Research report
Recycling of an alarm clock
Jelle van der Boon
Research report
Recycling of an alarm clock
Jelle van der Boon
Rijswijk
September 2008
TH-Rijswijk
Preface
We contribute to huge amounts of garbage each year, but how do we get rid of it?
Years ago we used to burn everything, but the last couple of years recycling is getting a lot more common.
This is ofcourse the best way to get rid of garbage.
First, you lose all your garbage, and second, you can use the materials to produce new products.
The latter being very important, because the amount of materials earth contains is limited.
This report is meant for anyone who’s interested in the process of disassembling or recycling a product.
My thanks goes to the students who rated my reports over the last couple of weeks,
and to my tutor, A.A.M. Smulders, for the feedback to my reports
Rijswijk, november 2008
Table of contents
Summary
Explanation of terms
1 Introduction 6
2 Task description 7
3 Uitwerking of the TPD 8
4 Hierarchy of an alarm clock 9
5 Description of functions and tasks 10
of the consumer product and parts.
6 Work preparation and material separation logistics 11
7 Material technological aspects 14
8 Examine alternatives 16
9 Explanation choices 17
10 Conclusions and recommendations 21
Bibliography 22
Appendix
I Map work chamber
9
Summary
This report is about the process of recycling, with the purpose of informing people about disassembling, recycling and re-using products.
De successive chapters are about a big number of relevant aspects of recycling, like:
- The Hierarchy of a product.
- The functions en tasks of a product.
- Disassembling and separation techniques of a product.
The conclusion is that, when people have the right knowledge and supplies, it’s definitely useful to recycle a product.
Explanation of terms
Bros (?) The quality to break, if it’s being stretched too much.
Elasticity The way a material shapes when exposed to external powers.
Hardness The resistance a material offers against permanent mechanical transformation.
Hierarchy A way to display data, which connects minorities with majorities.
Ongelegeerd (?) Steel that contains a 1,5% maximum percentage of alloy
steel elements.
MEPHOTAC Mechanical, electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, optical, thermic, acoustic, chemical.
Stansen (?) With sharp stamps cutting pieces out of thin plates.
Stiffness Displays in what way a material or construction resists against transformation.
Tough The opposite of bros.
1. Introduction
The purpose of this research report, is to give people a better picture of the possibilities of recycling.
This report is about a big number of relevant aspects of recycling. It will show you how to disassemble and recycle/re-use a product, step by step.
This report has been created through disassembling and examining a self chosen product.
2. Task description
Finding an efficient way to disassemble 10,000 alarm clocks, and to thereafter separate all parts on material level.
3. Uitwerking (?) of the Technical Product Dossier
Here will be shown what chapters are in the TPD, and what’s explained in those chapters, plus references to chapters in this research report.
1 Description of functions and tasks of consumer article
In this chapter are explained the functions and tasks of the consumer article.
This will be further explained in chapter 5 of this report.
2 Analysis parts
In this chapter the following points will be explained:
2.1 Hierarchy consumer article
A way to display data, which connects minorities with majorities.
The hierarchy of the product is displayed in chapter 4 of this report.
2.2 Function and task of parts
In this chapter are explained the function and task of the parts. This will be further explained in chapter 5 of this report.
2.3 Determining standard or specific parts
In this chapter will be looked at what parts are standard or specific.
Standard parts can be used for every product.
Specific part scan only be used for specific products.
This will not be further explained in this report.
2.4 Description material technological aspects of specific parts
In this chapter will be described what materials the specific parts are made of, and what manufacturing techniques have been used.
This (plus the material technological aspects of standard parts) will be further explained in chapter 7 of this report.
3 Disassemble plan
In this chapter is displayed:
How the product will be disassembled step by step, how long every step will take,
And how many employees will be needed for every step.
This will not be further explained in this report.
4 Plan disassemble line and separation systems
In this chapter is explained how the product is disassembled,
How long disassembling the product takes, what materials are being separated,
en where the materials will be separated.
This will be further explained in chapter 6 of this report.
5 Work preparations for disassembling the consumer article
In this chapter is explained what is needed to start the project,
and what’s needed to keep the project going.
This will be further explained in chapter 6 of this report.
6 Separation systems of discrete materials
In this chapter is described (in detail) what materials will be separated, where the
materials will be separated, what happens to the materials after being separated,
and where the materials are going.
This will be further explained in chapter 6 of this report.
4. Hierarchy of a consumer article
A hierarchy is a way to display data, which connects minorities with majorities.
5. Description of functions and tasks of the consumer article and parts.
Consumer article (mechanical alarm clock)
Function 1: An alarmclock is a clock, which gives a signal (often sound) on a vooraf (?) adjusted time, with the purpose of waking the user. The alarm can be turned off by pushing the alarm button, on the back of the clock.
Function 2: On the top is a broad ''snooze'' button. If you push the button, the alarm will be postponed for a few minutes (slumber function).
Tasks:
The pointers have to be able to move.
The pointers and numbers must be clearly visible.
The time and alarm have to be adjustable.
The alarm has to go off on the adjusted alarm setting.
Stability/grip.
Parts
Protective plate
Function: Protection for pointers and number plate.
Task: Has to be sturdy and transparent.
Housing
Function: Protection for mechanical component.
Task: Has to be sturdy.
Stumps
Function: Making sure the alarm clock can’t just glide off of objects.
Task: Having grip on the ground.
Numberplate
Function: Displaying time.
Task: The numbers 1 to 12 have to be displayed in the correct order.
Big, small, and seconde (?) pointers:
Function: Displaying time.
Task: Moet duidelijk te zien zijn waar elke wijzer voor bedoeld is (uur, min, of sec).
Alarm pointer
Function: Displaying the time on which the alarm is set.
Task: Must stand out from the other pointers.
Screws
Function: Holding together the mechanical component.
Task: Must be strong.
Copper wire
Function: Overbrengen van stroom.
Task: Geleiden van stroom
Tandwielen (?)
Function: Making the pointers work.
Task: Have to turn at the correct rate.
6. Work preparation and material separation logistics
Work preparation
See appendix I for the map of a working room.
Working room: 3.75*3.75 m.
3.75 (2*0.75+2*1+0.25) * 3.75 (2*0.75+2*1+0.25) m. (see Appendix I).
The amount of working rooms that need to be hired depends on the deadline of this project, and how much the costs may go up.
Stock: 4.5*6.9*2.1 m.
Alarm clock: 0.15*0.8*0.7 m.
27 (3*3*3) alarm clocks per box: 0.45*0.24*0.21 m.
10.000/27 = 371 boxes.
371 = 10*10*4 rows of boxes.
4.5*2.4*2.1 + space to walk through (9 paths of 0.5 m. wide).
Requisites per working room:
Tables
- 5 of 1*0.75 m.
Lopende banden (?)
- 1 of 0.5*0.75 m.
- 1 of 1.25*0.75 m.
- 3 of 0.75*0.75 m.
Employees
-5 employees (1 per table)
-1 employee for the toevoer (?) of alarmclocks and the afvoer (?) of parts.
Tools
- 1 Crosshead screwdriver (for table 3)
- 2 Screwdrivers (or other long tools) (for tables 1 and 2)
- 1 Tang (?) (for table 5)
- 1 Scissors (for table 4)
Bins
- 3 for table 1
- 1 for table 2
- 1 for table 3
- 2 for table 4
- 4 for table 5
Aanvoer (?)
Every 5 minutes a new alarm clock will be worked on.
The time to disassemble an alarm clock is 50 minutes.
In the first hour 3 alarm clocks will be disassembled. After the first hour, 12 clocks will be disassembled each hour.
In 1 box is room for 27 alarm clocks (See ''Stock'' in this chapter).
Every 2 hours a new box of alarm clocks has to stand ready.
Material separation logistics
Table 1
8.30-8.35
On table 1 the protective plate, pointers, and numberplate will be put into separate bins (PMMA (plexiglass), ongelegeerd steel, cardboard):
1) Put a screwdriver (or any other long tool) between the protective plate and the housing, so you can remove the protective plate.
2) Remove the pointers and numberplate.
Table 2
8.35-8.40
On table 2 the housing will be put into a bin (PVC):
3) The mechanical component is stuck in the housing (clicked). Press up the housing with any long tool, so the klemmetjes (?) from the mechanical component are starting to get loose and you can remove it.
Table 3
8.40-8.50
On table 3 the screws will be put into a bin (steel):
4) Remove all screws (6) from the mechanical component with a crosshead screwdriver.
Table 4
8.50-9.10
On table 4 the engine and copper wire will be put into seperate bins. The engine will not be further disassembled, but sent to Stichting Nederlandse Verwijdering Metalektro Producten.
5) The engine is vormgesloten (?) between the two hoods of the mechanical component, and is now loose because the screws have been removed..
The engine as a whole can be re-used (contact Stichting Nederlandse Verwijdering Metalektro Producten)
6) The copper wire has to be cut loose, as close as possible to the connection point.
The copper wire will be melted, so the copper will be separated from the PVC cover.
Tafel 5
9.10-9.20
On table 5 the tandwielen (?), spool, knoppen (?), en axes will be put into separate bins (nylon, copper, PVC, steel):
7) All parts that are still connected can easily be removed with a tangetje (?) (tandwielen (?), spool, knoppen (?), axes).
PMMA, PVC, and all metals have to be melted.
7. Material technological aspects
Protective plate
Material: Polymethylmethacrylaat.
Manufacturing technique: Spuitgieten (?).
Qualities:
Leaves through 90% of the light.
Doesn’t shatter.
Tough.
Lighter than glass.
Is simple to produce in all sorts of forms.
Housing
Material: Polyvinylchloride.
Manufacturing technique: Spuitgieten (?).
Qualities:
Cheap.
Easy to use.
Slijtvast (?).
Light.
Tough.
Re-usable.
Stumps
Material: Rubber.
Manufacturing technique: Pouring.
Qualities:
Hard.
Rough.
Numberplate
Material: Cardboard.
Manufacturing technique: Cutting.
Qualities:
Light.
Cheap.
Big, small, and seconde (?) pointers
Material: Ongelegeerd (?) Steel.
Manufacturing technique: Stansen (?).
Qualities:
Goed bewerkbaar.
Relatively cheap.
Alarm pointer
Materiaal: Ongelegeerd (?) steel.
Manufacturing technique: Stansen (?).
Qualities:
Goed bewerkbaar.
Relatively cheap.
Screws
Material: Laaggelegeerd (?) steel.
Manufacturing technique: Pouring.
Qualities:
Slijtvast (?)
Hard.
Strong.
Copper wire
Material: Copper.
Manufacturing technique: Pouring.
Qualities:
Simple to reform.
Geleidt stroom (?).
Tandwielen (?)
Material: Glass- and/or mineral filled nylon.
Manufacturing technique: Spuitgieten.
Qualities:
Great reduction of weight.
Cheap.
8. Examine alternatives
Protective plate
Material: Polymethylmethacrylaat (PMMA).
Alternatives: Glass, Polystyreen.
Housing
Material: Polyvinylchloride (PVC).
Alternatives: Polyethyleentereftalaat (PET), Polytetrafluoretheen (PTFE).
Stumps
Material: Rubber.
Alternatives: Polyurethaan.
Numberplate
Material: Cardboard.
Alternatives: Paper.
Big, small, and seconde (?) pointers
Material: Ongelegeerd Steel.
Alternatives: Polyvinylchloride (PVC) (of de alternatieven voor PVC (zie ''Hoes'')), laaggelegeerd steel.
Alarm pointer
Material: Ongelegeerd Steel.
Alternatives: Polyvinylchloride (PVC) (or the alternatives for PVC (see ''Housing'')), laaggelegeerd steel.
Screws
Material: Laaggelegeerd steel
Alternatives: Ongelegeerd steel, hooggelegeerd (roestvast) steel.
Copper wire
Material: Copper
Alternatives: -
Tandwielen (?)
Material: Glass- and/or mineral filled nylon
Alternatives: Ongelegeerd steel, laaggelegeerd steel.
9. Explanation choices
Protective plate
Glass
Advantages:
Transparent.
Strong.
Hard.
Disadvantages:
Breakable.
Polystyreen
Advantages:
Doorzichtig.
Sterk.
Hard.
Taai.
Disadvantages:
Boven 95 °C wordt het materiaal slap en vervormbaar.
Uiteindelijke keuze: Polystyreen. Boven de 95 °C zal het in de wekker nooit worden.
Housing
Polyethyleentereftalaat (PET)
Advantages:
Zeer sterk.
Chemisch stabiel.
Laat geen gas en reukstoffen door.
Is een goede elektrische isolator.
Disadvantages: -
Polytetrafluoretheen (PTFE)
Advantages:
Goedkoop.
Eenvoudig te gebruiken.
Licht.
Taai.
Disadvantages:
Begint bij temperaturen boven 260 °C in kwaliteit achteruit te gaan,
en zal boven de 350 °C ontleden.
Uiteindelijke keuze: Polyethyleentereftalaat (PET). Ik heb geen nadelen kunnen vinden.
Stumps
Polyurethaan
Advantages:
Hard.
Flexibel.
Lage waterdoordringbaarheid.
Disadvantages: -
Uiteindelijke keuze: Ik weet niet zeker welk materiaal het best kan worden gebruikt.
Ik heb voor allebei de materialen (rubber en Polyurethaan) niet echt nadelen kunnen vinden. Het enige verschil is dat rubber natuurlijk is, en Polyurethaan niet.
Numberplate
Papier
Advantages:
Licht.
Goedkoop.
Disadvantages:
Slap.
Uiteindelijke keuze: Karton.
Karton heeft dezelfde voordelen als papier, maar is ook stevig.
Big, small, and seconde (?) pointers
Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
Advantages:
Goedkoop.
Eenvoudig te gebruiken.
Slijtvast.
Licht.
Taai.
Herbruikbaar.
Disadvantages: -
Laaggelegeerd (roestvast) staal
Advantages:
Slijtvast