Friday, November 2, 2012

An Innovative Bicycle Made from Cardboard

By Andy Anderson


I have to consider cardboard among man's innovations that transformed the world. This material is a number one component for boxes or as construction. And not too long ago, with the creation of eco-friendly cardboard, it is now an important component in homemade compost.

Imaginative and resourceful people have upped the ante. 50-year-old Israeli engineer, Izhar Gafni, who designs mass-production machines is one good example of taking the ante up an additional level. Now, he has unveiled his latest invention, a fully functional bicycle that is 90 percent made of cardboard.

The cardboard bike is the beginning to Gafni's fascination of applying unconventional materials and technologies to everyday things. The bike was completed a total of four years of perfecting and reinforcing weak structural points of corrugated cardboard. He was able to correct the problem by folding and cutting cardboard pieces the right way.

Gafni stated that he was pleasantly surprised at just how strong cardboard is after he perfected his folding and cutting techniques. In fact, the bike can carry the full weight of an average person and can withstand bumps and vibrations from riding down the road. To keep it from getting wet, Gafni coated it with a secret blend of organic substances. Lacquer paint is added to put a tinge of colour to the cardboard bike.

As of now, about 80 percent of the bike is made of cardboard. Metal parts take up the other 20%. However, Gafni is presently working on the creation of all-cardboard mechanical system, and the technology will be revealed after solving pending patent issues and when the bicycle is ready for mass production.

Making the bike 100% cardboard is what Gafni is currently striving to achieve, however patent issues are preventing him from mass-producing these.

As a cyclist himself, Gafni owns top of the line bikes, each amounting to thousands of dollars each. However, the materials used in making the prototype bicycle are estimated to cost over USD 9. When it reaches mass production, the bike would only cost around USD 20.

Gafni and his partner, Nimrod Elmish are positive about the success of the cardboard bike. He stated that using the recyclable, affordable, easily obtained material from cardboard boxes for moving, illustration boards, greeting cards, and other sources can trigger a positive, major change in present production norms.By making ue of recycled cardboard boxes, this will trigger major changes in the current practices in the production of cardboard. It's possible that companies manufacturing these cardboard bikes will be provided tax grants by the government for making use of recyclable materials. Since he and Gafni envisioned the production lines to be automated, the production can be done by a workforce that can even comprise of pensioners and disabled personnel. These tax grants could further lower down production costs, making the bikes cost even lesser.

Who knows? Someday, you would possibly order today cardboard boxes, donate these to the business after using them then observe them be transformed into sturdy, modern bikes.




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