Development of a Semi-Automated Fixture for Filter Media Insertion

Chow, Chee Yuen (2026) Development of a Semi-Automated Fixture for Filter Media Insertion. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

Local manufacturing facilities still primarily produce HVAC main air filters by manually inserting filter media into aluminium frames. This process is labour-intensive, sluggish, and prone to uneven packing and wire mesh deformation. A semi-automated fixture that maintains the wire mesh and frame while a pneumatic pressing mechanism more reliably inserts the filter media is developed and evaluated in this project. The chosen model with several double-acting cylinders and a curved pressing block was detailed, manufactured using aluminium profiles, lead screw drive and pneumatic components, and combined with a basic control system, building on the conceptual design work. Functional experiments were conducted to estimate the approximate cycle duration per filter, observe insertion behaviour, and qualitatively evaluate the deformation of the aluminium wire mesh during operation. In comparison to the fully manual method, the prototype successfully demonstrated repeatable semi-automatic insertion with less manual slotby- slot pressing, an observed reduction in operator effort, and an improvement in insertion time. However, because there was insufficient underneath support, centre-region mesh deformation persisted, suggesting that fixture geometry and support strategy will need to be improved in the future. All things considered, the study provides SMEs with a workable technique to include inexpensive semi-automation into HVAC filter assembly