For this lab, I worked with Christina to deconstruct a monitor. It looks pretty simple from the outside but it was actually pretty tough to open. We had to pry open the snap joints with our flat head screw driver, which makes it seem like the monitor was not meant to be taken apart and repaired.
Once inside, there were some aluminum pieces that were screwed down to cover the circuit boards under it. The sharp edges of the plates suggested that they were manufactured by stamping on an assembly line.
once we got the back off the monitor
After removing the metal pieces, we saw lots of circuit boards on top of circuit boards, that were, once again, screwed down. So, after unscrewing some more pieces, we discovered some really cool parts, like circuit where the buttons for volume and power, etc. are and an iron ring. Some of the screws were interesting because they have a jagged washer that keeps the screw in place.
circuit boards!
screw with jagged washer
Volume and power buttons
Most of the parts were removable because they were just screwed down or taped down but there were some zip ties and plastic pieces that weren’t removable that makes it seem like some of the pieces were not meant to be taken apart. Some of the parts could probably have been replaced like the speakers.
Speakers! They look like they were made elsewhere and just assembled inside the monitor
After we took all the circuits out. Behind the metal plate is the LED screen.
Though some of the plastic pieces were labeled as recyclable, I don’t think the parts could be recycled into other machines.
My conclusion from this lab is that even though some machines look pretty simple on the outside, they have multiple levels of complexity within. Most parts are probably made specifically for the machine in mass quantities through assembly lines. The more intricate parts are probably individually put into the machine.
