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Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Manufacturing –
                                         Volume 1

               promoting the widespread acceptance and adoption of recycled
               plastic products (Rahman, Kadir & Ahmad, 2022).

                  Such designs take into account critical dimensions such as seat
               height, width, and depth, ensuring compatibility with the user's
               physical dimensions and improving overall ergonomic support.

                  Despite the numerous advantages, there remains a research gap
               regarding the comprehensive assessment of the mechanical and
               ergonomic performance of rHDPE furniture under varying load
               conditions  representative of specific user demographics,
               particularly in the Malaysian context. Therefore, this study aims
               to critically evaluate the mechanical properties of recycled HDPE
               composites  used in furniture  manufacturing and develop
               ergonomically   optimised   seating  solutions  based   on
               anthropometric  data  relevant  to  Malaysian  users.  By
               systematically analysing the performance of recycled HDPE in
               practical furniture applications, this research seeks to contribute
               to  sustainable material management strategies and enhance  the
               circular economy within the Malaysian context and beyond.


               METHODOLOGY

               Recycled HDPE flakes,  sourced  from post-consumer plastic
               bottles, were subjected to a thorough cleaning process involving
               detergent washing, rinsing, and drying at 60 °C  to remove
               contaminants. The cleaned flakes were then thermally compressed
               using a hot press machine with a constant pressure of 10 MPa. The
               processing was conducted at six (6) different temperatures: 130
               °C, 135 °C, 140 °C, 145 °C, 150 °C, and 155 °C. These
               temperatures were selected based on the melting range of HDPE
               (approximately 130–160 °C) to  evaluate  the optimal
               thermoforming condition.

                  Each sample batch was moulded into 3 mm thick sheets and
               machined into tensile specimens in accordance with ASTM D638
               Type IV specifications. For each temperature condition, five
               specimens (n =  5) were  tested to ensure  statistical  reliability.




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