AbstractsEngineering

A local plastic injection molding company is producing a large quantity of different plastic products daily. The company operators and engineer are required to remove a plastic runner, manually, from some of these plastic products. These were produced after the plastic parts had been molded. A pair of cutting pliers is used for the process, and this process can be repeated over a couple of thousand times daily. This process is a long-term ergonomically hazardous process, as a plastic runner is quite rigid after cooling. The purpose of this thesis is to design and build a device in order to help operators and engineers at the local plastic injection molding company. This project covers a prototype state on the device only. The device is for an operation with a semi-automatic system using pneumatic air cylinders. The design and build process includes the initial concept design, to the final design of the prototype, and simulation and results of analyzing information of the prototype, using SolidWorks?? Computer-aided design (CAD) program. The project also covers fabrication of the prototype and any modification of the design. In addition, it includes the selection process of additional attachments to the prototype. Advisors/Committee Members: Kumagai, Akihiko.