Group 33 - Polaroid Camera

Latest revision as of 16:43, 8 December 2006

Our Product: 35mm Polaroid Disposable Camera

Group Members

Shoaib Alam - Presenter / Website Creator

Toshifumi Kawashima - CAD Drawings

Suguru Nakamura - Presenter

Gregory Berkowitz - Presenter / Assembly & Disassembly

Ritwik Saha - Assembly & Disassembly

Aim of the Project

The aim of this project is to disassemble a 35mm Polaroid disposable camera and to then reassemble the parts while reporting observations. Cad drawings are going to be used to show certain, important parts of the camera. After observing how the different components work in the camera, improvements will be suggested.

Description

The product is a one-time use disposable, camera with flash manufactured by Polaroid. Majority of its parts, being made of ABS Plastic and by injection molding.

Use/Purpose

•Take cheap quality pictures

•Negates the need to buy an expensive camera

•Prevents damage to an expensive camera when conditions are harsh

How It Works?

The disposable camera is all mechanical with no electrical components. The exception is the flash, where a circuit board and battery are included. That is the only part of the camera which is powered by a battery (i.e.: chemical energy from the battery changes to electrical energy, which powers the flash).

•When the flash button is pressed the battery charges the capacitor so the flash can be used.

•Once charged you can now press the shutter button which opens up a pin hole (shutter) to expose the film to light. Not only does the shutter button do this but it also sends the charge to the bulb allowing the xenon gas filled bulb to flash

•Now that the film has been exposed to light the shutter closes and the picture has been captured

•Now that the picture has been taken you can advance your film to take another picture

•The film advance gear consists of 3 rotating sprockets spin and in turn move the film forward

Steps of Disassembly

The following where the main features noticed during the disassembly process.

•Remove the cardboard covering.

•Remove 1 screw which held the back and the casing together. The screw was located beneath the view finder.

•Then we seperated the back and the front covers, which were fastened by Plastic fasteners.We also observed that these plastic fasteners were used extensively throughout the camera to keep components locked to each other. We figured it was a good way to reduce production cost.

•We had to take out the battery to prevent short circuit, and for safety purposes.

•We then took out the cover which protected the film housing, and then took out the film.

•Then we popped out the view finder.

•To have a closer look at the circuit board, we had to remove it by unscrewing the smaller screws were used to keep the circuit board in place

•After taking out the circuit board we could have a closer look at the spring amd sprocket component in the camera. which rolled the film and changed the film count, using gears.

•Black Plastic cover was used to keep light out, so that it wouldn't damage the film.

Outer Components

The Front Exterior of The Camera

The outer casing is made of ABS plastic, and manufactured thru Injection Molding. As shown in the picture, The front exterior houses 7 major components, namely:

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Description

Image

•View Finder: The user sees the scene for the picture thru this. •Flash: It is powered by the battery. •Flash Button: It charges the Flash with the power from the battery. •Lens: It lets the light in, and the shutter, placed behind the lens, exposes that light to the film. •Lens Holder: It keeps the lens in place •Film Casing: the lid for the film •Film Advance Wheel: it rolls up film into the "Film Canister" and clicks off numbers on the "Frame Counter."

The Front Exterior of the 35mm Polaroid Disposable Camera

The Back Exterior of The Camera

The outer casing is made of ABS plastic, and manufactured thru Injection Molding. As shown in the picture, The back exterior houses 2 major components, and 1 feature.

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Description	Image
•View Finder: The user sees the scene for the picture thru this. •Film Advance Wheel: it rolls up film into the "Film Canister" and clicks off numbers on the "Frame Counter." •Grip: Its a feature in the back cover, which allows users to have a better grip on the camera.	The Back Exterior of the 35mm Polaroid Disposable Camera

The Upper Exterior of The Camera

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Description	Image
•Frame Counter: Gives the number of frames (Pictures) taken •Shutter Button: Activates the shutter, which exposed the light to the film, hence taking that picture. •Flash Ready Button: Shows when then flash is charged and ready. •Vent: For ventilation of heat.	The Front Exterior of the 35mm Polaroid Disposable Camera

The Lower Exterior of The Camera

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Description	Image
•Film Casing Cover: It is the cover for the film compartment. •Film Swindle: It it rolls the Film.	The Front Exterior of the 35mm Polaroid Disposable Camera

Inner Components

Inner components with its functions

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Description	Image
FRONT CASING - Made of Abs Plastic and is manufactured using Injection Molding, it has MOLDS for different components of the camera. Namely: • Mold for Flash Indicator • Mold for Falsh Bulb • Mold for Film Advance Wheel • Flash Button • Mold for Lens	THE INNER VIEW of the FRONT CASING
BACK CASING - Made of Abs Plastic and is manufactured using Injection Molding, Components visible are: • The Film Canister housing • View Finder	THE INNER VIEW of the BACK CASING
The Image shows THE INNER COMPONENTS OF THE CAMERA (FRONT VIEW). All the inner components of the camera are kept in place using a INNER COMPONENT HOLDER. The differnt components: • Spring & Sprocket - When the Film Advace Wheel is rolled, the spring in this arrangement winds, and rolls the Film, Film Counter and Activates the shutter. Ones the picture is taken, the spring unwinds. To take the next picture, the Film Advance Wheel has to be rolled again. • Lens - Focuses the light onto the film • Flash Bulb - It has a XENON bulb, which gives the flash. • Circuit Board - It carries the different electrical components. • Battery • INNER COMPONENT HOLDER - All the inner components of the camera are kept in place using this.	THE INNER COMPONENTS OF THE CAMERA (FRONT VIEW)
The Image shows THE INNER COMPONENTS OF THE CAMERA (BACK VIEW). It shows the following components. • Capacitor - It gets charged by the battery, and powers the Flash Bulb • Flash Indicator Bulb - It lights up when the capacitor is charged and ready to power the flash bulb • View Finder - Used to see the view to be captured by the camera • Film Advace Wheel - When this is rolled, the film is advanced into the Film Swindle • Film Compartment - The housing for the Film Canister • Shutter - It exposes the light to the film, when activated • Battery Compartment - Houses the Battery • Film Swindle - It winds the used film from the film canister	THE INNER COMPONENTS OF THE CAMERA (BACK VIEW)
The Image shows the way the CIRCUIT is connected to the BATTERY, is also shows the INNER COMPONENT HOLDER	THE WAY THE CIRCUIT IS CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY
The Image shows the THE SHUTTER ACTIVATOR, LENS and the SPRING AND SOCKET	FRONT VIEW OF THE INNER COMPONENT HOLDER
The Image shows the fromt side of the INNER COMPONENT HOLDER without the BRACKET, LENS and WASHER. NOTICE THE USE OF PLASTIC BRACKETS	INNER COMPONENT HOLDER WITHOUT THE LENS AND BRACKET
The Image shows the SHUTTER. When the shutter is activated, it exposes the film to light, and hence taking a picture.	SHUTTER OF THE CAMERA

Individual Inner components

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Part #	Part Name	#	Material	Components Shown in Picture	Manufacturing Process	Image
1	Outside Cover	1	Thin Cardboard	The cover for the camera	Folding
2	Battery	1	Alkali Metals	Battery used to power the flash	Machine Made
3	Film Canister	1	ABS Plastic	The reel holder, where all the film is stored and protected in.	Injection Molding
4	The Lid of the canister holder	1	ABS Plastic	This lid is used to seal the compartment in the camera, where the film canister is stored.	Injection Molding
5	Lens	1	ABS Plastic	The Lens of the camera	Injection Molding
6	Bracket	1	ABS Plastic	Used to keep the lens attached to the component holder	Injection Molding
7	Washer	1	ABS Plastic	Used between the lens and the bracket	Injection Molding
8	Screws	3	Metal	3 Screws. 2 of the screws are of similar size, and 1 is bigger.	Injection Molding
9	Flash Button	1	Metal	This was used the close the circuit, hence producing the flash	Injection Molding

CAD Drawings

We made a video presentation of the LENS , WASHER and THE BRACKET, unfortunately we couldn't upload the video on this page.

So we used Youtube.com, to host our CAD PRESENTATION, To view the presentation CLICK HERE >>[1]<<.

Assembly

1. Place the lens, bracket and washer in its place. On the Inner Component Holder. No tools are required as the bracket snaps back in place, due to the use of PLASTIC BRACKETS

2. Place the Circuit board on the component holder, and screw the screws back in place.

3. Put the Battery Back in the Battery Holder Compartment in the COMPONENT HOLDER. After placing the battery, make sure to discharge any chagre build up, because it may cause shocks, and is a safety hazard.

4. Loading the Film back on: Place the film in the FILM CANISTER, roll out about 4 of film. Fasten the edge of the film to the FILM SWINDLE.

5. Snap the front and the back covers on.

6. Put the The Lid of the canister holder back on.

7. Wrap the camera up with the cardboard cover, and glue the sides on.

THE PRODUCT AFTER ASSEMBLY IS IN WORKING CONDITION

After Assembly: 35mm Polaroid Disposable Camera

Observations Made

1. Plastic Brackets were extensively used throughout the camera, to keep components intact. Which decreased the production cost, and made is easier to assemble & disassemble.

2. Safety Hazard: The battery charges up the capacitor, which powers the flash bulb. Due to this we had to make sure that we discharge the battery everytime. Or else, anyone touching any metallic part in the circuit would get a shock.

3. A major problem we faced during the assembly was loading the film back into the camera. WE couldnt find a way to stick the edge of the film to the FILM SWINDLE. So we decided to tape it on the swindle. But we figured that these are disposable camera's and no one actually puts the film back on. So it wasnt a Poduct Defect.

Conclusion

This Polaroid 35 mm Disposable camera is extremely well made. It is user friendly, cost efficient, safe to use and portable. Due to these reasons, this product is readily available.

Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device/object or system through analysis of its structure, function and operation. It often involves taking something (e.g., a mechanical device, an electronic component, a software program) apart and analyzing its workings in detail, usually with the intention to construct a new device or program that does the same thing without actually copying anything from the original.

References

Definition of REVERSE ENGINEERING, From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:06, December 04, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_engineering