its for schoolwe have to do a design challenge thing.photos are welcome :)thanks in advance.
How about just a simple lever.
Use an air cylinder, use p=fa formula to find bore size necessary, attach cylinder punch to platform guided by two rails bolted at the top to another plate, with a plate bolted to the back of it for mounting. Also you'll need a mount to attach the air cylinder to the rails, such as a plate identical to the one at top, bolted to the bottom of rails, with mounting holes for cylinder, and clearance hole for cylinder rod.
The simplest solution involves an electric motor and a crank driven plunger. Pneumatics will give you trouble because of compressibility. Hydraulics is way too expensve a soulution for this problem. Build the device so that the can lies horizontaly. Put a slot at the end opposite the crank for the crushed can to fall through. Build a magazine (like the ones that hold cartriges in a gun) to place on top. Feed the cans into the top of this so that when the plunger retracts, another can falls into position.
I think if you do something with a bicycle tire pump and an inner tube you might be better off. You need to get something that will crush the can if it is raised, then put the inner tube under under neath and pump it up. (pneumatic) You need to find something that is constained enough to not come apart when you lift. You could also borrow a floor jack from someone and put the can on it then press the can against something heavy (hydraulic).
