Usability Test Report on Recycling of Phone Batteries

Usability Test Report on Recycling of Phone Batteries

Objectives of the Usability Test

The process of recycling smartphone batteries is delicate, and it requires close monitoring of each step so as to achieve the desired outcome. Many of the phone batteries are lithium-ion and contain chemicals such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum, and copper. Some of these chemicals are harmful and must be handled with the utmost care (Conserve Energy Future, 2020). The purpose of running the usability test is to assess the effectiveness of the whole process and determine areas that need further improvement.

The Test Plan

The process of recycling batteries begins with the collection and then crushing of the batteries. After they are broken, sorting is done to separate the battery’s metallic components from the plastic ones. Besides separation, the metallic materials undergo a process called smelting so as to retrieve the various chemical elements available. This test plan aims to determine the effectiveness of crushing the batteries using the hammer mill, the efficiency of the sorting process using a vat, and finally, the smelting process conducted through the smelting machine. The usability test skips the first stage that involves collection of the batteries. The reason for omitting such a step is that the audience is aware of the collection process, which is not a complex one.

Therefore, in order to conduct a successful usability test, the following steps should be followed to assess the effectiveness of the respective equipment.

1. Using the hammer mill, crush the batteries into small pieces. Breaking them will allow the separation of metallic and plastic materials. A hammermill is an automatic machine that operates on its own once the contents are poured into it. The usability test at this stage requires the person to observe the device’s effectiveness in crushing the batteries. If some batteries come out of the hammer mill without being crushed, that hammer mill is ineffective, and one should secure another.
2. The second step is to assess the effectiveness of the vat. The purpose of the vat is to sieve and separate plastic from the metallic components. Testing its efficiency is simple; the user must observe and determine whether the vat has allowed plastic material to mix with the metals. In such a case, the user must replace the vat and acquire a more effective one. The plastic material collected is called polypropylene and is used to make more plastics (Conserve Energy Future, 2020).
3. The last step is to examine the smelting process. Once a recycler has separated plastic from the elements, he/she can sell it to manufacturers for further processing. He/she will have already facilitated the recycling process. If the user wants to advance with the recycling process, they must make sure the smelting equipment is in place. After the material is sorted, pour the metallic material into the smelting machine. The content is converted into liquid form and is then separated through an aqueous chemical treatment process. To test the efficiency of the smelting machine, it must turn the all the metallic material inserted into it to molten form. If some material goes through and comes out still in solid form, then the smelting machine has shortcomings and should be replaced.

The test reveals that the instructional manual created is instrumental if well followed. However, it also outlines that standards of machines such as the hammer mill, the vat, and the smelting machine must be met. Any of them should be replaced if not functioning well.

Usability Test Report Memo

To: The Instructor

From: Student’s Name

Re: Usability Test Report

The purpose of this memo is to give an overview of the usability test report conducted on the battery recycling process. It analyses the steps to be followed, the outcomes of the process, and recommendations on appropriate changes.

Concerning the methodology, the test process begins with the hammer mill. It must be tested if it has the potential to breakdown all batteries into smaller materials. In our case, the machine did the work well. The next step is to test the effectiveness of the vat machine. The vat machine should be capable of separating all plastics from the metals. That would give room to the next step of smelting. In my case, the separation happened as expected, and the vat was found to be effective. That is done through observation to see if the materials are fully separated. Such an act can last for 10 minutes, but it depends on the volume of the material to be separated.

The last test is on the smelting machine whose purpose is to turn the metals into a molten form. That happens through roasting or calcination. The test is conducted by observing the outcome. If all metals are not converted into molten form, then the machine should be replaced.

In my case, the machine was able to turn the material into the required form. Since it is not the individual who manufactures such tools, they should test them after the acquisition and return those ineffective to the manufacturer for exchange. I recommend testing machines before adopting them for use in the smelting process.

References

Conserve Energy Future (2020). “What is Battery Recycling.”  https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/battery-recycling.php.