Students from the Tecsup Institute of Higher Education produced the first Peruvian cardboard machine, which was presented last year in China by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
According to the coordinator at Fab Lab Tecsup, Roberto Delgado, the project started in 2016 when plans were hatched to make a machine with the cheapest material possible, and corrugated cardboard was chosen. A universal stand was made, and after several tests, it was decided to do the design.
The project was based on the construction of a CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) machine, an essential tool for industrialized production processes. This machine makes it possible to perform very precise operations, such as cutting PVC pipes, cutting candles, among others. "The cut profile was designed using software, which was loaded into the CNC machine and the head produced the drawing by cutting the profile", explained Delgado.
The importance of this project lies in the fact that it could be carried out on a large scale, so that small and medium-sized companies can carry out different production processes.
Peruvian innovation abroad
As well as having been presented by MIT researchers at a trade fair in China, it was also exhibited in Chile where a parallel workshop was set up in which attendees could build their own CNC machine, based on the cardboard structure.
These exhibitions show that our country is carrying out important innovative projects. Delgado indicated in this respect that Peru could become the leading country in the construction of these machines.
"Design concepts have changed, now it’s not only the functionality or how cheap it is that’s important, but how the product is committed to the environment, what its life cycle will be or how it can be disposed of, all these criteria are involved in the development of a product", he said.
Did you know?
- MIT was founded in 1861 with the aim of accelerating the U.S. industrial revolution. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and it first opened its doors in 1916. It has one faculty and five schools.
- Today, MIT is considered one of the best universities in the United States and a real benchmark in technology and innovation. It has 89 Nobel laureates among its graduates, teachers and students who have studied at MIT.
Sources: Gestión/ Mercado Negro/ MIT