Lean Mean Green Machine

Course: Design Methodologies DM1016

Submitted to:
Professor Brian Burns
Professor Arlene Gould
Professor Filippo Salustri

LMGM
today, f or tomor row

Group 1 Design Team Members

Nadeem Ahmed - 250104171
Cindy Gignac - 006599005
Dorel Muth - 01803892
Dinesh Sharma - 250130440
Christopher Wong - 890051150

January 30, 2002

Executive Summary ___

The topic of this design project is to design a residential recycle-aid machine that would
ease recycling chores by crushing and sorting recyclable wastes. The design team
decided to work on processing three dry recyclable materials: a) plastic bottles, b) metal
cans, and c) glass containers. The project objectives are to increase residential recycling
activities by simplifying recycling chores and to facilitate transportation of recycling
materials by reducing their volume.

This report documents the process and result of the design exercise. The focus of this
design exercise is in product design, not in product development. The result is a well-
conceived design concept that sets the basis for further engineering and product
development work.

The design team has chosen a multi-methodological design strategy to tackle this design
challenge. During the design process, the design team considered business strategy,
marketing, ergonomics, and technology concurrently. In other words, the product was
designed from both inside-out and outside-in.

There are five main sections in this report. The Business Strategy section describes how
and why this machine will be successful in the predicted market. The Product Design
Specification section defines the functionality of this machine. The Conceptual Design
and Evaluation section documents the concept generation and evaluation process. The
Product Architectural Schematic section maps out the relationship between the machines
functional requirements and its sub-systems. A sketch of the machine is documented in
the Final Concept Rendering section. Additional sketches of the machine may be found in
Appendix B of this report.
Table of Contents Page

1 Business Strategy 1
1.1 Market Research 1
1.1.1 Competitor Products 2
1.1.2 Our Customers 2
1.2 Features and Benefits 2
1.3 Design Advantage 3
1.3.1 Competitive Advantage 3
1.3.2 Customer Advantage 3
1.3.3 Social Advantage 3
1.4 Name and Brand Positioning 4
1.5 Related Products 4

2 Product Design Specification 5

2.1 Initial Concepts 5
2.2 Reasons for Key Decisions 7
2.3 Final Product Design Specifications 9

3 Conceptual Design and Evaluation 10

3.1 Design Strategy 10
3.2 Drivers 10
3.3 Concept Generation, Development, and 11
Evaluation Strategy
3.4 Concept Evolution 12
3.5 Ergonomics Design Highlights 13

4 Product Architecture Schematic 15

4.1 Functional Requirements / Sub-Systems Chart 15
4.2 Product Architecture Schematic Diagram 17
4.3 Power Conversion and Distribution System 19
4.4 Electronic / Control Panel / Safety Monitoring System 19
4.5 Material Insert Mechanism 19
4.6 Main Casing / Support Structure 20
4.7 Crushing Mechanism 20
4.7.1 Drive / Motor 20
4.7.2 Crush Chamber 20
4.7.3 Serrated Drum 21
4.7.4 Free-Rotating Drum 21
4.7.5 Plunger System 22
4.8 Storage Compartment 22
4.9 Sub-System Physical Layout and
Functional Requirement Overlap 23
4.9.1 Main Casing Overlap 24
4.9.2 Crushing Mechanism Overlap 24

II
Table of Contents Continued Page

4.9.3 Material Insert Mechanism and Electronic System Overlap 24

4.10 PAS / Design Evolution 24

5 Final Concept Rendering 25

6 Project Management Summary 26

7 Conclusions 27

References / Internet Websites 31

List of Figures Page

Figure 1 LMGM Earth Logo and Slogan 4
Figure 2 Design Strategy 10
Figure 3 Original Concept 12
Figure 4 Revised Concept 13
Figure 5 Product Architecture Schematic 18
Figure 6 Appliances Physical Layout Side View 23
Figure 7 Final Concept Sketch 25

List of Tables Page

Table I Oval Table Discussion on Product Design Specification 5
Table II Typical Program Recovery Rates 8
- For Municipalities in Ontario
Table III Functional Requirements / Sub-Systems Chart 15
Table IV Team Members Contribution Breakdown 26

List of Appendices Page

Appendix A Crushing Mechanism 32
Appendix B Preliminary Sketches 35
Appendix C Ergonomic Guidelines 39

III
1 Business Strategy
1.1 Market Research
An adage from New Zealand says recycling always was a natural human activity,
landfilling is a recent crime. In the past we assumed there was a bottomless pit outside
town to dump all the garbage in. Now we know this is not true. The pit is in Michigan
and there is another pit in an abandoned mine in Kirkland Lake.

North Americans are the worlds largest producers of waste. As a global society we need
to understand that reducing garbage is the need, not finding where to dump more.

Along the Highway 401 corridor, different municipalities have attempted strategies to
help them manage waste disposal. Some of the rules implemented are:
Limited garbage pickup (reduced collection from every week to 43 weeks per year).
Charging a fee for every bag picked up ($1 bag tags).
Mandatory recycling for certain waste items (paper, plastic, metal).
Compacted, sorted recyclable items (crushed plastic bottles, crushed aluminum cans).

As well societys attitudes are changing towards less wasteful consumption.

Commercially goods are packaged in containers that can be used again or converted to
other products. Apartment complexes are implementing waste and recyclable sorting
systems. More people are aware of the need to recycle (recycling between 1994 and 1998
increased by 35%).

Our group studied how recycling can be improved at home. We talked to companies that
handle recycle waste in the London/Middlesex area (Green Lane for commercial and
Halton Recycling for domestic recycling) on how recyclable waste is being handled.

Both companies prefer to collect combined recyclable items (because residents do not
always separate the different recyclable items as required, often adding unwanted
contaminants or hazards e.g.: paint in cans, pesticide aerosols, ceramics, etc.).
The average citizen will have to think environmentally to manage his or her waste and
recyclable items. We determined that they would need an appliance to make their green
chores as easy as throwing out garbage. An appliance that complicated the job would fail.

1.1.1 Competitor Products

There is the In-sink-erator Compactor for home waste compacting. However, this
product is not sold in North America. An Internet search found these sold in Britain, Japan
or New Zealand. The price in England is equivalent to Canadian $1800.
Other similar products exist, but on a commercial level (Chicago Compactors and Edlund
Can Crushers) for restaurants and department stores.

1.1.2 Our Customers

The target market for such a product would be green thinkers and communities where
recycling is mandatory. At an estimated price of Cdn$750, we envision this is the type of
appliance that can be purchased at a Home Depot or in future would be part of a new
home like a dishwasher or central vacuum.

1.2 Features and Benefits

We identified simple waste management as a customer requirement.
Our goal was for the appliance to compact common recyclable waste such as:
Plastic bottles (maximum 2 litre pop bottles) to 15% of original volume
Aluminum and steel cans (maximum 1.36 litre juice can) to 25% of original volume.
The device would also allow for collection of glass bottles (to a 1.5 litre wine bottle).
The compacted material would be stored in an easy-to-pull trolley and ready to be
collected curbside.

Other benefits of the appliance are that it:

is safe/accident proof
is easy to install, use and requires minimum maintenance
does not smell or leak

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1.3 Design Advantage
The group first envisioned one device that would allow the customer to perform all
recycling functions. We thought of an appliance that would:
Compact and/or collect plastic bottles, cans, glass bottles, paper products.
Grind biodegradable waste for composting or disposal through sewage.
However using design analyses, we determined that although there was one green goal,
the functions were distinctly separate. We removed the organic waste feature for hygiene
reasons and excluded paper products due to volume. Glass bottles are collected, but not
compacted for safety reasons.

1.3.1 Competitive Advantage

We determined this product will sell at Cdn$750. With its styling and features, this
appliance will inspire product lust.

1.3.2 Customer Advantage

We determined aspects of the design that would succeed, and which would fail customer
expectations. We defined a more reliable design that utilized fewer moving parts. The
appliance would fit the users lifestyle and encourage them to use it effectively. It is
aesthetically pleasing so can be installed anywhere (in the kitchen, under the sink or in the
garage).

1.3.3 Social Advantage

Worldwide, the need to reduce waste is recognized as a necessity. In North America this
should be the way of life too. Such a product would be promoted through organizations
like the Recycling Council or Ontario as well as with the approval of agencies like the
Natural Step and Earth 911. Governments and municipalities would be encouraged to
give incentives for reducing waste (like no PST for green appliances).
The appliance itself would be made of recyclable material or be remanufacturable.

3
1.4 Name and Brand Positioning
The Lean Mean Green Machine (LMGM) projects itself as an effective and efficient
appliance. The logo identifies it as an environment friendly device consistent with other
recycling logos. The arrows symbolize the air, sea and land. The slogan ..today, for
tomorrow says we are acting now for future generations. The green earthtone colour of
the appliance and its styling relate to such a personality. See section 5 on page 25 of this
report. Customers feel they are contributing to conserving the Earth.

LMGM
today, for tomorrow

Figure 1 LMGM Earth Logo and Slogan

1.5 Related Products

The success of the LMGM will give us the opportunity to add to the product line. The
composting aid device is a perfect addition. Composting can reduce landfill waste an
additional 10% if applied correctly. Another product or improvement to the LMGM would
be a feature to pack paper and cardboard.

The need to reduce waste is an important part of everyday life and doing business. LMGM
appliances would be the unique product line that would serve the important requirement to
reduce waste.

4
2 Product Design Specification

2.1 Initial Concepts

The group collaborated for a day and came up many characteristics and features that we
envisioned our great machine to achieve. As shown in Table 1, the design team started the
project by identifying what this machine should be (Product Characteristics) and what this
machine should do (Functional Requirements). We focused not on coming up with a solution
before fully understanding the problem. The highlighted items were discarded in the end
after the team debate.

Table I - Oval Table Discussion on Product Design Specification

= Final design eliminated these original design intents

Product Functional Constraints Performance

Characteristics Requirements Metrics
Compatibility Fitting with septic system Wastes pH needs control
Compatibility Fitting with recycle program Existing bins on market, Bins 13"x
Truck dividers 19"x 16"
Limited to things processed
Compatibility Fitting with normal drainage Existing pipes 1 1/4" to 1
1/2" diameter
Compatibility Fitting with electrical systems Existing household voltage 120-240
volts
3
Compatibility Handle/ match pick up frequency Volume to process / time 0.2m /week
Durability Resist wear of parts Must be harder than the Puncture test
hardest thing processed & hardness
through it- steel test (Newton)
Durability Resist corrosion- damp Salt/ acid -pH corrosion
environment
Durability Resist leakage in seals of liquid Resist pressure (PSI) 40 PSI max
or gases Leak / Pressure test
Durability Perform correctly over 20 years Cans & plastics crushed 24960 X 5
sorted in this time period cycles
Usability Resist overload/ system will Amps standard fuse 15 amps
shut-down (rock, steel rod)
3
Usability Fitting in with existing counter Fit in kitchen under sink <.9 m
Usability Crush cans Steel can 6 dia. x 12 high Volume max
Usability Crush plastic 2-litre pop bottle 6 x 12 with cap on Volume max

Usability Grind biodegradable Fibrous material

Usability Sort/ separate glass, paper,

aluminum, metal, plastic

5
 Product Functional Constraints Performance
Characteristics Requirements Metrics
Usability Inform end-user if the system is
down due to overload

Usability Generate low noise 45dB (interference level for 45dB

conversation)
Usability Human factoring- pokeyoke, Controls simple, readable Customer
idiot proof, psychomotor from a distance for the visual satisfaction-
behaviour processing, user- impaired, pictographs used survey results
friendly were possible > 75%
Usability Decrease workload for end-user Decrease time taken / work Consumer
focus group
Usability Universal usage- arthritic, elderly Visual acuity, low forces to Human scale
activate
Usability Process material rapidly Speed of crushing and 5 sec/can
sorting - # of sec / piece max

Safety Prevent injury, electrical shock, Various codes, CSA, OSHAS Pass
cuts by blades, shear point injury UL, Ontario Hydro,

Safety Tamper proof

Cleanability Flush system with chemicals/
water
Cleanability Enclosed system (cap / sealed
system)
Maintainability Taken apart easily by a qualified <6 steps
Technician/ electrician
Installability Be installed easily Few tools, few steps
Remanufacturable Recycle, reuse, replace parts
Affordability Consume little power; Aim for 1 HP < (X) KW/Hr
energy star consumption rating
Affordability Consume little water 10 litre/hr
Affordability Consumer purchase price Approx.
$500.00 max
Changed
$750.00 max
Repairability Permitting disassembly
Repairability Provide adequate access to Clearance for 95%ile male Hand width of
repair area hand 3.8" min
Width/ 5%ile female easy 25" min
reach
Repairable Offer access to mechanics Small female handicapped, 18.5" min
easy reach
Loading Protect from damage during Drop test, shake test Pass
shipping and transportation,
Packaging Avoid excess packaging
Manufacturability Use standard parts Shelf item

6
2.2 Reasons for Key Decisions
During our group discussion, a number of product characteristics were discussed. The
feature of being stylish was raised and determined as a project objective instead of a
functional requirement. Product lust is thought important to the end design more from a
marketing perspective.

The need to have this product tied into sustainable consumption was identified as a driver.
This could be mirrored in the companys vision and used as part of a sales pitch. A
conscious decision was made not to add biodegradable waste and paper to the list of
processed materials to keep project goals in focus. The reason is that biodegradable
material should be in a separate recycling category and crushing or shredding paper actual
increases its volume. During initial discussion, paper could be collected in a different way,
such as opening a drawer and placing it inside the blue box, due to its bulkiness. However,
this process did not align with the project scheme of volume reduction. In the end, the
product was just going to process three dry materials, namely metal cans, plastic bottles,
and glass containers.

To come up with a standard for the durability test, the team estimated an average
household would process 24 plastic bottles or metal cans each week. The machine should
function for 20 years without failure. Using a safety factor of 5, the machine should be
tested at 24960 X 5 cycles. Extensive testing would be necessary to help avoid liability
and reduce warranty claims.

In our oval table discussion, reduction of the plastic bottles or metal cans volume was
determined to be the main products objective. There are many ways to reduce the volume
of the recyclable materials: shredding, crushing, and rolling. The way which our product
reduced the volume was not restricted.

When processing biodegradable material was a functional requirement, the appliance

needed to be compatible with the existing septic systems. A proper level of bacteria

7
needed to be controlled. Septic tanks needed to be inspected by a professional every 3-5
years or more frequently depending on usage.

Fitting with the recycle system means that our appliance should handle recyclable
materials that the municipality would accept. Different municipality accepts different
categories of recyclable materials. For example, the Town of Tecumseh only recycles
Polyethylene Terephthalate (P.E.T.E) plastics, which is identified by a triangle with a 1
inside it. As technology advances, the number of materials that could be recycled will
increase. In this project, we are designing for the main stream recyclable materials that
most municipalities would accept. Our product must be able to process and store the
average household recyclable materials between pick up schedules. The team determined
that the size of the storage containers needs to be big enough to suit most peoples usage
requirement. According to the research, an average households fills up approximately
three blue boxes every two weeks. See Table II. By compressing the volume, storage of
recyclable material would take up less space. This could be translated into fewer trips to
the curbside the night before recycle day. We discussed an optional feature of having the
storage of the processed recyclable material off-site, away from under the sink, much
like a canister-style central vacuum. This idea was discarded because of practicality
reasons.
Table II - Typical Program Recovery Rates- For Municipalities in Ontario

Program % of Kilograms per household

type households
with access
Paper Glass Metal Plastic Total
to
recycling
Curbside 73 126 24 10 5 165
Depot 4 64 16 11 5 96
Curbside & 23 117 24 12 7 160
depot
Total 100

We envisioned this machine to be a standard appliance that comes with every new home
like a water heater. The cost of the machine is blended in with the cost of the house.
Under the same home improvement category as a security system and a central vacuum,
our recycle-aid machine would add value to a house by providing additional convenience

8
to its occupants. The team decided initially that the price of this machine should be at
Cdn$500.00. This price was comparable to the combined price of a garburator
(approximately Cdn$250.00) and a compactor (approximately Cdn$150.00). The final
target price of the appliance was increased to Cdn$750.00 after considering all the
functional requirements that this appliance has to achieve. This increased price could
easily be justified when the environmental cost was taken into consideration.

In some new homes, build-in kitchen cabinet drawers for storing recyclable materials are
available as options. These drawers and bins are conveniently located and may be pulled
out on rollers. Our machine may replace or be combined with these drawers to make
residential recycling even more convenient.

2.3 Final Product Design Specification

After long discussion and consideration, the team refined and narrowed down the
functional requirements of the machine, making the product objective more focused.
Product characteristics and functional requirements were modified accordingly. The PDS
(Product Design Specification) spreadsheet served as the structure and the guide of the
project. Upon completion of the PDS spreadsheet, all functional requirements of the
machine were frozen.

The way to flush and clean the appliance changed completely. Since the revised concept
needed not to handle biodegradable materials and was separated from the sink and
drainage system, flushing of the appliance became slightly more cumbersome. In the
revised concept, flushing of the system was accomplished by running soap water through.
Dirty water would be collected in the appliances storage bins and would be discarded
when finished.

A garburator can still be used to handle organic biodegradable material. Many

communities now supports organic recycling to reduce the amount of landfill-
bound garbage. This organic waste recycling program provides a faster way to return
biodegradable materials back into the ecosystem as useful compost.

9
3 Conceptual Design and Evaluation
3.1 Design Strategy
Our team has adopted a multi-methodological design strategy to tackle this design
problem. The first challenge in this project was to develop a design strategy that integrates
and harmonizes the design methodologies and techniques covered in the course and apply
them concurrently in this project. Figure 2 is a pictorial representation of our teams
design strategy.

Axiomatic
Design
User Interface /
Ergonomics

Product Design
Specifications Concept
Business
Strategy
Product
Architecture
Schematic
Figure 2 Design Strategy

Design data is interchangeable among design methodologies. For example, functional

requirements generated from the PDS (Product Design Specification) spreadsheet were
used again as input in the Axiomatic Design analysis. Concept evolution was led by
generating design requirements that satisfy all the design principles.

3.2 Drivers
The driver of this project is to increase recycling activities in Canada. The objectives of
this appliance are to simplify residential recycling chores and to reduce the volume of
recyclable materials. In many major Canadian cities, homeowners have to sort out
recyclable products weekly or biweekly, according to the municipalitys garbage pick-up

10
schedule. In some cities, metal cans have to be crushed before being picked up by the
garbage truck.

Blue boxes stored close to or in the kitchen may not be hygienic as they are growing
grounds for bacteria. Blue boxes stored in garages or outdoor areas, where the foul smell
of the cans and bottles cannot get into the living quarters, are inconveniently located.
Large amount of recyclable materials might end up in the regular garbage as a result.

3.3 Concept Generation, Development, and Evaluation Strategy

The team started the project by researching the recycling industry. Interviews with
companies in the recycling industry were conducted to obtain background information.
Using the Internet, the team gathered information on recycling related products in the
market.

The team first completed the PDS spreadsheet. This spreadsheet defined the functionality,
not the geometry or appearance of the product. To generate design concepts, the team
used a double-sided active design strategy, that is to design the product from both
inside-out and outside-in. In other words, both engineering aspects and ergonomic
requirements were addressed concurrently in the conceptual stage of the project. As
shown in the PDS spreadsheet, product characteristics and functional requirements
covered both technical and ergonomic aspects of the appliance. Usability, maintainability,
and installability were among the major product characteristics that the product had to
achieve. See Appendix C for a description of the ergonomic requirements that the team
has considered.

Since this recycling-aid machine is a brand new concept and there is not a similar product
in the market, the design team was able to design the product with a clean sheet of paper
and not influenced by any parallel products in the market. Thus, the possibility of coming
up with a Band-Aid design solution did not exist. A great number of ideas, either drawn
up in rough sketches or documented in point form, were produced in the design
conceptual stage. As the project evolved, ideas were added, eliminated, or improved. The

11
team refrained ourselves from producing the final appearance of the appliance in the early
stage. Concepts and ideas were generated and evaluated by considering the following: a)
By whom the product will be used? b) Where will the product be used?
c) How would the user like to use the product? d) Is present technology capable of
achieving the desired result?

The key design objective of this project is to design a product that would reduce and
minimize work for the user. If the final product is too complicated to use, it would defeat
the basic principle of using this appliance. Ergonomics has been taken into consideration
when evaluating and comparing different design concepts.

3.4 Concept Evolution

The initial concept of the product was in a similar configuration of a waste disposer /
garburator. The appliance was an integral part of the kitchen sink. Cans and bottles were
inserted into the drain, crushed, sorted, and collected in the lower half of the appliance.
The top-down sorting and collecting configuration took advantage of the gravity, and thus,
minimizing the number of mechanical and electrical components required. The whole
appliance was supposed to be installed under the sink, hidden away from sight. Processed
recyclable materials were stored inside air tight containers in the bottom section of the
appliance and would be ready to be moved to the curbside for garbage pick-up. See Figure
3 for the layout of the initial concept.

SINK

TO DRAIN

CRUSH CHAMBER SORTER

LEVER

COLLECTION CHAMBER

Figure 3 Original Concept

12
While this design concept sounded simple, it had major flaws in usability. Combining the
kitchen drain with the appliance was not a good idea because, first of all, the diameter of
the drain would limit the sizes of bottles and cans that this appliance could process.
Secondly, the user would not be able to use this appliance if the kitchen sink was being
used for other kitchen chores, such as cleaning vegetables and dishes. Thus, this
configuration does not comply with the Independence Axiom of Axiomatic Design. To
improve the usability of the product, our team decided that the appliance should be
separated from the kitchen sink. In the revised concept, recyclable materials were inserted
into the appliance from a countertop opening. See Figure 4 for the layout of the revised
concept.

SINK INSERT PANEL

CRUSH CHAMBER
D
R
A
I COLLECTION CHAMBER
N

SORTER LEVER

Figure 4 Revised Concept

3.5 Ergonomics Design Highlights

The following highlights seven functional requirements that affect the human/machine
interface. These functional requirements served as design philosophies to guide the
evolution of the concept and played a significant role in shaping the design.

13
a) Processed Material Retrieval
Processed and sorted recyclable materials should be able to be removed from the
appliance with ease. Storage containers should have integrated design features (e.g.
wheels, handles) that helped transfer processed recyclable materials.
b) Cleaning
The appliance should be designed so that periodical cleaning and flushing of system and
components could be performed with ease.
c) Material Insert
Use of the appliances top panel, where cans and bottles were inserted into, should be in a
self-explanatory fashion. The user should be able to use the appliance by common sense
without reading a dictionary-thick manual.
d) Safety / Pokeyoke
The appliance should be designed in such a way that no human errors would affect its
operation. For example, the machine should not function if a glass bottle is inserted
inadvertently into the crush chamber. Operation of the appliance should pose no danger to
the user, house occupants, or house pets. Crush chamber should be entirely enclosed.
Appliance should not operate if the top panel is open.
e) Installation and Maintenance
This appliance had to be compatible with existing kitchen equipment and appliances.
Installation should be simple. Components subjected to wear and tear should be able to be
replaced without uninstalling the entire appliance.
f) End of Live Disposal
Being a green appliance, materials used in producing this appliance had to be recyclable
and non-virgin. Instructions on the disposal of the appliance should be permanently
marked on the machine.
g) Annoyance Level
Operation noise level must be low enough to allow house occupants in the vicinity of the
appliance to carry on a conversation at normal speaking voice. Secondly, there must not
be leakage of odour or residual liquids from the appliance.

14
4 Product Architecture Schematic

4.1 Functional Requirements / Sub-Systems Chart

The FR/SS (Functional Requirements / Sub-Systems) chart shows what functional

requirements that each sub-system / assembly has to provide. This chart serves as a guide
to ensure that all functional requirements are addressed during the design of each sub-
system / assembly. By mapping out the relationship of all sub-systems and their functional
requirements, the chart provides a visual aid to help design engineers and industrial
designers, who might all be working on different sub-systems and assemblies, connect and
coordinate design activities of all sub-systems.

Table III Functional Requirements / Sub-Systems Chart

FR/PC SUBSYSTEMS
Main Crushing Storage Power Electronic Material Insert
Casing Mechan- Compart- Conversion / System / Mechanism
ism ment Distribution Control
System Panel
Used with 110V
and 220V
electrical system
Store recyclable
materials
between garbage
pick-up schedule
Transfer
recyclable
materials directly
to garbage truck
or recycling bins
(e.g. blue boxes)
Resist wear

Resist corrosion

Contain splashes
and odour
Resist capacity
overload in
crushing
recyclable waste
Generate low
noise

15
FR/PC SUB-SYSTEMS
Main Crushing Storage Power Electronic Material Insert
Casing Mechan- Compart- Conversion / System / Mechanism
ism ment Distribution Control
System Panel
Meet ergonomics
requirements
Used by users of
different ages
and health
condition (e.g.
arthritis
sufferers)
Process material
speedily
Prevent injury
during operation
(pokeyoke)
Be able to be
cleaned
periodically
Be able to be
installed easily
Be able to be
recycled at the
end of the
appliances
service life
Minimize initial
consumer
purchase cost
Minimize
operation cost
Permit
disassembly of
components that
may require
repair during the
appliances
service life
Offer good
access for
technician to
perform repair
and maintenance
work

16
4.2 Product Architecture Schematic Diagram

The PAS (Product Architecture Schematic) was developed after creating the FR/SS chart.
The PAS provides an overview of the system with regards to its mass flow, information
flow, and energy flow. The PAS can be used by the design engineers and industrial
designers during the product development stage to ensure that proper design information
is channeled and shared among design sub-groups and thus, improving collaboration and
coordination among design team members. Brief explanations of the PAS are
documented from section 4.3 to section 4.8 in this report.

LEGEND for PAS

Mass Flow

Energy Flow

Information Flow

Material Enter

Electronics

Structural

Crushing Mechanism

Power System

Material Exit

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 Power Safety

System Status Indicator

Material Metal Cans /

Human Command
Monitoring
Signal Insert Plastic Bottles
Power Conversion /
Distribution System Mechanism

Power
(4.3) (4.5) Glass Bottles

Power

Metal Cans / Plastic Bottles

Sound / Heat / Vibration
Electronic /

Glass Bottles
Control Panel /

Weight
Safety Monitoring
System (4.4)

Weight
Overload Protection Signal

Activation signal
Power

Material Capacity Indication

Activation Signal

Main
Casing / Structure (4.6)
Plastic Bottles
Metal Cans /

Strain / Reaction

Weight to environment
Load Weight /

Sound / Heat /
Overload Protection Signal

Vibration
Drive / Sound / Heat /

Glass Bottles
Motor (4.7) Vibration /
Wgt.

Crush
Kinetic Energy

Liquids /Gases
Vibration / Wgt.

Chamber
Plastic Bottles
Sound / Heat /

Metal Cans /

(4.7)
Weight
Sound / Heat / Vibration / Wgt.

Metal Cans
/ Plastic
Bottles Free-
Serrated Rotating
Drum (4.7) Drum (4.7)
Liquids /
Gases
Kinetic Energy
(Push / Pull)

Kinetic Energy
(Rotation)
Liquids / Gases
Storage
Compartment
Plunger Sound / Heat/ Crushed Metal (4.8)
System (4.7) Wgt. / Vibration Cans / Plastic
Bottles
Crushed
Cans / Glass
Plastic Bottles
Bottles Blue Box
Figure 5 Product Architecture Schematic Blue Box P/U P/U

18
4.3 Power Conversion and Distribution System
Energy IN: Power Electricity 110V or 220V
Energy OUT: Power to Electronic System Convert electricity to 24V for electronic circuits.
Power to Plunger System Activate hydraulic system.
Power to Drive - Convert and distribute electricity to Motor / Drive.
4.4 Electronic / Control Panel / Safety Monitoring System
Energy IN: Power Electricity from Power Conversion and Distribution System.
Energy OUT: Weight Weight is transferred to Main Casing.
Information IN: Human Command Users activation command.
Safety Monitoring Signal Safety monitoring signal from Material
Insert Mechanism. Appliance would not operate unless chamber door is
closed.
Information IN/OUT: Overload Monitoring Signal Overload monitoring signal to
and from serrated drum. Drive train / crushing mechanism
protection system.
Information IN/OUT: Overload Monitoring Signal Overload monitoring signal to
and from plunger system. Drive train / crushing mechanism
protection system.
Information OUT: Activation Signal to Drive Start / Stop signal.
Activation Signal to Plunger System Extend / Retract signal.
System Status Indicator Inform user machines operation status. (e.g.
Operation in progress, capacity overload, storage compartment full)
4.5 Material Insert Mechanism
Energy OUT: Weight Weight is transferred to Main Casing.
Information IN & OUT: Material Capacity Indication from Storage Compartment
Forbids end-user from inserting more recyclable materials in the
appliance when storage compartment is full.
Information OUT: Safety Monitoring Signal to Electronic System Appliance would not
operate unless chamber door is closed.
Mass IN: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles Material insert.

19
 Glass Bottles Material insert.
Mass OUT: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles To Main Casing.
Glass Bottles To Main Casing.
4.6 Main Casing / Support Structure
Energy IN: Weight from Material Insert Mechanism: Support weight.
Weight from Electronic System: Support weight.
Weight from Storage Compartment: Support weight.
Sound / Vibration / Heat from Crush Chamber Absorb energies.
Strain Energy / Reaction Forces / Weight from Crush Chamber Support
weight and balance forces.
Energy OUT: Sound / Vibration / Heat Energies dissipated to environment.
Weight Weight distributed to installation environment.
Mass IN: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles From Material Insert Mechanism.
Glass Bottles From Material Insert Mechanism.
Liquids and Gases from Storage Compartment Contains liquid splashes and
odour from Storage Compartment.
Mass OUT: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles To Crush Chamber for further processing.
Glass Bottles To Storage Compartment.
4.7 Crushing Mechanism
The crushing mechanism is broken down into five sub-systems. A pictorial explanation of the
crushing mechanism is documented in Appendix A.
4.7.1 Drive / Motor
Energy IN: Power Electricity from Power Conversion and Distribution System.
Energy OUT: Sound / Heat / Vibration / Weight Sound, heat, and vibration are transferred
to the Crush Chamber. Weight of the motor is supported by the Crush Chamber.
Kinetic Energy Rotation force to the Serrated Drum.
Information IN: Activation Signal from Electronic System Start / Stop signal.
4.7.2 Crush Chamber
Energy IN: Sound / Heat / Vibration / Weight from Drive / Motor Dissipate energies.
Support weight.

20
 Sound / Heat / Vibration / Weight from Plunger System Dissipate energies.
Support weight.
Sound / Heat / Vibration / Weight from Serrated Drum Dissipate energies.
Support weight.
Energy OUT: Sound / Heat / Vibration Energies transferred to Main Casing / Structure.
Load Weight / Strain Energy / Reaction Forces Transfer forces generated
during crushing of materials to main casing. Support weight of all crushing
mechanism sub-systems
Mass IN: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles From Main Casing.
Mass OUT: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles Provide an enclosure to contain recyclable
material when material is being punctured and crushed by the Serrated Drum.
Mass is transferred out from the Crush Chamber gradually as the material is
processed by the Serrated Drum.
4.7.3 Serrated Drum
Energy IN: Kinetic Energy Rotation force from Drive.
Energy OUT: Sound / Heat / Vibration / Weight Transfer energies and forces to Crush
Chamber.
Kinetic Energy (Torque) Rotation forces is transferred to the Free-Rotating
Drum by the metal can or plastic bottle being processed.
Information IN & OUT: Overload Protection Signal Work load at Serrated Drum is
continuously being monitored. Overload signal would be sent to
electronic system to stop crushing mechanism if overload
condition is detected.
Mass IN: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles From Crush Chamber.
Mass OUT: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles To Free-Rotating Drum.
Liquids / Gases Splashes and odour are transferred to the Free-Rotating Drum.
4.7.4 Free-Rotating Drum
Energy IN: Kinetic Energy (Rotation Force) Transferred from the Serrated Drum.
Kinetic Energy (Push/Pull) Transferred from the Plunger System. (Extend /
Retract)

21
Energy OUT: Sound / Heat / Vibration / Weight Energies and forces are transferred to
Plunger System.
Mass IN: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles From Serrated Drum.
Liquids and Gases Splashes and odour are transferred from the Serrated
Drum.
Mass OUT: Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles Crushed materials are transferred to the
Storage Compartment.
Liquids and Gases Splashes and odour are transferred to the Storage
Compartment.
4.7.5 Plunger System
Energy IN: Power Electricity from Power Conversion / Distribution System. Energy to
activate hydraulic system to control plunger movements.
Sound / Heat / Vibration / Weight from Free-Rotating Drum Dissipate
energies. Support weight.
Energy OUT: Kinetic Energy (Push/Pull) Energy transferred to the Free-Rotating Drum.
Sound / Heat / Vibration / Weight Transfer energies and forces to the Crush
Chamber.
Information IN & OUT: Overload Protection Signal Work load at the Plunger System
is continuously monitored. Overload signal would be sent to the
Electronic System to retract plunger system if overload condition
is detected.
Information IN: Activation Signal From the Electronic System.
4.8 Storage Compartment
Information IN & OUT: Material Capacity Indication Forbids end-user from inserting
more recyclable materials in the Material Insert Mechanism when
storage compartment is full.
Mass IN: Crushed Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles From Free-Rotating Drum.
Glass Bottles From chute incorporated in the Main Casing.
Liquids and Gases Splashes and odour from the Free-Rotating Drum.
Mass OUT: Crushed Metal Cans and Plastic Bottles To garbage pick-up.
Glass Bottles To garbage pick-up.

22
 Liquids and Gases to Main Casing Splashes and odour are contained inside
the air-tight Main Casing.
Weight Weight supported by the Main Casing.

4.9 Sub-System Physical Layout and Functional Requirement Overlap

The PAS and FR/SS chart are great tools to lay out what function requirements that each sub-
system has to perform. However, they carry minimal information on the physical layout and
attachment method of each sub-system. This section documents a preliminary Physical
Architecture Schematic that the design team has created. By combining the information from
this preliminary Physical Architecture Schematic, the PAS, and the FR/SS chart, the design
began to take shape.
Electronics

Material Insert Mechanism

Main Casing /

Crushing Mechanism
Structure
Power System

Storage Compartment / Material Exit

Figure 6 Appliances Physical Layout - Side View

23
4.9.1 Main Casing Overlap
Although the Main Casing may not play a part in delivering functional requirements of other
sub-systems, it provides a rigid mounting structure to physically connect all these sub-systems.
Design of the Main Casing has to take the mass flows, the information flows, and the energy
flows into consideration. Wiring passages, material chutes, mounting holes, sound deadening
material, air/liquid sealing gasket, vibration absorption hardware are some of the design
elements that the Main Casing has to incorporate to fulfill its functional requirements.

4.9.2 Crushing Mechanism Overlap

Besides serving as an enclosure to ensure safety during operation of the appliance, the Crush
Chamber also provides a foundation to support all the crushing mechanisms such as the Drive,
the Serrated Drum, the Free-Rotating Drum, and the Plunger System. There is an overlap in the
physical layout and functional requirements of all the crushing sub-systems.

4.9.3 Material Insert Mechanism and Electronic System Overlap

Although there is no Mass Flow between the Electronic System and the Material Insert
Mechanism, the Electronic system is physically mounted on the Material Insert Mechanism
because of ergonomic reason. These two subsystems are grouped together physically because
they both provide the user/machine interface. Design of these two sub-systems has to be
undergone concurrently.

4.10 PAS / Design Evolution

The FR/SS chart and the PAS were created according to the first level analysis of the design. As
the design team expands the PAS to incorporate more details, more design information would
become available. The basic architecture of the PAS shown in section 4.2 may have to be
modified to ensure that the design evolves in the right direction.

24
5 Final Concept Rendering

See preliminary sketches in Appendix B.

Figure 7 Final Concept Sketch

25
6 Project Management Summary

Table IV Team Members Contribution Breakdown

TEAM MEMBERS
Nadeem Cindy Dorel Dinesh Christopher
Ahmed Gignac Muth Sharma Wong
CRITERIA
Document 4 4 3 3 4
Preparation
(editing, typing,
etc.)
Background 3 4 4 4 3
Research
Business Strategy 3 4 3 4 3
Product Design 3 4 4 3 3
Specification
Concept Design and 4 3 3 4 4
Evaluation
Systems 4 3 4 3 4
Identification and
Design (PAS)
Product Rendering 4 3 4 4 4

Legend:
A scale of 0-4 is used rate each team members contribution in each section.
- 0: little or no work
- 1: marginal or unacceptable work
- 2: work was adequate
- 3: contributed significantly
- 4: exceptional contribution

26
7 Conclusions
From this project we can draw a number of conclusions relating to the product itself.

There is global recognition of the need to reduce waste. One practical way of
accomplishing this is through increase in recycling.

There is a need for an appliance that would make it easier for individuals to recycle their
waste. Such a product is not available to the domestic consumer in North America. Our
team decided to design a product that would fulfill this need. There are several
methodologies available to a team, such as ours, working on a brand new product.

The starting point is the product design specification. Next, concept evaluation gives
shape to this specification, though it is still very preliminary. Special attention was paid
to ergonomics in the design stage. The product architecture schematic brings to life the
various functions and components of the product and their relationships to each other and
to the environment. Finally, application of the axiomatic design methodology results in a
robust design of the end product.

Working through this exercise led our team to the design of the Lean Mean Green
Machine (LMGM). Though an ideal appliance would handle both wet and dry
recyclables, our conclusion is that it is more feasible to develop one that would process
dry materials only. The LMGM that can handle plastic, metals, and glass. Organic bio-
degradables could be recycled by modifying a garburator to send the ground-up materials
into a composter.

At an introductory price of Cdn$750 the LMGM will be a highly desirable product. Its
features and benefits will appeal to the environmentally conscious segment of the
population, which is steadily growing.

The process of coming up with this product was an interesting one. The following
paragraphs contain a brief summary.

27
The first surprise was the large size of the group. All other projects in the ADMI program
had been done either individually or in groups of two or at most three. This group size
has created an interesting dynamic and mix of expertise in the group. This wide spread of
knowledge has proven later to be beneficial in designing our product.

On the other hand, the group size made decision making a challenging, democratic, and
fun process. The group used three lunch meetings in the first module of class to debate on
all the proposed project topics. Because the five of us have never worked with each other
in a group before and none of us knew everybody else in the group, we used these
meetings to get to know each other and to find out each others personality and
background. The Personality Type Indicator was a great tool to break the ice. All group
members agreed that we should have a topic by the last day of the first module, i.e. on
November 25, 2001. The decision was made in a democratic way voting.

Once the project topic had been selected, it was decided that all team members would
spend some time thinking about it and doing some independent research on the topic. A
meeting would then be scheduled.

This brought us to the next challenge faced by the project team. Of the five team
members, one lives in Windsor, one in London, another in Kitchener, yet another in
Brampton, and the last one in Mississauga. Deciding on a mutually acceptable time and
location for the meeting took considerable effort. Finally, we agreed to meet at the office
of one team member near London on Sunday, December 9.

The meeting lasted from 9:30 AM till 3:00 PM. It was very productive. We brainstormed
and came up with some great ideas for the product. We also decided to tackle the project
using sub-groups. Each of us would take a lead on one particular section and would use
one or two other team members as support members. This new arrangement proved to be
very efficient because each sub-group was able to focus on and go in some depth in that
particular section that the sub-group is working on. Moreover, because of the reduced

28
group size, sub-group members were able to meet more frequently. As a result, the
project was able to progress more smoothly.

The only drawback in working in sub-groups was to keep the rest of the team members
up-to-date on the progress of the section that the sub-group is working on. Not that the
challenge of geography was ever really surmounted. No more face to face whole-team
meetings were held until the second module of the classes. Conference calls were
conducted between the two modules to update other team members. However, the team
encountered one technical problem in setting up conference calls. The standard telephone
system apparently cannot handle five lines at one time. So often one member would need
to be updated by another at the conclusion of the teleconference.

Emails were the staple mode of communication. This became even more important once
the project was split up. Each sub-group was responsible for its own report and these
various reports were distributed to the other members by emails. The final report was also
compiled electronically through emails.

There was minimal formal project management. Instead there was more of project
coordination. The group worked rather well together (perhaps the distances contributed to
that!) and all members took up tasks voluntarily. One member volunteered to collect all
the sub-reports and then compile them into one coherent report. The team make up was
definitely complementary and as a result, each member found some part of the project
she or he could take a greater interest in. The fact that groups were formed based upon
the Personality Type Indicator may have contributed to that.

Team members are unanimously of the opinion that they learned a lot from the execution
of the project, over and above the technical details. Chief among these is the ability to
coordinate a project over distances with minimal resources and under no supervision.

It would have been simpler if the team members lived closer together and could have met
more often. The team members realized this when the team make-up was first announced.

29
However, all members agreed to accept this challenge rather than request to have the
composition changed. It is clear that geographically distant teams will be the way of the
future. The fact that this team successfully completed its project, despite its limited
resources, indicates that this is not such a bad thing after all.

30
References

Cross, N., Engineering Design Methods Strategies for Product Design, 3rd Ed. John Wiley, Chichester,
2000

Differient N., Tilley A.R., Harman D. Bardagjy J., Humanscale, The MIT Press, 1993.

Hurst, K., Engineering Design Principles, Arnold, London, 1999

Internet Websites
Environmental Treaties and Resources Indicators (ENTRI): January 12, 2002.
http://sedac.ciesin.org/pidb-home.html

Flexcons Container: December 8, 2001.

www.flexconcontainer.com/styles.html

Future Directions Group- Background: December 12, 2001.

www.rco.on.ca/futuredir-background.html

Garburators: December 12, 2001.

www.electricalhowto.com/garburators.html.

Hi-Rise Recycling Systems (Products): December 12, 2001.

www.recycltech.com/mainhiri2.html

Hot Rot Principle, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2000

http://www.hotrotsystems.com/principle.html

In-Sink-Erator, Emerson Electric Company, Racine, Wisconsin.

http://www.insinkerator.com/int_compact.html

Municipal 3Rs in Ontario: 2000 Fact Sheet: December 11, 2001.

www.rco.on.ca/factsheet/3Rs2000.pdf

Orwak- Chicago, Chicago Compactors, Barrington, Illinois.

http://www.chicago-compactors.com/

Plastics: December 11, 2001.

www.mnsi.net/~ewswarc/pages/recycle/plastic.html.

The Edlund Company - Edlund Can Crushers, Burlington, Vemont.

http://www.edlundco.com/

The Natural Step, The BASIC SCIENCE, Behind the Natural Step's System Conditions
Strategy for Action: Implementing and Operationalizing the System Conditions, 2001
www.naturalstep.org

31
 Appendix A Crushing Mechanism

The tooth
heights are
3mm to 6mm Metal can or plastic
@ 2cm pitch bottle inserted
(or it will snag) Rubberized high
friction coated. May
have small serration to
increase friction.

Free-rotating drum -
purpose to push and not
restrict downward
movement.
Note: staggered a few
inches below other drum
to tilt bottle or can - so
base of can does not
Rotating resist crushing.
serrated solid
stainless steel
drum.
Function: Telescopic plunger
1) punctures pushes out toward
plastic bottles serrated crusher.
2) grips
3) crushes

Chute

Step 1

32
 Telescopic plunger
retracts after
completion of task

Crushed metal can or

plastic bottle ejected
to bin

Step 2

33
Top View

Free moving
telescopic
plunger

Motorized
telescopic
plunger

34
Appendix B Preliminary Sketches

Preliminary Concept Design

35
Storage Compartment Design

36
Fold-Out Ramp Design

37
38
Top Panel Design
Appendix C
Ergonomic Guidelines Related to the Lean Mean Green Machine
v Optimal circumference of cylindrical handle to maximize end user strength, (ensure
no necessary contact stress through rough edges) 2.5-3.8 cm. for the diameter.
v Hand clearance for ball grip based on 99%tile male requires 6.1 cm .
v Height recommended for pulling storage compartment varies from 90-120 cm.
v Initial acceptable maximum force required to pull the cart out and to minimize the
risk of strain with the elderly is 26.1 kg for the initial force and 7.17 kg for the
sustained force.
v All buttons on the panel must be within easy forward reach of small female
wheelchair user 47 cm.
v Push button presents the advantage of fast operation with low fatigue. Easy to colour
code, and lighted switches provide quick identification, condition and function. Can
save panel space by combining switch and indicator.
v Push button force 1.1 to 5.6 N
v Optimum size of push button: 1.3-2.5 cm.
v Spacing 1.9 cm clearance between buttons on each side of activated button for
adequate finger clearance.
v Recommended character height for 71.1cm viewing distance or less:
Main panel title 6.4mm
Subdivision titles 4.8mm
Component titles 3.2mm.
v Make use of contrast- and watch for glare, in selection of material on panel.

39