Abstract

The paper presents an automatic system for compacting metal, plastic and glass waste from food consumption (boxes or empty cans). The compaction process is found in waste recycling systems. The purpose of this work is to analyze the main stages of designing an electro-pneumatic drive and automation system for a waste compactor used in food packaging, starting with the creation of the specifications document and ending with the development of a control structure in a classic version – control circuits with contacts and relays, or by using programmable logic controllers (PLCs). To design and validate the control circuits, the FLUIDSIM simulation environment was used, and the experimental validation involved building a functional small-scale model of the compaction device and analyzing its operation in laboratory conditions. Additionally, aside from the educational and research goals, which involve proposing a solution and verifying it through numerical simulation and on a small-scale experimental model, the work also aims to integrate the proposed solution into an automated packaging collection equipment within the Deposit-Return System (SGR). Packaging collection machines located in commercial centers do not have compaction modules integrated into their structure, and thus blockages often occur due to the rapid filling of the collection containers. The introduction of compaction modules would significantly reduce the waste volume and transportation costs for the collection centers.

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