A PROJECT PROPOSAL

On
DESIGN AND MNUFACTURE OF PLASTIC RECYCLING

MACHINES

Submitted by:

AKLILU ADDIS (BSc)………0912775478

SIRAJ KEDIR (BSc)……… .0918510388

Muche Abere (BSc)………..…0915626731

Muhammed Ibrahim (BSc)…...0975582078

Efrem Zeleke (BSc)…………..0978536547

BAHIRDAR, ETHIOPIA

JANUARY 2018
About The Authors
The authors of this project are all graduates of Mechanical Engineering from Bahir Dar
University in the year June 2018. This project was initially done for the fulfillment of Bachelor of
Science (BSc) as our graduation project. After all we have seen some positive feedbacks and
suggestions from our instructors and the university community we have decided to form a
group and continue our progress by ourselves. Currently we have finished almost all of the
design and simulation process and we are now looking forward for manufacturing by raising
fund from every possible source.

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Executive Summery
The research teams in Plastic recycling Machines are seeking a grant to implement a novel
technology that shreds waste plastic materials and converting them to different useful products
with the objective of helping in waste management and disposal process by using portable
crusher, washing machine, extrusion machine and injection molding machine. This plastic
recycling technology reduces the amount of waste to be sent to the landfill, helps in recycling
plastic waste, facilitates the transportation process of waste plastic, helps in reducing the volume
of waste generated and would thus help in effective waste management. The first phase of the
project will be completed by designing the four machines which are shredder, washer/cleaner,
extruder and injector. Simulating and testing the shredder prototype with the help of computer
software is then followed by the actual fabrication and production.

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Introduction
Ethiopia is still importing a huge amount of plastic resins like poly ethylene, poly propylene and
PVC related polymers every year unfortunately most of the products which are produced by
these materials have short shelf life (i.e. should be discarded after a single use) [1], as a result
those thrown plastic wastes mostly goes to landfill and pollutes the environment. If we can
manage and recycle these materials indirectly we are reducing the amount of import of those
plastic resins which intern saves a lot of foreign currency.

Fig 2: plastic waste polluting lake Fig 4: dirty environment created by plastic waste

Plastic recycling is the process of recovering used or waste plastic and reprocessing the material
in to useful products [2]. Most of plastic materials are not biodegradable which in fact poses a
serious challenge to our environment, so recycling plastic is a part of global efforts to reduce
plastic waste [3]. According to surveys approximately eight million metric tons of waste plastic
enters the earth’s ocean every year which results in destabilizing oceans ecology, so this project
is intended to help in the process of reducing high rates of plastic pollution.

Plastic recycling process includes collecting different types of plastic materials, sorting them
according to their chemical composition like (PVC, HDPE, Poly Ethylene, Poly Propylene etc.),
and chipping or grinding them into smaller pieces [4], after that those pieces will be melted down
in to pellets and finally can be used to make different types of products like plastic bottles, jars,
3D filaments and so on.

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This project is about designing and production of a series of machines which work side by side
which would help in creating clean environment by assisting waste management and disposal
which also contributes to our green economy policy. A shredder, crusher or grinder is a machine
which is designed to reduce large size materials in to smaller pieces in other words it is a volume
reduction machine. Crushers may be used to reduce size, shape or form of the material so that
they will be used easily and efficiently on their intended purpose.

Crushing is the process of transferring a force amplified by a mechanical advantage through a

material made of molecules that bond together the structure. Most crushing devices hold
materials to be crushed between two parallel or tangent solid surfaces and apply a sufficient load
to loosen and gradually break the molecules apart which bond them strongly. The device mainly
includes the cutting and crushing components, their basic principle is to tear apart the materials
integrity depending on their shear and impact strength.

Washing machine is an equipment which is used to wash and clean the shredded plastic pieces to
make them healthy and convenient for use, it uses a cylindrical container with an agitator at its
center connected with a motor. The extruder and injection molding machines are a set of
complex equipment which are used to produce the finished products for various purposes.

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Problem statement
Now a day most world’s plastic waste ends up in landfill, plastic waste disposal is still a global
challenge which is very less efficient. Most of our ceremonies, meetings, events etc. uses bottled
water in service of attendants, these huge number of bottles and other plastic wastes occupy very
large disposal space and unfortunately end up in oceans, lakes and landfill. Used plastic bags,
vegetable oil containers, pieces of plastic and bottles of various sizes are found everywhere in
our surrounding poising a serious environmental threat. Those wastes are creating a dirty
environment by blocking our sewage channels. Several attempt made by global community in
plastic production reduction has failed due to their versatility, low cost and availability in daily
life. Despite of the above mentioned facts Ethiopia still imports huge amount of plastic resin with
high foreign currency [1].

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Literature Review
Most plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and versatile materials, which can be easily molded
into a variety of products that can be used in a wide range of applications. As a result, the
production of plastics has increased tremendously over the past years. However, current levels of
their consumption and disposal generate several environmental treats [2].

Recycling is one of the most important actions currently available to reduce many impacts on the
environment as well as our health and represents one of the most dynamic areas in the plastics
industry today. Plastics have been recycled since the 1970s, the quantities that are recycled vary
geographically, according to plastic type and application. Recycling of packaging materials has
seen rapid expansion over the last decades in a number of countries. Advances in technologies
and systems for the collection, sorting and reprocessing of recyclable plastics are creating new
opportunities for recycling and with the combined actions of the public, industry and
governments it may be possible to divert the majority of plastic waste from landfills to recycling
over the coming decades [3].

Several researchers have done immense research and have got appreciable results. Some of them
have published their work on different international journals, DARSHAN R. and GURURAJA S.
from VVCE, Karnataka, India have published a paper entitled “design and fabrication of crusher
machine for plastic wastes” in which they have proposed a solution for crushing problem of
waste plastic materials [4].

On the other hand Nabeel Bedawi and Ismail Fadlalla from Sudan have published detail research
on waste plastic recycling process by investigating each and every kind and type of plastic under
the title of “clean production” which will give us a clue on the types of plastic waste which can
be recycled and which cannot be [5].

Mulla Irfan Faiyyaj and Mete Rushabh Pradip have also published a research paper entitled
“Design and Development of Plastic Shredding Machine” from Department of Mechanical
Engineering Adarsh Institute of Technology, Vita.Shivaji University, Kolhapur on on the journal of

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“International Journal of Engineering Technology Science and Research”. In which they have
proposed a comprehensive and practical approach to overcome plastic wastage problem [6].

Akinfiresoye Waleola Ayo, OJ Olukunle and DJ Adelabu from Nigeria have published a paper in
the title of “Development of a Waste Plastic Shredding Machine” in the journal of “International
Journal of Waste Resources” in which they have showed a way how to develop a plastic waste
shredding machine and performed a detailed performance analysis of the machine [4].

When we came to our country despite the necessity and usefulness of this technology we haven’t
found any well documented research paper in this field of study, so we have decided to adopt and
implement this technology hoping that there will be visible and tangible outcome both in
economic as well as environmental and health issues.

Limitation of previous researches on plastic recycling machines includes lack of proper intake
system (hopper) design consequently scattering and inefficient import system occurrence,
maintenance difficulty, heavy and sophistication working mechanism which results cost
ineffectiveness, requirement of skilled manpower.

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Objectives

Major objective
The general objective of this project is design and manufacture of plastic recycling machines that
recycles plastic wastes.

Specific objectives
 Investigate the problems and limitations of the recycling machines
 Ensure portability (size reduction)
 Minimize cost
 Reduce plastic waste transportation problem

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Significance of the study
Environmental benefit
This project is expected to build a clean and green environment by improving waste disposal and
management system it also indirectly reduces carbon emission by reducing the volume of waste
thus transportation pollution will be minimized. This project also aims to protect ocean ecology
through minimizing the amount of plastic waste deposition.

Social benefit
Speaking of social benefit especially in African countries health is an important issue, plastic
waste is causing a lot of damage to the health of humans as well as animals, in most rural
countries used plastic bottles are still in service causing contaminations and other health
problems, those plastic scraps are filling our cities crating dirty environment hence threatening
our health.so, this project helps to reduce the severity of the above mentioned problems.

Other benefits
Recycling nowadays is becoming practical in developed countries because it is the most feasible,
efficient, environmental friendly production process so, adopting this technology will play great
role in creating new jobs and entrepreneurs, it also boosts our economy by reducing the raw
material import and by saving foreign currency.

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Scope of the study

The scope of this project goes to the extent of manufacturing the working model (prototype) of
the machine by first modeling and design. The modeling and testing the functionality of the
machine will be analyzed using computer aided design software before the actual production.
Simulation and testing the performance also will be carried out to evaluate the technical
parameters. Finally the actual manufacturing of working prototype will be carried out.

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Methodology
 Identification of problem by observing how plastic waste is removed, recycled, intensity
of pollution and the usage of plastic increase.
 Data collection by referring different magazines, literatures, international journals and
design books.
 Alternative conceptual design using sketches.
 Select best option.
 Data analysis from the existing problem and probability
 Numerical analysis
 Solid work Software(CAD) simulation and testing with the software
 Design and development of actual model using (CAD) software
 Creating the manufacturing drawings
 Test and simulate the prototype

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 Identification of problem

Conceptual development

Data analysis

Design & development of actual

Modeling using CAD software

Cost estimation

Manufacturing

Fig 3: Block diagram of methodology

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Financial Requirement

S. 
No Description Associated Cost (Birr)
.

1 Stationery (paper, pen, CD…. etc.)
500

Document preparation (printing, photoco
2
pying, scanning, binding… etc) 
1000

3 Travel expense to collect the data
3000

4 Materials for manufacturing of prototype
150,000

5 Utility for manufacturing of prototype
30,000

6 Communication (mobile, fax, internet etc.)
1000

7 Contingency (10% of the above total)
18,550
Total
204,050

Table 1: -Budget/Financial Requirement

No Activity performed Aug,2019 Sep,2019 Oct,2019 Nov,2019 Jan,2019

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 Literature review

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 2 Preparing proposal
3 Proposal review
4 Data collection and
organization
5 Conceptual design
6 Embodiment design
7 Result and discussion
8 Progress review
9 CAD modeling and
simulation
10 Prototype
development
11 Conclusion
12 first draft report
13 Finalize
documentation
14 Final report

Action plan
Table 2: Action plan

Note: action plan could be revised according to the situation.

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References

[1] http://www.ethiopianimporter.com/ethiopia-import-data-/plastics.html

[2] “Study of Jaw Plates of Jaw Crusher” International Journal of Modern Engineering Research
(IJMER), Vol.3, Issue.1, Jan-Feb. 2013

[3] “Can crusher machine using scotch yoke mechanism” IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil
Engineering (IOSR-JMCE)

[4] “Experimental Research on Crushing Force and its Distribution Feature in Jaw Crusher”
2007 Second IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications.

[5] “Designing of a Portable Bottle Crushing Machine” IJSRD -International Journal for
Scientific Research & Development Vol. 4, Issue 07, 2016

[6] “Design and development of a plastic bottle crusher” International Journal of Engineering
Research & Technology Vol. 3, Issue 10 (October-2014)

[7] Nabil B., “Management of PET Plastic Bottles Waste through Recycling In Khartoum State”,
October 2010.

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