Study of the Single Use Camera
Group number six:
Grant Fellenbaum
Emily Yao
Tommy Walsh
Harold Minnebo
This project includes the disassembly of a Kodak single use camera. The team identified
components and thought about how the camera works. A study was done for part materials,
recycling methods, and a redesign proposal.
Disassembly
The disassembly process starts with removing the plastic wrapped around the camera.
Once this is removed, the three clips on the sides and bottom of the camera can be released
and the casings can be pulled apart. Once the shells are removed, the two rolls of film can be
removed from their housings. The rest of the parts can be removed as they are seen. Most will
simply pull apart, but some will require screws to be taken out first.
Functional Components
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Lens - Plastic piece to bend the light, captures and focuses the light.
Shutter mechanism - Plastic components with metal spring. Swings open to allow light to
be captured on the film.
Film - captures the image and is taken to the store to develop the pictures
Viewfinder - allows the user to see what he/she will be taking a picture of through a small
piece of clear plastic that magnifies the image.
Film transport & counter mechanism – A wheel with a ratchet and numbered to identify
the number of pictures that can be taken.
Electron Flash - used to add more light to the picture. Powered by the battery and can
be turned on by the user. It takes energy from the battery to start the capacitor and this
starts the flash.
Energy cell - a single AA alkaline battery that was made in China.
House shell - made of black plastic to enclose all of the internal parts. It is held together
by latches. A colorful yellow Kodak sticker covers the black plastic to give the camera a
more attractive appeal
Internal frame - provides a housing for the shutter components for the film so that the
film is pulled through the system.
Operation
The first step to operating the camera is to wind the film wheel to pull a fresh section of
film for image saving. The user decides if they want a flash or not. If they want the flash, the
user presses the flash button which will charge the capacitor with the battery. The user then
aims the camera and presses the trigger button, which opens the shutter and the image is
projected on the film. The shutter is spring loaded, so when someone presses the trigger button,
the shutter flashes open to let the light flash onto the film. The film is positioned on two rolls, one
filled with unused film and the other with film that has saved images. The image is projected
between the two rolls and saved chemically. The processes is then repeated for the next
picture.
Materials
Most of the materials used in the functional components of the camera are made of
plastic. The battery and electronic flash unit are composed of many different materials; including
plastic, metal, glass, and other compounds. The body of the camera is made from a plastic that
is a polycarbonate compound which contains 10-20% glass fiber. This makes it so the camera is
durable, lightweight, shock-resistant, and tolerant to humidity and temperature changes. This
material is also perfect for molding into the specific shape it requires to house all of the
components so they fit tightly and will not budge.
Assembly
For the assembly procedure, the parts should be placed back together in the reverse
order that they were removed. This is especially difficult because many of the parts were broken
upon removal. Such parts include the lenses and other plastic parts that have tabs. Once the
tabs are broken off, they cannot be reassembled. Therefore, the user may find it impossible to
reassemble the camera to a functional state.
Reused Materials
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The camera mechanism and electronic flash system.
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Kodak donates any returned batteries to charity or the photofinisher may reuse them.
Battery can be also reused by another industry since it still has over half of its useful life
remaining.
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Internal camera body and mechanism, a new film, a battery, lenses and outer covers are
added to make a “new” single use camera ready for sale.
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Many small parts (thumb wheels and counter wheels)
Recycled Components
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The covers (paperboard, package, shells and label) of the cameras
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Used lenses--as raw materials for other products.
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The viewfinder--recycled into new internal camera parts
Overall, around 77-86% of a Kodak single use camera can be reused or recycled. Once
a disposable camera is used, the camera would be returned to the store for the film to be
developed. After the film is removed from the body of the camera, the body would be sent back
to the manufacturer of the camera (Kodak). Kodak then takes the cameras apart and tests each
part to see if there is any damage. Some of unharmed parts can be reused in new cameras.
However, if there is damage to the part or the part cannot meet inspection requirements, it can
be melted down and recycled into new parts for the camera a limited amount of times.
Functional Decomposition Diagram
Redesign proposal
The single use camera itself is well engineered to be recycled and to reduce waste.
Therefore, the team turned to the packaging for redesign. The packaging is designed to protect
the camera from physical damage, dirt, and radiation. Sun radiation damages the chemicals in
the film, rendering them useless. The problem with the current packaging is that it is not
recyclable. A redesign of this packaging should include recyclable components. This could be
done by wrapping the camera in a protective metal film that is separate from the plastic piece.
This would be similar to placing the camera in a metal bag, and then placing both of the camera
and metal bag in another plastic bag that can have the promotional information on the outside.
This method would enable to separate components that can be recycled. Another design idea
could be to include the metal layer within the camera itself. This way the recycling center can
reuse it for new cameras when they take the used ones apart. This design would also be
desirable because it would provide radiation protection even after the camera is removed from
the packaging.
Works Cited
"Asset Toolkit: Access Denied." Asset Toolkit: Access Denied. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/environment/kes/recycling/otuc/usMinilabs.jhtml>.
"Camera Recycling." Camera Recycling. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.wasteconnect.co.uk/page.aspx?ID=db7c4fa6-ccc6-4747-85ec555d4e13d9d0>.
Holmes, Gillian. "How Products Are Made." How camera is made. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Camera.html>.
Lofthouse, Vicky. "Information Inspiration." Information Inspiration. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
<http://ecodesign.lboro.ac.uk/index.php?section=67>.