MEC2402 Design Methods

Each year, Precious Plastic Monash host a small group of engineering students from the Monash University subject MEC2402 Design Methods who work within the team to solve a design issue. We look forward to their findings each year. If you are a Monash Engineering student and want to get involved in this, please check out our join the team page at the beginning of each semester and ensure you are enrolled in the correct unit.

A mock up of a dining set complete with chairs; a side table; and an ottoman.

Semester 1 2022: An investigation into future of recycled plastic

Jacob, Celine, Reyner and Kaaviyansiri worked within the Technical Research and Development team over the past semester to create furniture from recycled plastic sheets, from HDPE.

The team researched, designed and prototyped different methods of creation for sustainable furniture. Ideas for furniture included side tables, an ottoman and a dining set. Many mock ups were made on SolidWorks, and the use of virtual software is an invaluable skill in design. It is also very sustainable, as precise measurements can be used to ensure less waste happens in the prototyping and implementation stage.

The team used reclaimed materials that would otherwise go to landfill, like preexisting chair legs in which to add with recycled plastic elements. This use of hybrid design is fantastic, taking something that is at the end of its current life cycle and ensuring that it gets new potential. It also helps to cut down on costs which means more testing can be completed.
This design project is influential in the way that it shows potential for incorporating recycled plastic into everyday life through furniture. It is very exciting with the future for using sheets in furniture, using large quantities of recycled plastic at once. At PPM most of our design are of a small, intricate scale with our products like the chessboard, earrings and puzzles. The research undertaken by Kaaviyansiri, Reyner, Celine and Jacob are incredibly illuminative into larger scale projects, that may be able completed at a more commercial level.

PPM is very grateful for the time and effort that went into completing this project, and the findings will most certainly be used in the future.