SheetCycle: An Automated Paper Recycling System

What it does

SheetCycle is a compact system that recycles shredded paper into new sheets on-site, addressing paper waste in schools and offices. It automates shredding, blending, forming, and drying, reducing landfill use and promoting sustainable reuse.

Your inspiration

Our inspiration came from observing how our university uses large amounts of paper for exam booklets. With so many students, the demand for paper is high, and after exams, the used papers often go to waste. This made us wonder where all that paper ends up. From this, we came up with the idea of innovating an on-site paper recycling system that could process used exam papers and turn them into new sheets, making them reusable for future exams. This approach not only reduces waste but also helps conserve resources in a practical and sustainable way.

How it works

The system works by turning used, shredded paper into new, reusable sheets through an automated process. To start the process, users open the mobile application and press the start button. This activates the shredder, which begins shredding the inserted paper. The shredded paper then moves to the blending unit, where it’s mixed with an adhesive mixture to form a pulp. A pump motor transfers the pulp to the sheet molder, where it’s shaped into a flat sheet. The shaped pulp is then dried using the drying unit. Once dry, the newly formed sheet is moved to the output tray, ready for reuse. Furthermore, the entire process is controlled by a microcontroller, which manages the motors to automate each stage. Then, throughout the entire process, the mobile app provides monitoring to ensure the software and hardware work in sync, allowing users to easily track the recycling steps from start to finish.

Design process

We began by researching how traditional paper recycling works and identified its key stages. From there, we brainstormed how to automate each process and designed our initial prototype with the four main units of the system. Alongside this, we developed the UI design for the mobile application that controls and monitors the system. After that, we started building the actual prototype with the shredding unit using a paper shredder. For the blending unit, we used a standard blender and integrated it with the shredder. Next, we developed the sheet forming unit. Initially, it used a large aluminum mesh with wooden edges, but we later redesigned it into a more compact version using a rolling mold with furring strip edges to reduce complexity. For drying, we used an oven. When all units are done being develop, we integrated it all. Furthermore, we conducted several tests: unit testing, hardware and software functional testing, pulp ratio testing, control response delay testing, end-to-end testing, and paper production testing. These tests ensured the system’s reliability and confirmed that the recycled paper was suitable for writing. A modified and improved prototype was built based on our testing insights to make the system more efficient, compact, and user-friendly.

How it is different

SheetCycle stands out by offering a compact and automated paper recycling system that works directly on-site, unlike traditional methods that require off-site processing. It combines shredding, blending, molding, and drying into one streamlined system, making it ideal for schools and offices with high paper use. What makes it different is the integration of hardware and a mobile application that allows users to start and monitor the process in real time, ensuring seamless coordination between software and physical operations. This localized, easy-to-use system makes recycling more accessible, convenient, and practical for everyday users, encouraging sustainable habits where waste is generated.

Future plans

In future development, we aim to enhance the system by improving efficiency, reducing drying time, and minimizing system size for better integration in schools and offices. We plan to add sensors to detect minor deviations, replace the mechanical relay with a solid-state relay for faster switching, and upgrade the drying unit to respond to real-time moisture levels. A higher-specifications microcontroller will support these upgrades. For business, we plan pilot testing, user feedback, and partnerships, with the goal of scaling SheetCycle as a sustainable on-site recycling solution.

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