Document Type
Restricted Campus Only
Publication Date
4-29-2025
Abstract
Ricardo Gonzalez Jurado visualizes a better future for the planet, one where plastic waste is not a pressing issue to the environment and the human race. As the sponsor, he set in motion the task to repurpose plastic to minimize damage from microplastics. Furthermore, he requested for this solution to be functional, leading to the idea of a plastic block that can be placed within a standard cement brick and be used in construction. This year’s design and solution builds upon the work of two past years. The design aims to produce plastic bricks that fit in the cell of a standard concrete block, maximize the plastic content while containing more than 0.5 kg of plastic, encapsulate the plastic from any outside elements, have no effect on the structural integrity of the cement bricks, and is within the allotted budget.
There are two main components to the design created this past year. The first component is the plastic brick design. The brick refers to the container that will hold the plastic and be placed into the cinder-blocks. This container uses compressed shredded plastic, a milk carton, and a waterproof sealant to encapsulate the plastic and ensure it protects the environment from the byproducts of plastic waste. A working prototype of this component was completed. The second aspect of the design is the machine that will output the brick. In this component, the process of making the brick is split up into subsystems that ensure the outcome is up to standard and efficient. It also needed to be usable in Guatemala, where Ricardo Gonzalez Jurado aims to further this work. The subsystems for the design consist of the compression mechanism and chamber, the securement, the sealant and removal from sealant, the drying process, and lastly the material preparation within the machine. Due to time constraints and the focus on the brick design last semester, the product for the machine design is a blueprint and details about the specifics of the design.
Six tests were performed to determine the success of each of the subsystems. Three tests determined the success of the brick design and the following three helped to shape the machine design. During the first semester, testing was performed on the compression method and the container for the plastic with an additional restraint test to support the container. Testing the compression ratio of the milk carton with wires for support resulted in a ratio of 2.25:1, the highest of the compression tests. It was also recorded that the wires did not experience any displacement, rendering them useless. The sealant was tested to ensure that it is water resistant. The brick parameters all passed their tests. Moving to the tests that determined the decisions around the machine, the primary test measured the clearance the final output brick had in two types of standard cinder blocks. The resulting brick passed this test with a range of clearance in the cells. The last two tests measured the same parameter: securement. The fifth test used our initial design and using a pass fail method measured if the brick could be within force after being secured. After brainstorming, the team re-designed the securement method to have less overall waste. After this, the brick went through the same test with the new method and passed.
The machine design assesses all criteria, both essential and optional, to meet the sponsor’s needs. Using subsystems that output the pre-designed brick, plastic waste can be repurposed and kept out of harm's way. Future work will consist of building a machine prototype to test the designed subsystems. In addition, aspects of the design such as dimensions and efficiency will be further scrutinized to further enhance the machine.
Repository Citation
McManus, Teresa; Trejo, Nasario; and Zegada, Kassandra, "Final Project Report: Plastic Wall-E Year 3" (2025). Engineering Senior Design Reports. 101.
https://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/engine_designreports/101
Comments
Michael Enright, Team Adviser