Inspiration
There is a growing need to minimize waste and optimize resource usage in packaging industries. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), solid waste generation is expected to escalate from 2.1 billion tonnes to an estimated 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. On top of that, economic burden of waste management is also projected to rise substantially, from an estimated $252 billion in direct costs in 2020 to potentially $640.3 billion by 2050 if no effective waste management strategies are implemented. Observing such devastating statistics, we developed a solution called PickPackit to optimize the surface areas of industrial packaging to reduce the amount wasted.
What it does
PickPackIt is an innovative web application that allows users to upload 3D models of packaging designs in STL or OBJ formats. The app analyzes these models, optimizes their dimensions to reduce surface area while maintaining volume, and generates a new file with the optimized design. This helps manufacturers produce more sustainable packaging by using fewer materials without compromising the product's integrity.
How we built it
We built PickPackIt using:
- Django for the backend
- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create a user-friendly frontend/interface
- NumPy and SciPy, to perform calculations on 3D models.
- Trimesh to handle 3D file manipulation and optimization.
Challenges we ran into
One of the significant challenges we faced was working with 3D model and geometric files on web since none of us ever had experience handling, creating, or processing such files using web frameworks and libraries.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are proud of successfully creating a functional prototype that can process and optimize 3D models of packaging designs. We also take pride in the collaborative effort and teamwork that went into overcoming the technical challenges and delivering a polished product within the hackathon's time constraints (e.g. generating 3D model files using web frameworks).
What we learned
Throughout this project, we learned a great deal about 3D modeling, file handling, and optimization techniques. We also gained valuable experience in integrating various technologies to build such an application. We learned and gained invaluable experience of working with 3D model files on the internet, which is an innovative trend among cutting-edge web applications.
What's next for PickPackIt
In the future, we plan to enhance PickPackIt by adding more features, such as support for additional file formats and more sophisticated optimization algorithms. We also aim to improve the user interface and user experience based on feedback. Furthermore, we are considering integrating machine learning models to predict and suggest optimal packaging designs based on historical data. Ultimately, we hope to scale PickPackIt to serve a broader audience and contribute to more sustainable packaging practices globally.
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