Pneumatic Can Crusher with Collection Bin

Aluminium cans are infinitely recyclable, but loose cans are bulky to store and transport — crushing them to a fraction of their volume is the first step of any collection chain. This project builds a working pneumatic crusher at demonstration scale: a vertical double-acting cylinder mounted on an aluminium extrusion frame drives a crush plate down onto the can, a 5/2 solenoid valve controls extend and retract, and the flattened can drops through into a wire-mesh collection bin. An Arduino sequences the cycle with push-button start, and a filter-regulator-lubricator (FRL) unit with pressure gauge conditions the shop air. The report carries real pneumatics: cylinder force from bore and pressure, air consumption per cycle, and valve timing — the same calculations behind industrial press design.

1. The operator places one aluminium can on the crush plate and presses start.
2. The Arduino energises the 5/2 solenoid valve; air drives the cylinder down.
3. The crush plate flattens the can against the base plate at the set air pressure.
4. After a short dwell, the valve shifts and the cylinder retracts.
5. The flattened can tips off the plate and falls into the collection bin below.
6. The cycle counter increments; the bin is emptied when full and the pressure gauge is checked each session.

Tech stack:

• Double-acting pneumatic cylinder
• 5/2 solenoid valve with relay drive
• FRL unit: filter, regulator, gauge
• Aluminium extrusion frame
• Arduino cycle controller
• Push-button and e-stop panel
• Wire-mesh collection bin
• Polyurethane air tubing and fittings

• [Double-acting pneumatic cylinder] A vertical air cylinder provides the crushing stroke and powered retract, sized from a bore-versus-pressure force calculation.
• [5/2 solenoid valve control] A 5/2-way solenoid valve directs air to extend and retract sides; the Arduino drives it through a relay.
• [Aluminium extrusion frame] A rigid 20×20 extrusion frame holds cylinder, crush plate and bin in alignment with T-slot adjustability.
• [FRL unit with pressure gauge] Filter-regulator-lubricator conditions the supply air and the gauge displays the set crushing pressure.
• [Push-button cycle control] Start and emergency-stop buttons run a timed extend–dwell–retract cycle with status indication.
• [Wire-mesh collection bin] Crushed cans fall directly into a wire bin sized to hold a full demonstration batch.
• [Pneumatic circuit diagram] The report includes the standard symbolic circuit diagram (ISO 1219 style) for the build.

• Fully assembled pneumatic can crusher with bin
• Arduino controller with programmed cycle firmware
• Pneumatic circuit diagram (symbolic) and tubing layout
• FRL setup and pressure-setting procedure
• Project report PDF (background, pneumatics theory, cylinder sizing, air-consumption calculation, test procedure)
• PPT presentation for final review
• Viva Q&A preparation document (pneumatic circuits, solenoid valves, force calculations)

• Only standard aluminium beverage cans are in scope; steel cans and plastic bottles need far higher force and are excluded.
• A shop air compressor or lab air line at 4–6 bar is required — it is not included with the prototype.
• Throughput is approximately one can every 5–8 seconds; it is a demonstration unit, not an industrial baler.
• Crushing force varies with supply pressure; the procedure requires checking the gauge each session.
• The cylinder and valve need periodic seal and tubing inspection; the maintenance schedule covers this.
• Noise from exhaust air is inherent to pneumatics; the circuit includes a silencer on the valve exhaust.