Open Hardware to support sustainable development goals : case study "precious plastics"

Details

Supervisors

Raucent, Benoît ; Lomba, Régis

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil mécanicien, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

This master’s thesis is based on the work of Héloïse Nolf and Marine Poudrel in their project "Design for Manufacturing in FabLab of a Plastic Shredder," submitted during the year 2022-2023 at the École Polytechnique de Louvain. Their research approached the problem of plastic waste through redesigning the Precious Plastic shredder for better accessibility and manufacturability in FabLabs. By adapting the design for local fabrication tools, they demonstrated that 92.4% of the shredder’s parts could be manufactured using FabLab resources, a major improvement over the original design. Their prototype served as a proof of concept for enabling individuals and small communities to contribute to plastic recycling efforts but left room for further refinements and optimization. This thesis continues that work, focusing on improving the shredder’s overall efficiency, safety, and sustainability to expand its usability in local and small-scale recycling initiatives. Key areas of development include optimizing the shredding mechanism, refining the power supply and drive systems, and improving structural components. Enhancing safety is a central goal, with features such as a redesigned hopper for safe loading, emergency stop systems, and protective coverings to minimize risks for community users. A technology assessment of the final shredder will be conducted using the principles outlined in Michael F. Ashby’s Materials and Sustainable Development. This assessment will consider some aspects like the ecological footprint or the life cycle of the shredder to try to determine how effectively the shredder meets the trend of sustainability and helps reduce plastic waste. We will also document methodologies and results of the improvements made to create a comprehensive reference for further research or application within the community. In summary, the thesis will focus on developing an overall efficiency and safety of the plastic shredder, within strong overtones of sustainability, guided by Ashby’s work.