Zander Slavitz
Automated Plate Cleaner
Bucknell University, Senior Design Project
Introduction
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Procter and Gamble sells paper towels with printed decoration
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Product is made from rolling ink-covered printing plates onto paper towel
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​Worked in a group with 3 mechanical engineering students​
Paper Towels with printed decoration
Product Goal
Printing Plate with photopolymer exterior and magnetic backing
Cleaning printing plates was done by hand, Procter & Gamble needed a higher quality and automated cleaning process
Product Research
Cleaning Method:
Rotational Brush
Cleaning Method:
High Pressure Water
Qualitative Analysis
Quantative Analysis
Dirty printing plate
Clean printing plate
Abrasion evaluated with visual analysis
Abrasion evaluated with Scanning Electron Microscope and quantified with Matlab Image Analysis
Product Design
Would not clean enough printing plates relative to shop floor space occupied
Supported many plates but too complex
Too complex given semester time limit
Optimized printing plates cleaned relative to shop floor area occupied
Product Development
Brush cleaning method chosen
CNC milled styrofoam basin with water-resistant coating for collecting and irrigating liquid
Final prototype render
3D printed handles to control brush pressure on rotating cylinder
Basic speed controller and stepper motor to control and actuate friction-driven rollers
Final physical prototype
Cleaning Sequence
Stage 1
Soaking
Cleaning Process
Stage 3
Drying
Stage 2
Soaking, Brushing, and Solvent Spray
Brush
Brush
Brush
Nozzle
Nozzle
Nozzle
Future Product Development
Product holds four cylinders driven by 2 motors
Cylinder cleaning is enclosed