Summary
Highlights
The speaker introduces a product for an engineering management assignment: a 100% recycled iPhone case. This case boasts shock absorbency and magnetic safe features, and is made from waste materials such as hard disk drives, CDs, and inner rubber tubing from bicycle tires. The product aims to tackle landfill waste and reduce the production of new electronic goods due to high market demand.
To manufacture the product on a large scale, machinery and conveyor belts will be used in a warehouse. Sourced waste products will be laid out on a conveyor belt for workers to sort. The first manufacturing step involves a 'disc dismantler' machine that tears hard disk drives apart, requiring human labor only for the extraction of the magnet.
The extracted magnet moves to a CNC cutting station. A CNC miller will cut the inner rubber tubes of bicycle tires and CDs into the required dimensions. The magnet will then be infused into the rubber layer, forming the first layer of the phone case. The second layer, made from cut CDs, will be combined with the first layer using a hot hydraulic press. The finished cases will then proceed for packing and processing.
This iPhone case is designed for 'careless' users of iPhones 16 and 17, as well as those seeking a more eco-friendly option. The product stands apart from most current phone cases, which are typically made from plastics and harmful chemicals, offering a sustainable alternative.