Design and development of a semi-automatic oyster shell cleaner machine with a shucker mechanism/ Abigail E. Castelltort, Lester Andrei R. Jose, Shermaine R. Orbita, Liezel Kim M. Tiu, and Ma. Alaikah Mae Villan,--

Bachelor's thesis

College of Engineering.-- Bachelor of science in mechanical engineering: Technological University of the Philippines, 2024.

Includes bibliographic references and index.

This research introduces the development of a semi-automatic machine that is designed
for oyster processing. The machine integrates the cleaning and shucking functionalities, aiming
to reduce the manual labor needs and save processing time by cleaning a batch of 10 kilograms
of oysters within fifteen minutes. The shucking mechanism employs a controlled application
of force to crack shells without damaging the meat. This development offers potential benefits
for enhanced productivity in the oyster processing industry. The machine utilizes durable
cylinder rotary brush to clean oysters. Tests proved that the machine can clean ten kilograms
of oysters in fifteen minutes. The researchers developed a customized roller brush designed
particularly to the machine’s capacity with a press shucker that accommodate varies of oyster
sizes and shapes. The machine’s performance was measured by comparing cleaning time and
dirt removal to manual cleaning method. An economic analysis study predicted an annual
revenue of 3.74% each year and has the potential to considerably increase from small to
medium-sized oyster processing industry. This research sets the structure of the machine for
future advances in oyster processing. Future researchers might use the current sprinkler system
to achieve even finer cleaning by adjusting the nozzle design and water pressure. Furthermore,
a fine filter might be used to remove even finer material while increasing water quality and
lowering waste while improvements to shucker mechanism might boost productivity when
fully automated. These developments promise to significantly increase the oyster processing
efficiency, and overall product quality.