Mechanical characterization of commercial biodegradable plastic films

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable plastic that is relatively new compared to other plastics in use throughout industry. The material is produced by the polymerization of lactic acid which is produced by the fermentation of starches derived from renewable feedstocks such as corn. Polylactic acid can be manufactured to fit a wide variety of applications. This study details the mechanical and morphological properties of selected commercially available PLA film products. Testing was conducted at Iowa State University and in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) BioPreferred Program®. Results acquired by Iowa State were compared to a similar study performed by the Cortec Corporation in 2006. The PLA films tested at Iowa State were acquired in 2009 and 2010. In addition to these two studies at ISU, the films that were acquired in 2009 were aged for a year in a controlled environment and then re-tested to determine effects of time (ageing) on the mechanical properties. All films displayed anisotropic properties which were confirmed by inspection of the films with polarized light. The mechanical testing of the films followed American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Mechanical characteristics included: tensile strength (ASTM D882), elongation of material at failure (ASTM D882), impact resistance (ASTM D1922), and tear resistance (ASTM D4272). The observed values amongst all the films ranged as followed: tensile strength 33.65 - 8.54 MPa; elongation at failure 1,665.1% - 47.2%; tear resistance 3.61 - 0.46 N; and puncture resistance 2.22 - 0.28 J. There were significant differences between the observed data for a number of films and the reported data published by the Cortec Corp. In addition, there were significant differences between the newly acquired material from 2009 and 2010, as well as the newly acquired materials in 2009 and the aged 2009 materials, suggesting that ageing and manufacturing date had an effect on the mechanical properties. The morphological properties were tested using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The material properties examined were: glass transition temperature (Tg), degree of crystallinity (Wc), and material composition in terms of inorganic content. Results from DSC testing revealed that the glass transition temperatures ranged from 43.2 - 52.2 &plusmnC, the degree of crystallintiy ranged from 4.1 - 13.8%, and material composition of the films ranged from 89.9 - 100% organic materials. The morphological examination of the polymers also indicated that the mechanical properties of the films may have been altered by the manufacturing and processing of the film material or by the addition of filler or plasticizers

St. Thomas Aquinas Parking Ramp

Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in Ames, Iowa added a two-level parking structure in fall 2012 to allow for more parking for parishioners (http://staparish.net/). The lower level has 78 parking spaces and the upper level has 94 parking spaces. To access the lower level, there is an entrance on Lynn Avenue. To access the upper level, there is one entrance on Ash Avenue The parking structure has allowed more parishioners to park and attend services, but there are still not enough parking spots for everyone. Currently, there are no control devices limiting who can and cannot park there, a dead end on the top level, and no way to effectively communicate when the lot is full. Parishioners are allowed to park in the Memorial Union Parking Ramp for free. Parishioners waste valuable time looking for a parking spot in the parking structure if it is full

Fixtures for Production of Modular Weld Tables

The problem that we worked with our client to solve focuses on the production of modular weld tables. The design for the weld table was already completed at the time we took on our project. The problem was that assembly of the table took far too long to be feasible for a production run of multiple units. Lack of proper fixturing would also lead to variance in the tolerances of each unit produced

Barilla Mixed Pasta Reduction

Barilla is an international producer of pasta with locations in nine different countries. The production facility we are working with is located in Ames, Iowa. They produce around 140,000 tons of pasta per year. The problem Barilla is having is pasta is being spilled somewhere during the process of moving along conveyors and buckets while being transported from production to the storage silos. Barilla is striving to reduce the amount of waste they experience through spillage. The main loss comes when they get mixed product in a silo and are forced to scrap the whole silo. Barilla is not sure exactly what is causing the spillages and want to know if the losses can be reduced or eliminated completely. Reducing the amount of spilled pasta would save Barilla money in waste and delayed production. Scrapping an entire silo not only wastes all the pasta in it, but also causes Barilla to push back other pasta’s scheduled production to replace the lost

Inventory Control Project

Sioux City Brick is a manufacturing company that produces four main products in various colors. The products include a residential and architectural brick, brick chips, and thin brick. Sioux City Brick employs over 100 employees and corners of the business extend from Iowa, Nebraska, to Minnesota, and South Carolina. However they service a much larger area including Canada. Currently the company is experiencing long loading times, a cramped and cluttered yard, and fork lift operators spend a lot of time organizing and moving inventory around. All are a result of their being an excess amount of leftover brick. This brick comes from the remains of orders as well as faulty batches and almost all of the excess brick can meet at least one of many secondary uses so the company tends to accumulate it. For the time being their yard operations are lacking standardization from operator to operator, as well as a lack of accountability throughout their operators. The company is currently scheduling more orders and adding to the waitlist for this year and next year’s production schedule. Right now this facility is operating at a fractional value of their full capabilities regarding their yard operation and infrastructure of organization. With the utilization of our suggested SOP we feel that we can assist them with increasing standardization throughout the west lot which could easily translate throughout the facility. A well-organized brickyard creates several opportunities including more inventory space, possibility to start and fill more orders annually, and a higher inventory handling efficiency. Overall the yard is affecting the company by contributing to excessive product transportation which results in a form of overprocessing. Through implementation and adjunct application of our SOP Sioux City Brick will be able to benefit from standardization of work and how operators are facilitating yard activities. This will allow them to identify areas needing improvement in the future this will also allow for proper measuring of yard activities and efficiencies. This standardization will open pathways for future projects within the capstone area or within the company

Harvest the Sun, Build the Soil

Can altered methods within modern day production agriculture be used to better utilize sunlight, increase yields, and improve farm economics while improving environmental sustainability? Cedar Valley Innovation is a one-person entity, but utilizes information from a vast network of individuals within the industry. Utilizing information from stakeholders and customers, Mr. Recker has gained a lot of additional knowledge aimed at advancing agriculture practices. Mr. Recker has developed connections with farmers/growers across the nation. Our team has analyzed yield from Mr. Recker’s small plot scale. Our client also recommended that we analyze yield and overall economics of a new farming practice on a large scale. At this point, we are still not convinced that farmers will be able to change the overall structure of traditional farming formats. In each project that Mr. Recker takes on his goal is to leave his personal legacy on modern agriculture. According to our calculations, we found that the proposed practices will cause a loss of overall field yield and yearly income. However, with more research, Mr. Recker can continue developing the “Sunlight Harvest Strips” field formation. Environmental issues dealing with water quality and sustainability are hot topics. “Sunlight Harvest Strips” show promise in their ability to reduce nutrient loss to the water system. By continuing a partnership with Dr. Kaleita, of the ABE Department, Mr. Recker can move forward with the environmental effects of new farming methods

Standardization of Lab Practices

The Iowa State University BioCentury Research Farm (BCRF) is the first-in-the-nation integrated research and demonstration facility dedicated to biomass production and processing. This facility presents a unique opportunity for industry collaboration. It will accelerate innovation and production capacity associated with bio based fuels, chemicals, and products. Lab processes for the research team are in varying formats, and may not encompass all relevant information and are not stored in the same location. This makes it challenging to cross-train staff, increase efficiencies and may lead to errors and re-work. When this problem is solved, the research team at the BCRF can increase work efficiencies, improve effectiveness of processes and ensure data quality and integrity. As of today, the research team cannot do this and our team will solve this problem by: a. standardizing the work and, b. developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s). Our primary focus when developing an SOP, is the cotton moisture measurement of the samples. After this SOP is developed, then we will create a continuous improvement plan for future and existing SOP’s including SOP’s for all types of crops the BCRF accepts

Prototype Bale Trailer and Tongue Finite Element Analysis

Our Client is an independent inventor located in western Iowa. The problem at hand was that our client farms on very uneven ground and have problems when loading round bales. The problem with round bales and hills is that they are prone to roll away. During the baling process, the operator tries to place bales at an angle to prevent rollaway bales. Our client has created a self-loading bale trailer that can be pulled by either a tractor or a pickup truck. The goal was to eliminate the need for a loader in the field and be able to pick up bales on the move. The trailer must pick up and haul seven bales safe and efficiently. Another feature of this trailer is when picking up corn stalk/ hay bales, the operator can drive with the rows to reduce stress on equipment

Ford P558 Extended Running Board – Product / Process Flow Improvement Event

Dee Zee Manufacturing is a company that is most known for making running boards, tool boxes, and roof racks for trucks and SUV’s. The company is becoming more sought after in the automotive industry as they are now producing OEM products for major car companies. The OEE does not reflect current process. The resources aren’t at their point-of-use. The proper number of operators is not defined. By establishing one piece flow, the number of operators can be determined. Not having the correct number of operators could create certain areas in the process to be starved of productivity. By optimizing the number of operators, the process is able to function as a whole more efficiently

Benchtop Mounting System

Bench space was at a premium in many hobbyists and business owner’s shops. A method to quickly and easily mount vises, grinders, and other tools to the surface of the table would be extremely valuable in these instances. There was no universal quick attach system we have found that can be used to attach multiple different tools to a work surface. By filling this niche Fleenor Manufacturing is able to cater to the group of hobbyists that can benefit from freeing up valuable bench space. Fleenor Manufacturing also gains an add on that could be marketed with current bench systems that they offer. There are quick attach systems available for some devices, but they are limited to specific items. This application can be used in virtually any industry that multiple things may need to be attached to the same bench, either simultaneously or separately. This could include small scale manufacturing, hobbyists, and laboratories