Development of detachable clamping mechanism for composite material pressing/ Mariel Jeanne A. Abrenica, Monica H. Arcilla, Sunshine Mae M. Barrientos, Karl Joencil A. Baylosis, and Jewish S. Jonas .--

Bachelor's thesis

College of Industrial Technology .-- Bachelor of Engineering Technology major in Dies and Moulds Technology: Technological University of the Philippines, 2025.

Includes bibliographic references and index.

In this project, a detachable clamping mechanism for pressing composite materials is
being developed to be incorporated with an existing hydraulic press machine.
Compared to conventional single-board pressing techniques, which require 24-hour
curing cycles per product, the prototype maximizes manufacturing efficiency by
enabling up to five molds to be stacked and pressed concurrently. The manual pressing
and Detachable Clamping Mechanism (DCM) prototype for composite boards are
compared in the study. In contrast to the manually generated sample, which had a
density of only 1 kg and a modulus of rupture of 10.36 N, according to the results, the
DCM-produced samples had a significantly higher modulus of rupture (30.33–78.56
N) and a higher and more consistent density (0.83–1.17 kg). It validates the enhanced
compression, bonding, and overall structural performance of the DCM prototype
compared to the manual. Functionality, workability, durability, safety, and economy
assessments were all part of the evaluation process. The ratings were as follows: 4.38
for functionality, 4.27 for workability, 4.37 for durability, 4.38 for safety, 4.37 for
aesthetics, and 4.45 for economy. These findings demonstrate that the clamping
mechanism enhances material density, load-bearing capacity, and production
reliability, enabling the press machine to operate continuously and significantly
increase productivity. This study presents a valuable approach to enhance productivity
and expedite the production of composite boards.

Keywords: composite board, detachable clamping mechanism, hydraulic press machine,
pressing