DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

College of Engineering

VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Visca, Baybay City, Leyte

PRODUCTION OF INDUSTRIAL-PURPOSE BOARD USING COCONUT (Cocos

nucifera) HUSK FIBER AND DUST

In partial fulfillment for the Final Term of

AEng 198: Manuscript Preparation and Planning

BACARIZA, CRISTLYN V.

BSAE-4

Student

ARTHUR IT. TAMBONG

Instructor
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

TITLE PAGE i.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ii.

LIST OF TABLES iii.

ABSTRACT iv.

INTRODUCTION 1

Nature and Importance of the Study 1

Objectives of the Study 2
Scope and Limitation 2
Time and Place of the Study 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE 3

METHODOLOGY 6

Raw Material Preparation 6

Production Process 7
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 8

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 9

Summary 9
Conclusion 9
Recommendation 10

LITERATURE CITED 11
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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE TITLE PAGE

1 Thickness of each product after pressing 8

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ABSTRACT

This study aimed to produce an industrial-purpose board made of coconut husk fiber

and dust using glue as a binder. Evaluation was made to determine its effectiveness in terms of

durability, expenditure and environmental aspect. There were 3 treatments conducted with 3

trials each. Each treatment differed on the ratio of the mixture of the weight of coconut husk

fiber and dust, together with the volume of the glue. The board has a size of 10 inches length,

5 inches width and a thickness of 1 inch. The process was done manually without using

machines which includes drying the product under the heat of the sun.

There was a problem with the durability of the products due to some factors which

includes the amount of heat received from the sun during the drying process. Due to manual

pressing, the desired thickness wasn’t achieved. It is not costly since it came from natural

resources and it’s available in most of the places. It is also environmentally friendly since it is

biodegradable.
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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Nature and Importance of the Study

The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm tree. Coconuts are one of

the most consumed plant in the world because they are known for their versatility of uses,

ranging from food to cosmetics. They are highly nutritious, rich in fiber, and packed with

essential vitamins and minerals. Every part of the coconut tree is essential due to its different

uses such as for lumber, health benefits, food, etc. Even the coconut husk fiber and dust are

used for different purposes. Others used coconut husk fiber as an additive for concretes and

some used it as basic material in making nets, rolls, and mats as protective covers for soils and

slopes.

Basically, fiberboards are usually used for residential or building application such as

wall panels, flooring, doors, partitions, ceilings, kitchen cabinets, bulletin boards, and others

(PCAR, 1975). Styrofoam, for example, until now is also widely used as a display board in

different areas such as in schools, houses and offices not knowing that it could cause harm to

the environment. Polystyrene has contaminated and effected both the environment and our

health. When thrown away as trash, polystyrene cannot biodegrade or breakdown via other

means, remaining in the environment for thousands of years. Considering financial issues,

materials used for buildings are increasingly expensive as the time goes by. Thus, there is a

need to develop quality industrial board affordable by consumers and eco-friendly material.

Coir is the natural fibre of the coconut husk where it is a thick and coarse but durable

fibre. It is relatively water-proof and has resistant to damage by salt water and microbial

degradation (Ray 2005). Natural fibres are environment friendly materials and have proved to

be a competitor for glass fibre/polyester in terms of strength performance and cost (Baiardo et
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al. 2004; Brahim & Cheikh 2006; Idicula et al. 2006). There are different fibers that are

commonly used to produce fiberboard, but coconut husk fiber is not included. Provided with

common properties with the other fibers, the coconut husk fiber can also be used as a material

in the production of industrial purpose board. Hence, this study was conducted.

Objectives

The general objective of the study is to produce an industrial-purpose board using

Coconut husk fiber and dust. Specifically, it aims to:

1. Generate a biodegradable industrial-purpose board out of coconut husk fiber and dust.

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of a coco husk fiber and dust made industrial-purpose

board in terms of durability, expenditure and environmental aspect.

Scope and Limitation

The study focused on the production of industrial-purpose board made of coconut husk

fiber and dust using a manual process. Evaluation will be served as the proof that using coconut

husk fiber and dust as the material for industrial-purpose board production is an effective

product for its specific purpose. Large scale for this product and proper processes using

appropriate machines for its production and testing is beyond of the scope of this study.

Time and Place of the Study

The study was conducted at Engineering Workshop of VSU, Visca, Baybay City,

Leyte on the whole month of October 2018.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Review of literature was conducted on chemical composition of coconut fiber and on

the fiberboard production process. The outcome of the review was used in assessing probable

procedures that would be adopted or modified to produce industrial-purpose board using

coconut husk fiber and dust.

Chemical Composition of Coconut Fiber

The main constituents of coconut fibre are cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin and

other vital substances which are known as the building block of the cell structure. Coconut

fibre is practically multicellular naturally and its diameter and length ranges from different

dimensions and its’s usually very thick at the middle of the fibre length.

Coconut fibre has the highest percentage by volume of lignin, which makes the fibre

very tough and stiffer when compared to other natural fibre. This can be attributed to the fact

that the lignin helps provide the plant tissue and the individual cells with where it protects the

carbohydrate from chemical and physical damage. The lignin content also influences the

structure; properties, flexibility, hydrolysis rate and with high lignin content it appears to be

finer and more flexible.

The Fiberboard Production Process

Advanced technology and processing have improved the quality of fiberboard. These

include innovations in wood preparation, resin recipes, press technology, and panel sanding

techniques. Advanced press technology has shortened overall pressing cycles, while anti-static

technology has also contributed to increased belt life during the sanding process.
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Wood preparation

Producing quality fiberboard begins with the selection and refinement of the raw

materials, most of which are recycled from shavings and chips reclaimed from sawmills and

plywood plants. The raw material is first removed of any metal impurities using a magnet.

Next, the material is separated into large chunks and small flakes. Flakes are separated into

sawdust and wood chip piles.

The material is sent through a magnetic detector again, with the rejected material being

separated for reuse as fuel. Good material is collected and sent into a presteaming bin. In the

bin, steam is injected to heat and soften the material. The fibers are fed first into a side screw

feeder and then into a plug screw feeder, which compresses the fibers and removes water. The

compressed material is then fed into a refiner, which tears the material into usable fibers.

Sometimes the fiber may undergo a second refining step in order to improve fiber purity. Larger

motors on the refiners are sometimes used to sift out foreign objects from the process.

Curing and pressing

Resin is added before the refining step to control the formaldehyde tolerances in the mixture,

and after refining, a catalyst is added. The fibers are then blown into a flash tube dryer, which is heated

by either oil or gas. The ratio of solid resin to fiber is carefully controlled by weighing each ingredient.

Next, the fiber is pushed through scalping rolls to produce a mat of uniform thickness. This mat goes

through several pressing steps to produce a more usable size and then is trimmed to the desired width

before the final pressing step. A continuous press equipped with a large drum compresses the mat at a

uniform rate by monitoring the mat height. Presses are equipped with electronic controls to provide

accurate density and strength. The resulting board is cut to the appropriate length using saws before

cooling. Presses have counterbalanced, simultaneous closing systems that use hydraulic

cylinders to effect platen leveling, which when operating in conjunction with a four-point

position control gives greater individual panel thickness control. The hydraulics system can
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close the press at speeds and pressures that reduce board precure problems while shortening

overall pressing cycles.

Panel sanding

To achieve a smooth finish, the panels are sanded using belts coated with

abrasives. Silicon carbide has typically been used, but with the requirement for finer surfaces,

other ceramic abrasives are utilized, including zirconia alumina and aluminum oxide.

Eighthead sanding equipment and double-sided grading improves surface smoothness

consistency. Anti-static technology is used to remove the static electricity that contributes to

rapid loading and excessive sanding dust, thereby increasing belt life.

Finishing

Panels can undergo a variety of finishing steps depending on the final product. A wide variety

of lacquer colors can be applied, as well as various wood-grain patterns. Guillotine cutting is

used to cut the fiberboard into large sheets (for example 100 inches wide). For smaller sheet

sizes such as 42 by 49 in (107 by 125 cm), die cutting is used. Specialty machines are used for

cutting fiberboard into narrow strips of 1-24 in (2.5 -61 cm) widths.

Laminating machines are used to apply vinyl, foil, and other materials to the surface. This

process involves unwinding a roll of fiberboard material, sending it between two rolls where

the adhesive is applied, combining the adhesive-coated fiberboard with the laminating material

between another set of rolls, and sending the combined materials into the laminator.
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CHAPTER III

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The review of literature serves as the basis on the conduct of this study. The process on

producing industrial-purpose board using coconut husk fiber and dust is similar to the process

of fiberboard production, only that this study will be done manually without using machines

except the testing machine for its evaluation.

The materials to be used are as follows:

• Coconut Husk fibers and dust

• Pressing containers (3) and covers (3)

• Commercial Glue (500 ml)

• Scissors

Raw Materials Preparation

Collection of Coconut Husk Fibers and Dust

The easiest of all stags to acquire, brown coconuts are not picked. Instead these nuts

drop, voluntarily, from the tree when perfectly ripe and ready, just as nature intended. Brown

coconuts were simply gathered from off the ground. A plenty of brown Coconuts was collected.

They were put into a sack and transported to the area where the process will be conducted.

Extraction of Coconut Husk Fiber and Dust

As soon as the coconut husk were transported, the fiber and dust were extracted from

the coconut husk using a bolo knife. The manual type of extraction.
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Production Process

Cutting

Extraction was done. The proceeding step was cutting the extracted fibers into smaller

sizes for about 1-1 ½ inches using scissors. Afterwards, 3 rectangular containers made of

plywood were being prepared that served as the holder of the fiber cuts and dust. The container

has a dimension of 10 inches length, 5 inches width and a height of 1 inch. It serves as the

molder for the desired shape of the purpose board in small scale.

There were 3 treatments with 3 trials each being conducted with different ratios. Only

the amount of fiber and dust mixture was constant throughout the 3 treatments. Container A

consist of 1:1 ratio which implies 60 ml glue:300 g fiber and dust mixture. Container B contains

2:1 ratio. Container C contains 3:1 ratio. An amount of glue, based on the ratio given, was put

into each trial. Three plywood covers were prepared to flatten the mixture.

Drying and Pressing

The weather was good during the conduct of the activity. The 3 trials were being placed

outdoor to be exposed under the heat of sun. The drying time had reached for about 8 hours.

After drying, they transported back to area for storage. The dried products were pressed. A 50

N weight is put at the top of the cover for 2 hours. And removed afterwards.

Testing

The finished products were being evaluated through a testing machine at the

Engineering Workshop. The products were tested to observe its durability to determine its

effectiveness as a material on the production of industrial-purpose board.

Storing

After the products were tested, they were placed in a storage with specific temperature.
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CHAPTER IV
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1.0 Thickness of each product after pressing.

WEIGHT THICKNESS
TREATMENT TRIALS RATIO
APPLIED (inches)
1 0.89
1:1
T1 2 0.91
60 ml:300 g
3 0.86
1 0.65
2:1
T2 2 50 N 0.63
120 ml:300 g
3 0.66
1 0.34
3:1
T3 2 0.45
180 ml:300 g
3 0.36

Based on the table above, it shows the output of each product after it was pressed with

the used of 50 N weight. The desired thickness is 3.0 mm (0.125 in), based on standards. This

happened because of the storage used. It was not appropriate to be considered as storage. The

drying process wasn’t successful. Since there was different amount of liquid added in each

treatment, it will also affect its drying time. One of the treatments should have achieved the

desired thickness, but unfortunately, it failed. It is because the drying time wasn’t enough due

to inconsistent amount of heat received by the products because it is a natural light which the

heat it released changed every second. Also, the products were only pressed using the 50 N

weights by which resulted to be not sufficient to press the product to its desired thickness for a

limited time of 2 hours.

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CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary
This study was conducted at the Engineering Workshop of the College of Engineering

of Visayas State University from October to December 2018 to generate an industrial-purpose

board made of coconut husk fiber and dust with the use of commercial glue as binder and to

evaluate its effectiveness in terms of durability, expenditure, and environmental aspect.

There are 3 treatments conducted which differ in ratio on the amount of glue and the

coconut husk. The production was done manually and in small scale. Even the drying process

was done manually form which the products were placed under the heat of the sun for 8 hours.

And was pressed through putting weight on the top of the cover in each trial for 2 hours.

Results have shown that factors must be considered on the process which may include

the proper storage, the drying process, the amount of glue and coconut husk to be used and the

pressing process.

Conclusion
Based on the results of the study, the following conclusions are made: (a) the amount

of glue could affect the drying time. The more the glue it contains, the longer it will take to

dry. And how many hours only a day could give sunlight. But, it is also dependent to how many

grams of coconut husk and dust will be put, (b) using only weights to press the product is not

that efficient to meet the desired thickness of the board, (c) the finished products are not durable

enough. This is due to the drying time provided was not enough to make the product hard and

due to the amount of glue used. In general, an industrial-purpose board could be generated
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using the coconut husk fiber and dust, but a further research is necessary to meet the desired

quality of the product and machines must be used for better output.

Recommendation
As being observed, the result was not good. The outcome can be improved through

further research and considering these: (a) use appropriate storage since it is a factor that affects

the shape and size of the product, (b) in drying process, use a machine to dry the products

because natural sunlight is not always available due to weather changes and it could affect the

drying time, (c) use machine for pressing it to flattened and meet a desired thickness and for

testing its durability for uniformity.

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LITERATURE CITED

Kao-Walter, S. 2008. Mechanical Property Evaluation of Coconut Fiber. Karlskrona, Sweden.

Kavalastrahiremath, S.C. 2016. Evaluation of Tensile and Flexural Properties of Coconut Coir
and Coconut Shell Powder Reinforced Epoxy Composites. Vool. 5 Issue
02. Davangere, Karnataka, India.
Hudges, M. 2016. Wood and Wood Products.

Ali, M. 2010. Coconut Fibre – A Versatile Material and its Applications in Engineering.
University olitecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.