For years, Anzufor, S.A. (Anzufor) has faced the challenge of turning wood by-products into value-added (profitable) products. To tackle this challenge, Anzufor participated in a call for research assistantships, an initiative launched by the ASPIRE project, specifically aimed at AGEXPORT member companies and UVG students. The program facilitates collaborations between students and industry partners, fostering mutually beneficial collaborations. As a result, shared projects benefit from new insight and expertise applied to a shared, unified goal.

To begin, the ASPIRE research team first explored the challenges and opportunities faced by their industry partner Anzufor. In this case, ASPIRE paired Carmen Francine Torón to collaborate with the company, to spearhead a new project design. Carmen is a Product Design and Innovation student at UVG central campus, who answered ASPIRE’s call for research assistantships. José Rodrigo Aragón, mechanical engineer and ASPIRE researcher at UVG, joined the project to support Carmen in her manufacturing needs.

In her new role, Carmen performed a market study, with the help of Geovanny Anzueto and Patty Rentería of Anzufor, to understand possible product applications for their wood by-products. Their results identified two possible market niches for their project: home decoration and kitchen utensils. Carmen then explored wood by-product design development opportunities in these two specific niche markets.

Prototype of the coaster designed by Carmen Toron depicting Lake Atitlan. Photo: UVG

Carmen’s design journey, from research to conceptualization, identified specific design concepts to incorporate into the products, such as “monotony” and “boredom.” These concepts played a fundamental role in the development of the project, from ideation to sketching, to prototyping. Carmen stated that the project was, “inspired by Scandinavian design, which stands out for combining local materials, such as wood, with modernity. I sought to integrate the best of both approaches. The purpose was to create more dynamic environments, integrating elements that break with monotony and boredom, opening up to the idea of​ ‘dynamic art,’ manipulable products inspired by Lake Atitlán, which at the same time reflects a cultural connection to Guatemala.”

During the process, both student and industry professionals relied on each other for support. For example, take their collaborative brainstorming session that evolved into sketches. The sketches facilitated further dialogue between Carmen and Anzufor, resulting in additional prototype refinement, and ultimately a 3D design for the prototype. The 3D design is a three-dimensional representation of an object or environment, allowing the visualization of the object from different angles. This tool is essential for planning and visualizing a physical product before producing the first prototype.

Carmen working on the development of the coasters. Photo: ASPIRE

Efforts were next directed towards developing a manufactured product using a CNC router. Use of this particular tool was prompted by discussions with the wood sector where ASPIRE researchers observed a keen interest in exploring the capabilities of this technology. Thanks to 3D designs and the manufacturing capabilities of the UVG makerspace D-Hive, 2 prototypes were produced: dynamic art (to break the monotony of spaces) and coasters and trivets (both decorative and useful in the kitchen). Prototypes such as these are the first representations of a product and are fundamental in allowing the visualization, testing, and improvement of ideas before reaching final production, saving time and reducing costs. A third product was also delivered to Anzufor, the construction plans for a multifunctional shelf to help with kitchen organization.

On the design and testing process that preceeds protyping, Carmen notes “to explore and to know the materials I was using in-depth, perform tests and iterations, is the most valuable part of this project. Being able to understand that not everything turns out perfectly in the first prototype and that each phase takes its manufacturing time, contributes a lot to the experience. Besides, facing the challenge of freely expressing my creative side without specific guidance from the company was rewarding. The possibility of exploring my creativity in an open way is, without a doubt, the most valuable aspect of this project and an enriching experience.”

Primera reunión con OTT para convertir el proyecto de Carmen en un emprendimiento. Foto: ASPIRE

Carmen found the development process and its potential so rewarding, that she decided to pursue it as her graduation project, with the goal of turning it into a venture in which Anzufor will be her wood by-products supplier. By harnessing ASPIRE’s research, teaching, and innovation assets at UVG, Carmen and Anzufor’s collaboration is a prime example of the mutual benefits that can be achieved when Industry and academia work together.

About ASPIRE

The ASPIRE Project is a five-year, $15 million project funded by USAID and implemented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), and the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT), with the goal of creating a world-class, replicable model for how Latin American universities, in collaboration with the private sector, government, and local communities, can respond to local and regional development needs. The project implements a collaborative approach to research, teaching, innovation, entrepreneurship, and tech transfer, based on the combination of local assets and knowledge with MIT’s experience in the innovation ecosystem.