The FUSE modular system.
Chai (right) and Ngo hope to start selling FUSE by Christmas.
KUCHING: Two Sarawakians have designed a fully portable, modular coffee maker system called FUSE, which they plan to mass produce and ship out by Christmas.
To achieve this, Bangkok-based Kenneth Chai and Taipei-based Desmond Ngo aim to raise US$20,000 by Sept 12 through international crowdfunding website Indiegogo.
They have already developed a fully functional prototype, which incorporates a grinder and battery-operated milk frother.
SMK St Joseph Kuching alumnus Chai said he first came up with the idea while working as a field engineer for a global oilfield service company in rural Asia.
“A lot of our engineers are foreigners who can’t work without coffee. Generally the Chinese there drink tea, and in most places access to electricity, clean water and coffee is almost zero. We had to rely on instant coffee like Nescafe on the go, but being coffee lovers we appreciate a really good cup of pressure-brewed coffee that is grinded and brewed right off the bat using clean filtered water.
“Along the many hours in helicopter rides and long 4WD journeys, the FUSE blueprint was slowly sketched out, asked around and developed first using 3D printer, then steel machining, and finally a fully working prototype today. We realised a lot of people who spend their time outdoors appreciate the idea of a portable, manual and modular coffeemaker that they can bring with them, such as camping and hiking where electricity is not available,” he said.
Being modular, the concept will work with more and more modules in future.
According to him, FUSE uses the best method to grind coffee — ceramic burr, instead of steel blade or steel burr.
“It is modular so if you buy grounded coffee you can just pack it into the chamber and add water when you want to brew. The coffee beans are stored securely under pressure in the stainless steel chamber until you add water and pump a shot anytime. It is the first modular coffeemaker, so portable that you can fit in a handbag,” he said.
Chai said he and Ngo have ensured that FUSE is perfectly safe for food contact, as well as has a premium look and feel.
All the plastic parts are made with the highest density heat resistant solid high-density polyethylene (HDPE), while the metal parts are machined from food grade 316 stainless steel.
“On and off the idea started in early 2015 and it looks completely different now. We tried several approaches, shapes and sizes until finally in December 2015, I left my job to concentrate on this in Bangkok.
“If the campaign is successful we plan to start distributing immediately in Malaysia, especially Kuching, where a lot of nature lovers, bicyclists, camping enthusiasts will appreciate our product,” added Chai.
Chai received his bachelor’s degree from Universiti Teknologi Petronas in Perak and Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
The Yayasan Sarawak scholarship recipient worked as a petrophysicist with Schlumberger in the United States and China, before settling down in Bangkok.
Ngo studied in SMK Green Road and pursued his bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering at Universiti Teknikal Melaka.
He is now a senior engineer for semiconductor producer ASML based in Taiwan.
Look for FUSE on its Indiegogo page, website or YouTube channel.