Midpoint Progress Report

Milestones Completed:

Gantt Chart

The Gantt chart was the first thing we created to keep ourselves on track and ensure we’re on schedule with deliverables. The Gantt chart format shows progress, timelines, and due dates.

Complete Design Rough Draft

Based on information from the researchers, our own findings, and our brainstorming, we created a rough draft of what all the individual systems could look like together as a final product. The main points we need to flesh out from this step to get a final draft is deciding what dimensions the design will be constrained by, whether the flow of material will be impeded by any component of the existing design, and if the components we have designed can be created within the budget.

Surfactant Selection

The surfactant selection was an important step in ensuring we have found the best washing mechanism. We did some research on different options and made decision tables based on safety, accessibility, and yield.

Gap Assessment:

• Size Reduction Design (3D rough model)

1. Shredding – Working design includes purchasing parts that will be assembled by the team. Current inspiration is SHREDII branded items. These seem to meet our size and reduction requirements. Need CAD files, as well as purchasing items.

2. Fine Grinding – Working design includes a rotating blade that will further reduce particle size, a mesh screen to let particles pass to the next step, and fans to keep material from clogging up or getting stuck in the corners

   1. Troubleshooting potential clogging hazards at this step.

• Washing Design (3D model)

1. Container - Material as of now is steel. Must hold 7 gallons.

2. Mesh basket

3. Agitator - Current inspiration is similar to a dishwasher.

4. Water temperature

5. Dosing levels

• Bill of Materials

So far, we have a few items in our BOM, but we need to finish our design and get the dimensions to be able to have a solid BOM.

• Selection for electronics.

Current goal is to use a PLC to automate the system. We hope to only have user manipulation to insert plastic, and to remove the final product. We also hope to include an intuitive user interface with a progress screen.

• Safety

At the current stage we are working to identify any potential hazards, as well as workable solutions. These include:

• Microplastics entering the waterways. We plan to test water to ensure that there is no plastic exiting in our cleaning water. We plan to have a very fine screen to ensure this does not happen.

• Shielding at moving points. The highest danger identified is the initial shredder as it must be open to insert plastic. We plan to include shielding and ample cautionary stickers.

• As our model is integrated, we will be looking for pinch points.