Waking up early in the morning is not an easy task, and even with an alarm set, one may oversleep by simply pushing a button on the device or ignoring the sound. However, by introducing a tactile irritant into the mix, one may be certain to wake up within several minutes. An innovative product, a pillow with an alarm built in is bound to revolutionize the target market and become an instant success.
The product is primarily targeted at students, who usually have issues with scheduling their day and, therefore, tend to oversleep as a result of going to bed late. However, because of its convenience and unique design, the pillow alarm may be used by anyone, who feels that they may sleep too heavily to hear the sound of a traditional alarm clock and need an additional boost to wake up on time.
As far as the design of the product is concerned, the pillow is symmetrical and has most of its controls in the back. The specified feature allows for waking up faster to locate the controls and turn the alarm off.
It should be born in mind that the term “vibration” does not actually reflect the process that occurs once the alarm goes off. As soon as the time for the owner of the alarm to wake up comes, the pillow starts to emanate a soft glow, illuminating a sensual feeling. The resulting sensation allows the owner of the pillow to wake up. The combination of simplicity and innovation is what makes the product so outstanding.
Production System
As it has been stressed above, the product incorporates two key elements, i.e., the actual pillow and the alarm that is built into the former. The above-mentioned specifics of the object define the production process, making it twofold. The first and the essential step presuppose the design of the pillow; it is only after a detailed outline is crafted that the procedure of making the pillow can commence.
The beginning of the actual production process involves the creation of the material for stuffing the pillows. For this purpose, raw materials are mixed and compressed so that a soft homogenous substance could be retrieved at the end of the mixing procedure. The foam that is obtained after the mixing is over is transported into the contained, where it is cleaned properly, and then is transferred into the heater, where it undergoes a thermal treatment (The Foam Shop para. 1).
Once the filling is ready for use, the alarm agent is introduced into it so that the device could be incorporated into the design of the pillow. The vibrated pillow pad is connected to the timer, several sensors, including the ones for detecting smoke and heat. As soon as the device is incorporated into the filling, the mass is covered with the corresponding material so that the pillow could take its final form. Eventually, the cover is sewn so that the product could not decompose.
System Layout
Even though making the product in the house invites a lot of opportunities for saving money and controlling the key processes, one still must admit that outsourcing is the best option for the project. Although making a pillow is not that hard a task and can be performed at home (in fact, there is a large and quite popular market for homemade pillows and other elements of bedding), the inclusion of a mechanism into the pillow requires the assistance of a professional and, therefore, must be performed in a corresponding environment.
Seeing that the outsourcing of both pillows and the alarm devices incorporated into their design may be quite costly, it will be imperative to outsource the latter, as well as the process of combining the two elements into the final product. However, as far as the pillows are concerned, it seems that they can be homemade.
Creating a basis for the product is quite easy, as it only presupposes that the cover should be done and that the synthetic filling should be incorporated, with enough room for the alarm provided. The specified manipulations can be carried out at home, whereas the pillows will be supplied to the partner, where the pillows will be equipped with an alarm, and the final touches will be added.
Though the given design of the production process requires that a range of measurements should be conducted, particularly, the amount of the filling material and the related details, with detailed instructions, outsourcing can be combined with home production to create a single and unceasing production process.
Processes and Machines Used
The production of a pillow with a built-in alarm clock requires that rather an expensive machinery should be used. Apart from a sewing machine, which will be required for the final stage, it will be crucial to buy the equipment for producing the filling as well. Also, the alarm clock will have to be manufactured specifically for the pillow, which will require the technology similar to that one for making toys with sound chips (Brain para. 2–5).
Works Cited
Brain, Marshall. “How Do Talking Dolls Work?” How Stuff Works. 2010. Web.
The Foam Shop. “Home Page.” 2014.