The factory has requested that we automate their process as much as possible in order to reduce the number of paid workers to the smallest number while maintaining or improving upon the speed of the current operation. Our team will conduct a design of an automated paper-clip packaging machine. The machine will fold the boxes as well as load one hundred paper-clips into each box.
From the beginning of our project, we constrained our design with seven task specifications.
1. Machine is to be composed of conventional mechanisms
2. Machine is to open box from initial flat position to open position.
3. Machine is to fold and interlock bottom box tabs.
4. Machine is to neatly load one hundred (+/- 1) paper-clips into each box.
5. Machine is to fold and close top box tabs.
6. Machine is to package boxes of paper-clips as quickly as possible.
7. Machine is to cost less than its performance equal in human workers The first order of business for our team is to conduct research on box folding in general, existing processes, mechanisms, and folding methods.
