INTEC graduates propose to manufacture blocks with recycled plastics

SANTO DOMINGO. Nine graduates of Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) obtained first place in the Student Competition of Consortium of Engineering Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean (LACCEI), held in Cancun, Mexico, to demonstrate the feasibility of using ABS plastic waste as an aggregate for the manufacture of concrete blocks.

The "Feasibility study of concrete blocks with added ABS plastic waste" shows that the blocks made with this type of crushed plastic meet the parameters of resistance, compression, weight and absorption of international standards, without causing damage to the environment environment of the use of gravel, aggregate that is used nowadays.

With their proposal, young Arleen Nina, Benito Morantin, Emmanuel Garcia, Melissa Martinez, Alvin Olivo, Irving Feliz, Iyeisys Escorbores, Fannelly Ortiz and Ariesp Mejía, graduates of the Civil Engineering degree, propose a solution to the recycling of ABS in the country, a type of plastic that is used in the manufacture of electronic devices and vehicle parts.

In the realization of the study, the group received the advice of Professor José Toirac of Civil Engineering and Tulio Rodríguez, coordinator of the 2 + 2 program of the INTEC Engineering Department, and the support of Industrias Aguayo, which provided its facilities for the entire manufacturing process of the block pieces with ABS waste.

The young people were awarded at the Gala Dinner of the LACCEI 2013 Congress, held in Cancun, Mexico, from 13 to 16 last August, with a certificate and medal. In addition, they received a one-year license of Solidworks software and a grant to carry out the online course in the use of the tool, which is used in the design of mechanical and industrial products.

32 participated in the competition Projects of students and graduates of 44 institutions of higher education in Latin America and the United States.