Material Recovery System
A polishing screen with tailored augers that sorts recycling by size without plastic bags wrapping around it.
- Context
- Team project
- Timeline
- Six months
- Discipline
- Mechanical design, Recycling
A custom polishing screen for a materials recovery facility. Its augers are shaped to separate appropriately sized 3D materials while preventing the plastic bag wrapping that plagued earlier versions.
The project went through multiple design iterations, both in the full assembly and in its individual subassemblies. My team and I learned what worked, what didn’t, and how to solve technical problems together. By the end of six months, we had become a close-knit team that trusted one another.
How it works
01
The problem
At a materials recovery facility (MRF), screens sort recycling by size. Plastic film tangles in them, and cleaning it out takes time and several people. Our goal was to reduce the tangled film, so cleaning the screens takes less time and fewer people.
02
The augers
The shafts are cantilevered from bearing blocks, with adapters that carry the augers. The auger geometry is tailored to pass the right-sized 3D materials while keeping plastic bags from wrapping around the screen.
03
Drivetrain
A motor and gearbox drive all six shafts through roller chain and sprockets.
