Debris Destroyers

Overview

TMP Manufacturing molds large insulation panels for various applications, such as industrial refrigerators. Workers at TMP Manufacturing push large mold doors along a guide rail. Tape and insulation debris clog the guide rails and make the mold doors difficult to push, resulting in strenuous labor for the workers and an increase in work-related injuries. The team has been tasked with designing a method to clear debris from the guide rails to make pushing the mold doors easier for workers.

Objectives

The team’s objective was to design a scraper that effectively removes debris from the mold guide rails. To meet this objective, the team completed various prototyping phases: 3-D printed models, aluminum models, and steel models. The team visited TMP Manufacturing’s warehouse to test the prototypes and built a final prototype based on feedback and testing at the warehouse.

Approach

The team met with the sponsor from TMP Manufacturing Company via Zoom to discuss customer needs, restraints, and specifications. Based on videos, photos, and descriptions of the problem, debris hindering the mold guide rails from moving smoothly along the guide rails, the team completed research on existing solutions and generated four concepts. The team reviewed patents for railroad clearing, a self-cleaning sweeping and mopping robot, and creating an insulated structural component using a frame with defined cavities to help guide which concept to move forward with.

The team visited the TMP Manufacturing warehouse to test prototypes and observe the insulation panel process. The team gathered more video references and more insight into previous methods used by the sponsor. The team constantly created and tested new prototypes to ensure a snug contact point on the rail and ease of use for the user. This prototyping included testing 3-D prints of potential contact points with varying fillet radii to determine which would remove the most debris. The team created CAD models of each of the scraper iterations. The team printed and tested a solid scraper with a curved front plane and a hollow scraper with a straight edge on the front plane. These prototypes were based on the CAD file provided and the steel rail that was being used at TMP Manufacturing. Each prototype tested a different aspect of the final model. Later, metal prototypes were tested to identify the proper design. The team performed prototype testing during the on-site visit. Additionally, simulated tests were performed using similar rails and tape on the final product. To validate the model and prove its effectiveness, the team built a replica of the guide rails used at TMP Manufacturing that could be used to simulate debris in the rail. The final model proved capable of clearing the rail. The team generated physical results. In building the replica of the guide rails, the team was able to adjust the models and immediately get feedback by testing the new iteration on the replica rail. A successful model cleared the rails from debris and collected some of the cleared debris into its hollow center.

Outcomes

The primary outcome of completing the final scraper model is clearing debris inhibiting the mold doors from moving smoothly along the guide rails. This will not only improve the efficiency of their process but also induce less strain on the employees. Subsequently, this will reduce the number of injuries sustained in the factory by pushing and pulling the mold doors.