A few months ago DEVELOP3D announced a design competition to find a new or redesigned tool for the urban beekeeper.
Beekeeping is undergoing a renaissance with many urban dwellers (including DEVELOP3D’s Tanya Weaver) joining the beekeeping ranks. Although new hives have come on the scene, a lot of the beekeeper’s tools are still very traditional and lacking innovation.
The brief was to redesign a piece of beekeeping equipment or design a completely new tool to add to the beekeeper’s toolkit that is user-friendly, sustainable, easy to manufacture and bee friendly.
Last week Develop3D announced the winners. While none of the top spots went to designs created in Creo (you’ve got to BEE kidding me!), Buzz Smoker by Christopher R received a special mention:
Buzz Smoker is a nicely thought out electrical concept and with its stylish design would appeal to the young, urban beekeeper.
The flame is regulated by two fans that have three levels of speed.
An additional fan is placed near the mouth to blow the smoke out, so there is no reliance on the wind. After the inspection, the flame is put out by spinning the fan in reverse and so decreasing combustion.
The smoker is charged via a rechargeable battery underneath.
A number of CAD models showing the different aspects of the smoker, which had been created in Creo, were submitted. Not only were these impressive but so was the fact that he had entered a further two smoker designs into the competition.
