STPS251 – Strategies for Team-based Engineering Problem Solving
Sections 02/52 – Mechanical Engineering
Engineering Design and Graphics Communication
Fall 2010
Assignment: Research Project
Instructor: Dr. Jamal Ahmad & Dr. David Moore
Date: 27/9/2010
Team name: The A Team
Made by:
Yasirbur Rahman Moshiur Rahman - 920013449
Introduction
After receiving client’s letter of request, it is understood that they want a group of
engineers to develop a system that could reduce the volume of aluminum can by at least 75%,
which is attractive, portable, and can be suspend from kitchen counter or back of cabinet door.
So, these turned out to be our objectives for the design. In simple terms, they want us to design a
can crusher that is portable and is operated manually.
Background
In today’s world the importance of recycling is becoming greater of a concern for the
general public and also to the economy. Recycling has become a major problem because
scientific research has been suggesting for years that the earth is being depleted too fast. The
earth’s resources are being consumed at a rate that faster than it can replenish. However people
are realizing the problem at hand and the importance of recycling. A major part in reducing the
global warming is to recycle much of what we use, instead of throwing it away as waste.
Recycling is incredibly important as a means to reduce poisonous emissions into the atmosphere
and also to spare our natural resources. Today many companies and individuals are trying to
improve their recycling habits by coming up with ideas to reduce carbon footprint.
Importance of Aluminum recycling
Aluminum is the most plentiful metal on the planet. And to keep it that way, we need to
make an effort to recycle the aluminum already in use and production. Aluminum can recycling
provides many benefits environmentally and economically. Recycling aluminum requires only
5% of the energy and produces only 5% of the CO2 emissions as compared with primary
production and reduces the waste going to landfill. Aluminum can be recycled indefinitely, as
reprocessing does not damage its composition. Aluminum is also the most cost-effective material
to recycle [5]. It only takes 60 days to get a recycled can back on the shelf. By crushing those with
a can crusher, you can save a lot of space and time.
Recycling with a Can Crusher
Now a days, most beverages come in cans which after use becomes problem for storage
space. Crushing aluminum cans for recycling saves precious storage at home. Can crushers are
the most efficient and easy way of reducing volume of aluminum cans. This then leads us to our
research question. What kind of design or mechanism can we use in our system to make it as
efficient as possible and what can we learn from this design project.
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Article 1
This article describes the design and
mechanism of a can crusher which utilizes a
single lever arm pivoted in two places to a
pivotal link and a crusher plate respectively.
Normally all can crushers crush cans from
end-to-end, creating a thick disc that is
difficult for the shredding machines to
handle. This design is simple and enables the
user to first buckle the can in one end, and
then crush it flat with both ends up in a single
up-down movement of a lever. This is
achieved by the use of a long lever arm
having a hand grip at the free end with the
other end being pivoted to a connector which
links it to a base plane. Between the pivotal
length and the hand grip is an extending
actuator arm which connects to the top of a
hinged crusher plate, and a foot extending
downward form the pivoted end of the arm
crushes one end of the can inward to create a
buckle as the arm is lifted, setting the can up
for a clean, flat crush as the crusher plate is
lowered by pushing down on the lever arm.
In a single upward motion on the lever arm
or handle the can is buckled, and a single
downward motion causes the can to be
crushed, so that the same arm is used for the
entire process. Another advantage of the
device is that it is very easily wall mounted alternative to the basic floor mount.
From this article, we knew that it is easier to crush cans when buckled. Normally when
we think of crushing cans, we imagine it to be crushed from end-to-end. This makes it easier for
shedding too. Therefore, in our design we can use this idea and the single up-down movement of
a lever that incorporates two tasks in one single motion, which is the buckling followed by the
crushing action. This makes it much simpler and convenient to use.
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Article 2
This article describes a hand operated devices designed to crush cans, such as beverage
cans, in a vertical direction thus reducing their volume. Vertical crushing is implemented to
provide a more compact end result which means less wasted volume.
The objectives of the design are as follows:
1. provide a can crushing device which
crushes the can in such a manner so as to
eliminate exposed sharp edges.
2. provide a hand operated can crushing
device which requires minimal pressure and
can be safely operated by children.
3. provide a means for crushing cans
which allows the air contained therein to
escape without slitting or puncturing the can.
4. provide a structurally lightweight,
economical, uncomplicated can crushing
apparatus.
Pursuing these objectives, a device was
designed which comprises:
a) means for holding a can in a
substantially upright position;
b) means for applying compression
pressure longitudinally
c) a mounting component attached to
upright member;
d) a press member attached to mounting
member having means for allowing air
to escape
e) a handle having a first lever attached at
one end to a mounting member and the
other end to a second lever which is
also connected to the mounting member
at midpoint. The second lever has a free end which is used to input force manually.
f) a method for crimping at least one side of can along a substantially vertical line to
produce a circular package of concentrated mass with no cut edges.
From this article, it was learned that it is possible for a device to trap air inside the can thus
requiring an extreme amount of pressure to compress. Therefore, in our design of the system we
have to take into account that air does not get trapped inside can. And also, when cans are
crushed from end to end, it occupies less volume and there is less possibility of sharp edges
being exposed.
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Article 3
The article illustrates a self-standing
system designed to crush aluminum cans. A
stand is connected to a vertical housing,
which is hollowed out and contains a can slot,
a slot for a handle, and a numerous slots for
springs to stretch and retract. Connected to
the vertical member are the springs, which
also connect to a crushing device. The
crushing device fits inside the hollow section
of the vertical member and has the handle
located near the top of it. The device is spring
loaded so that the handle retracts to its
original position after each operation. During
operation, the device functions by placing an
aluminum can inside of the can slot, and
pushing the handle towards the base. Once
the aluminum can is crushed, the springs will
raise the crushing device, and the crushed
aluminum canister can be removed from the
can slot.
The previous can crushers uses mechanical force to crush the can and also to bring the
device to its original position. But, this device is a bit different. It uses the idea of spring force to
return the handle to its original position. This concept can be used in our design and make it
much simpler to use. There is a possibility for the handle to get stuck after crushing can. But the
springs will prevent this from happening as the springs will immediately pull the handle back
when released.
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Article 4
This article studies the outcomes of using the recycling theme to motivate product design
students. A can crusher design exercise has been devised to investigate the design strategies
adopted by first year undergraduate students with different academic backgrounds. The
techniques of reflective design analysis have been used to examine the work of two different
groups, one group having science-based knowledge and the other having arts-based knowledge.
The techniques of reflective design analysis have been used to examine students’ work and the
analysis has identified a diverse set of strategies within each group. Problem-focused strategies
have been found to be prominent at one extreme and product-focused strategies prominent at the
other. The research findings have been used to develop a structured design (Fig. 1) methodology
that combines these contrasting strategies and identifies the teaching elements required to
support the structure. Designing inexpensive consumer products capable of delivering large
forces within a prescribed cycle of operation and making such products desirable and interesting
is problematic. The work has shown that recycling issues can be used to motivate young people
and provide a worthwhile outlet for creative effort. Recycling issues can be used to generate
broad-based design tasks – tasks which require designers to exercise self-sustaining learning
styles and to work in different design perspectives. Both groups of students examined in the
study were found to employ similarly deficient strategies and it is concluded that these
deficiencies were a consequence of the learning styles developed in school through the study of
particular academic subjects in the final years. It was also found that these previously acquired
learning styles subdued creativity by limiting the range of design perspectives that could be
addressed in the search for solutions. The methodology has been used to address an issue in
materials recycling, but is generally applicable where the objective is to teach students how to
design mechanically functional artifacts that are also desirable and interesting.
Conclusion
There has always been a problem regarding can recycling. People do not take it seriously
enough because it is not affecting them at the moment. But it is important to recycle cans to save
natural resource. People have invented many devices that can crush can effectively to be able to
store it and in ease of transport. But the problem is that there is no incentive for them to do so.
Therefore, our team as engineers would like to help in this cause, and design a can crusher that
not only gets the job done but also is attractive and easy to use.
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Appendix
Figure 1 A structure for design projects.
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Reference
[1] James D. Shelly,”Aluminum can crusher,” U.S. Patent 4292891, Oct. 6, 1981
[2]Larry M. Belfills,”Can crusher,” U.S. Patent 4133261, Jan. 9, 1979
[3]John A. Murray, “Self-standing aluminum can crusher,” U.S. Patent 7360484 B1, Apr. 22,
2008
[4] Sydney Pace. (2004, Nov.). Using the recycling theme to motivate product design students: a
teaching methodology based on domestic can crushers. Sustainable Design [Online]. (26)7. pp.
623-628. Available: http://bit.ly/atd5bT
Volume 26, Issue 7, 2005, Pages
[5] (http://www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/InformationSheets/metals.htm) [Accessed 25,
Sept. 2010]
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