Machine Innovation and

Realization using Digital

Design
Jan Ray C. Rulida
Hardware Engineer – Plastic Recycling Project for
Increasing Women’s Income
http://www.boholchronicle.com.ph/2017/06/05/tagbilaran-closes-open-dumpsite/
http://www.boholchronicle.com.ph/2017/12/31/baclayon-panglao-top-waste-disposal-at-albur-landfill/
 HOW DO WE
CONTRIBUTE A
SOLUTION TO
THAT
PROBLEM?
 WHAT WAS USED IN
REINVENTING
THIS WASTE PLASTIC
BAGS INTO SHEET
MATERIALS?
A bit of background…
• Part of a team working on a project to
improve the income of women in Tagbilaran
City, Bohol.
• Minimize plastic waste while doing so.
• We use new digital design methodologies to
innovate existing machines to achieve these
goals.
Flagship Machine
Heat Press
Machine
From this…
to this…
Design Challenges
• Design complexity. The design should
be simple enough for the machine to be
fabricated locally.
• Minimize the cost of prototyping and
development.
These challenges are not unique.

CAN WE INNOVATE?
Generative Design and
Topology Optimization
What is generative design?

What is topology
optimization?
 We put the constraints and forces that could act on our
block. Constraints could be weight, mass, size, etc. Forces
could be pressure, surface reactions, fixtures, and gravity,
among others.
We get this.
And also this…
• We then used topology
optimization to check if we could
reduce the material or mass of the
design.
• This step was necessary to make the
fabrication goals for the design
realistic.
After Topology Optimization…
Initial Development
Initial Development
 We wanted to check if the design
that we have is structurally sound. So
we use Finite Element Analysis
(FEA).
What is FEA?
• The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is the
simulation of any given physical
phenomenon using the numerical
technique called Finite Element
Method (FEM).
This is not good.
 Revisiting the topology study
results and using it them as
reference, another design idea
was thrown in.
 The design idea was then
modeled and several rounds of
FEA simulations were done.
We got this…

2-Ribbed Design
And another…

3-Ribbed Design
Eventually…
Innovation!

Front View

Right Side View

Modular and Durable

Front View

Right Side View

The method in heating the plates of
our machine involves the use of
silicone rubber heater pads.
Silicone Rubber Heater
 How effective is the silicone
rubber heater?

Thermal analysis simulation – To check the effectiveness

of using a single heater pad, thermal analysis simulations
were done.
The temperature
chart of the surface
of the heater using
one whole silicone
rubber heater pad.
(42 x 59.4 cm)
We wanted to make the temperature
distribution to be as uniform as
possible so there is a need for
another heater arrangement design.
We tried this…
Metal Surface Temp
Heater Pad Arrangement Distribution
And this…
Metal Surface Temp
Heater Pad Arrangement
Distribution
And also this…
Metal Surface Temp
Heater Pad Arrangement Distribution
Eventually, we had this…
Metal Surface Temp
Heater Pad Arrangement Distribution
The
machine in
operation.
In conclusion…
• This kind of design approach is relatively new for our
current setting, but it provides a lot off opportunities
for local designers, engineers, fabricators, and makers
towards more innovation.
• Using design methodologies like generative design,
topology optimization, and thermal analysis, and
simulations enabled us to prototype our machine
faster. Faster prototyping means faster solutions to
minimize plastic waste, among others.
• Finally, the design methodologies used also can help
startups, FabLabs, and entrepreneurs in cutting the
cost of prototyping and can allow them to innovate
without wasting too much time and money.