood so that it burns more efficiently. Demonstrating one of the more powerful ways in which an off the shelf FDM 3D printer can be used, the work of Field Ready during the past year enabled metal casting of his original wooden pattern – ready for installation.
The site visit revealed several positive effects of the improved cook stoves, including decreased utilization of wood resources gathered from local forests, and improved health outcomes for the local population, some of whom no longer suffer from persistent coughs, and all of whom now enjoy food cooked quicker on more effective burners thanks to decreased smoke and soot production. Recognizing the value added to their community, others are making the effort to help construct these stoves locally.