https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/5QxaDbzqCcUvVIryQWsT4OE__iMfPrMhCCNNm5BnH0io8ajjAzKA-xKWChe_YKg_1FgJBmsXActM2m5Zzz200jPObOqGhb9cElfosl-OLWfZ8DI3XfMlFn4jkgF0tiGfZTH__6m8XBgUBsL6sBGeH5o
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<aside> 🗜️ During our Senior Design class Sophie Hankin, Lydia Kresin, and I worked together to build a penny press like machine for aluminum soda/beer cans. The goal of the machine was to process a can through an interactive, purely manual user experience, to create a keepsake.
Our machine, all in one motion would
You could then slide it into a 3D printed frame to hang it up or display it.
This project required a lot of ideating, hands on machining, testing, CAD work, thinking about user experience, and lots more.
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2 minute video summary
CAD in SolidWorks
Penny Press machines have long been a popular attraction among children at places like zoos and museums. As adults who frequent different types of locations, the ability to produce your own keepsake is lacking. Our client, Sydney Ladner, approached us wanting to tap into this market for a heavily trafficked adult location: the bar. Bars and breweries are becoming more creative with their can designs, leading to the desire for some to collect cans and commemorate their time out with friends. This desire, along with the environmental need to recycle aluminum can waste led to the creation of UnCan It!, a machine that turns aluminum cans into keepsakes.
Final product
Edge folding mechanism with double rack and pinion
In order to repurpose the can, the machine must cut off the top and bottom, flatten the can, and imprint a custom message. Because the machine is meant for use in a bar environment, it was designed to perform these functions with an emphasis on creating a safe, intuitive, and engaging experience for the user.
After an extensive testing and ideation process, we settled on a design that cuts, flattens, and imprints using the same mechanism. These functions are all controlled using a rack and pinion driven by the user turning a crank. The design also features a second crank that pushes hinged walls over to fold the sharp sides of the can and keep the user safe. These mechanisms are housed in an aluminum frame with plexiglass walls, ensuring that sharp elements of the machine are inaccessible to the user. The final flattened can product is placed in a 3D printed frame for easy transport home from the bar and for convenient display.
Dies machine out of aluminum with a CNC
Various blade designs we tested
Main rack and pinion - provides force to cut the ends, flatten, and imprint the cans
The machine was built using a variety of off-the-shelf and custom-machined parts. Our first prototype focused on the cutting and flattening functionalities to assess where improvements to the single-step cutting, flattening, and imprinting concept needed to be made. After the first prototype was unable to cut through the can fully, we made adjustments to the blade design and can support walls, along with the addition of the folding mechanism for added safety. Our final prototype was able to successfully cut through and flatten the can. Through user testing and feedback, we were also able to determine that our machine would effectively attract bargoers to use it, and the process of creating the keepsake could be completed in a short enough amount of time to stay engaging. Future work would be focused on scaling up the force the machine can apply to successfully imprint a message on the can.
UnCan It! presents a promising future in enhancing the bar-going experience, while also encouraging a mindset of sustainability. It is able to successfully turn an aluminum can into a keepsake that showcases the can’s design compactly and aesthetically. It also provides a fun activity for patrons to engage in with their friends and supports the bar’s business.
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© Jesse Gilbert 2024