DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF AUTOMATIC POLYTHENE SEALING AND CUTTING MACHINE

ABSTRACT

The ease of cutting and sealing a polythene material especially during mass production of polythene bags using automated machine has necessitated the need to automate the process. Manual cutting and sealing of polythene films do not only waste time, it also increases cost of production as more than required people are employed to a job that can be automated. This project deals with the construction of an automatic sealing and cutting machine which will aid production. This polythene sealing and cutting machine has an added advantage of making 800 sealed bags per hour.  The constructional machines were sourced locally. The machine can cut and seal Nylon at an affordable cost.  The constructional size is 31 cm x 7.5cm x 12.4 and comprises the following component; the sealing and cutting filament, the transformer with 1000 turns of wire for the secondary and about 1200 turns for the primary, the micro switch, tephlon tape and aluminum sheet casing. In the fabrication of the machine, aluminum sheet were marked and cut to size.  The aluminum is placed to protect it from external stress and damage.  The filament element and the micro switch converts electrical energy to heat energy The constructed machine showed high performance and efficiency with reasonable degree of accuracy.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Automatic sealing and cutting machine is a machine that is used simultaneously to seal and cut polythene into different sizes depending on the required dimension. Polythene is a type of synthetic rubber widely used often as transference sheets for water proof packaging. Traders in the market require polythene bags in packaging commodities for their customer. The same material can be made in various shapes as long as packaging of goods is concerned. There is obvious need for diversification of the Nigeria economy. We can start by producing some simple machine so that scare of foreign exchange can be conserved for more need and essential goods. It will also enable Nigerians manufacture to expand their industries there by making price of products relatively cheaper compared with the imported ones and at fordable to majority of Nigerians. Developed countries like Japan started by producing simple machine using the abundant local raw material for the manufacture of goods can also be exported in order to earn foreign exchange rather than exporting the raw material (Gent et al, 2017).

There is great need to improve on the technological advancement in the country since, she is blessed with abundant material and human resources who need to be tapped for useful purposed. In plastic industry the machine that are required to process than into usable products can still be manufactured locally. This is the more behind the production of this simple machine (Automatic polythene sealing and cutting machine) that will enable the already processed polythene products to be used in many useful ways. Such as parceling and packaging of goods foodstuffs and over in kitchen as a substitute for moi – moi foil. This shows that the machine is one that is indispensable in the food processing and confectionery industries.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Manual cutting of polythene bags do not only waste time, it also increases cost of production as more than required people are employed to a job that can be automated. Currently sealing machines only have the ability to seal. They do not have the capacity to cut. This has made the process semi automated as human labour is still employed to cut what has been sealed. Some machines has been developed to cut that which has been sealed but this gives rise to using two machines at a time. This project tends to curb the problem by constructing a sealing and cutting machine which seals a bag and automatically cuts it.

• AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this project is to design and construct an international standard machine that will automatically and simultaneously seal and cut sheets of polythene bags into a required form. To achieve the stated aim, the following specific objectives were laid out:

1. Make the cutting and sealing process fully automated
2. Inculcate slicing ability in the machine

• Make the machine safe enough to avoid machine incurred hazards

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

With the cost of exchange rate to import goods from abroad. The design and fabrication of the machine locally will increase the technological know how of the nation. The machine will be available to trades who don’t have money to purchase imported ones. The project is also necessary because it is a test of practical knowledge of student. It also help to prepare student to face the practical problem that they may meet in the field. It is also expected that through such projects student will get more acquainted with material identification and selection. It help in building more knowledge in student about machine development. When this types of project is improved upon it will contribute much in helping our nations over dependence on foreign countries for provision of goods and machine.

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

There was some problems encountered during the progress of the project work. . The voltage fluctuation, which is sometimes below the required input voltage of 240v AC it reduces. The heating of the together wire and movement of the electric motor. The case of souring at the materials used because of the cost of purchase and construction.

1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Polythene: Polythene is a type of plastic made into thin sheets or bags and used especially to keep food fresh or to keep things dry. [mainly British] Simply put them into a polythene bag and store them in the freezer for a day. regional note: in AM, usually use polyethylene.
• Slicing: Splicing is the process of fixing two ends of film together and cutting away the waste ends. This process is necessary for producing reels of film with the requested size.
• Teflon tape Teflon tape Thread seal tape (also known as PTFE tape, Teflon tape, or plumber’s tape) is a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film tape commonly used in plumbing for sealing pipe threads.

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