Publication Date

Fall 12-6-2019

Document Type

Final Report

Embargo Date

12-6-2019

Problem Statement

Our project was to build a machine that would fulfill the requirements for the ASME 2020 design challenge, which was called, ”Building to the Sky.” The rules of the challenge were to build a machine that would take ordinary 8.5” x 11” sheets of paper and stack them into a tower. To accomplish this task, we decided to make our paper tower out of accordion-shaped folds that would be placed on top of each other, alternating in 90 degree orientations. Our device is divided into various sub-components, each which manipulate the paper in various ways. We first have a mechanism to cut the sheet of paper into two equal halves. Then, we have a conveyor mechanism which transports the paper. There is a press mechanism which folds the paper into the accordion pattern, and finally a ramp which assembles the paper into the final tower configuration. The cutting mechanism consists of a circular blade powered by an electric motor which both intakes the paper, and cuts it in half. We made our conveyor belt mechanism out of plastic wrap. This is also powered by an electric motor. The press consists of two saw-teeth presses which fold the paper through the downward motion of the upper press. One ramp comes after each of the two presses. One of the two ramps ejects the paper into a box, which holds the tower in place, and the other ramp spins the paper 90 degrees so that it can stack in alternating directions. Overall, our device was able to function successfully and we were able to meet all of the goals that we initially set for our device.

Author's School

McKelvey School of Engineering

Author's Department

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Class Name

Mechanical Engineering Design Project (MEMS 411)

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