FPRDI bamboo flattening machine to enhance engineered bamboo products

The Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) researchers with the use of its newly developed bamboo flattening machine has produced recently a prototype school desk made from engineered bamboo products.

“Engineered bamboo products,” according to FPRDI’s Dr. Rico J. Cabangon, “are produced by binding together veneers, strands, particles, fibers, strips or slats of bamboo with a suitable adhesive to form a composite material designed to meet specific uses.

“The products are also called “man-made bamboo” or “manufactured bamboo” since these are engineered to precise design specifications to meet client requirements, as well as relevant national and international standards.
According to Cabangon, more often, engineered bamboo products are used in applications similar to engineered or solid wood products, due to certain advantages.

The bamboo flattening machine was developed by the team led by Engr. Dante B. Pulmano and has already been introduced to a group of Pampanga furniture-makers in a techno-demonstration.

Pulmano said that the reception was positive. Managers of three firms were interested in acquiring one unit each of the machine once it is ready for commercialization.

Meanwhile, FPRDI currently works on the modification in the production process to reduce the cost to make investment viable.

The bamboo flattening machine project was funded by the Philippine Council for Industrial Energy Research and Development (PCIERD). Estrella Z. Gallardo, PSciJourn MegaManila