Optimization of Material Usage of a Can Opener for Beverage Can

Tey, Kee Cheng (2022) Optimization of Material Usage of a Can Opener for Beverage Can. Final Year Project (Other), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

Plastic can opener is a one of the can opener to open cans or tins contained beverages. The plastic can opener is designed with a simple hook and lever mechanism that assist in lifting up the tab on the top cover of the can, thus opening up a hole that allow the user to drink the liquid directly from the can. The openers save the puller’s fingernails from getting chipped and cut by the tabs. A PVC thermoplastic material can opener was selected to study the structural behavioural of the product in specific the stress-strain, deformation and factory of safety. Through reverse engineering, a 3D model has been generated. Then, by FEA simulations, it was found the stress values are below the yield strength of the material property, deformation is at very minimal value and the minimum factor safety is high. The data indicated that the three types of common thermoplastic material use for the manufacturing of can opener has comparable results in their stress-strain analysis as well the deformation and minimum factor of safety, High minimum factor of safety suggested that further optimization is allowed, in specific, 11.11 for PCV, 10.95 for ABS and 9.87 for PP. Through optimization, areas where excess material can be eliminated are identified, these are the places where stress or load is at low values. It resulted that an optimized model was generated. The thickness of the optimized model is reduced to about 50% at the boss extrusion where low or no load area exerted. The result is 17.5% reduction in terms of material usage. Thus less material can be used to produce the part and translate to lower manufacturing cost and eventually the producer would be able to sell the product at a cheaper price in the market. Note that optimized product was printed out using 3D printing to verify the fitting of the product on the tab of a can cover