Devin Pryor, Lamont Wright, Alban, Xhema, Jen DiStefano
Disassembly and study of a Single Use Camera
A) Identify functional components in the sample camera
The components of a single use camera are arranged in such a way that all the
interdependent parts can work together in a reasonable and efficient manner while maintaining a
compact and easy to use design. The wind-up gear turns the film and sets it in place, in
preparation for the shutter release which takes the actual photo. The view grants a type of “print
preview” for the camera user, and the lens allows the image to be transferred onto film. The
shutter acts in tandem with the lens; opening in a split second to unleash the film’s photographic
capturing abilities. The main battery is a power source for the flash, which is used to illuminate
the surrounding area for a better looking photo.
The camera also has supplementary parts, primarily serving as a sort of user interface, or
“UI”, for the photographer. The rotation wheel is attached to a plastic device that clicks, letting
the user know that rotation is happening, until it stops in place, informing the user that the shutter
release is ready to be pressed and the photo taken. The camera also has a red light located on the
front, powered by the battery, that lets the user know that the flash is ready to be used.
B) Materials, assembly and disassembly
The first material you directly notice is the packaging. It is a mix of plastic and metal,
designed so that the films can be safe from dangerous x-rays when being transported across
borders from the place of manufacturing. There is also a cardboard slip that holds the camera in
place. The casing, along with much of the smaller interior parts and components, are made of a
mold-injected plastic. They are cheap materials that fill in the need and should last the short life
of the camera. There is a heavier variation of the same plastic (polystyrene) used for the lens and
flash. This is to make recycling easier and to lessen the chance of contamination. There is also a
printed circuit board made from copper that conducts energy from the battery to the flash. The
film and roll are made of two different plastics, the actual film being thinner, lighter and more
flexible.
The assembly starts with the based circuit board and all the electrical components. After this,
the mechanical plastic components are added so that the pictures can actually be taken. Then, the
film is added, followed by the lenses and flash bulb and cover. Finally, the product is covered by
a plastic case to hold all the internal parts together and to add an easy to grip, easy to use form to
the final product. For disassembly, the entire camera is turned into a film processing facility. At
this point, the camera is taken apart and parts are either reused in new cameras or recycled to be
turned into raw materials.
C) Labeled Parts
D) Reuse and Recycle
Certain parts of cameras can be reused while others can only be recycled, then potentially
remade for future cameras. Reusable parts would most likely include the circuit board, casing,
lens, and whatever plastic parts that can still be used. Obviously, these are all very dependent on
which parts are damaged and which are still functioning properly and intact. Parts that would
never be reused and would have to be recycled are the packaging, battery, and film, as well as
any internal parts that have been damaged.
E) Flow Chart of Systems
Redesign Idea:
After reviewing the wasteful aspects of a disposable camera, we determined that the
energy source – currently a battery – could be redesigned. An idea that we had to reduce the
waste of the energy source was to make the camera solar powered, similar to a basic solar
powered calculator. There would be a small solar panel on the top of the camera that would
allow it to absorb energy from light, thereby eliminating the need for a battery to provide energy
to the flash. Since the flash does require a decent amount of energy, the user would have to be
sure to leave the solar panel exposed to light when not in use so it could build up the energy
necessary for its next use. This redesign would prevent the waste of a AA battery in every
disposable camera.