The Life Cycle of a Paper Stapler By Chase

Design A stapler comprises many components, most of which are metal stampings and spring type parts. Main components of a typical home or office stapler include the base; the anvil, the magazine, the metal head, and the hanger.

Materials Acquisition A stapler is composed of mostly aluminum sheet metal, cut and pressed to function, and plastic injection molds.

Materials Processing First you need raw materials which are metal and plastic. Then use the raw materials to make: Follow spring (coil) Clearing spring (leaf) Rivets Pin Plastic cap Metal head and Base

Manufacturing The pins, stampings, and springs are sub-assembled in stages and then assembled together with the upper and lower halves of the stapler frame. For the bottom sub-assembly, consisting of the base, hanger, anvil, and clearing spring, the parts are placed in an assembly jig that holds them in position to allow the rivets to be placed in the correct holes.

Packaging Staplers are packaged usually in bubble plastic and cardboard. Then it’s wrapped in plastic wrap and packaged in cardboard boxes.

Distribution Many companies that manufacture staplers are in China, but some other companies are in the U.S.A. Still, lots of greenhouse gasses are used because they're sent by plane and boat, then trucks to the stores.

Use Using a stapler is easy. First install staples. Then take some sheets of paper, place them in-between the small metal piece on the bottom half and the end of the top half of the stapler, press down on the stapler, and, presto! The sheets of paper are stapled together! A stapler does not consume energy, but it does waste metal.

Reuse/Recycling A stapler can be re-used by using pieces as art, or using a stapler as a paper weight. Broken staplers can be melted down with other recycled metals.

Disposal A stapler can last decades, but when it’s put into the trash, it gets put into a landfill. The metal part of the stapler starts to rust and break down, after who knows how long. But the plastic just stays there.

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