In the early 1970s , two Boeing applied scientist used a sandwich military press to put a slice of foam between two pieces of airtight material and forge the ego - blow up sleeping launchpad for campers . Therm - A - Rest still expend that introductory principle today , just the sandwich machine has given way to an intact manufactory in Seattle . This is that yield process today .
Step 1: Hadouken
These immense block of foam arrive at the Therm - A - Rest factory in Seattle from a local provider . There , they immediately undergo various karate kicks , martial arts jazz group and WWF - worthy dead body slams courtesy of the staff , here demonstrate by Brandon Bowers , the mark ’s family director of mattresses . This is n’t technically part of the output process .
Step 2: Slice The Foam
The blocks of foam are loaded onto what ’s basically an air travel hockey table . A cushion of melodic phrase enables them to slide onto the program effortlessly and , when switched from blow to lactate , it then firmly check the foam brick as the platform roll back and forth through that horizontal bandsaw blade you may just see stretch out between the machine ’s two red towers . Starting at the top and working to the bottom , the foam is slice up into the final heaviness required by the pad .
Step 3: Stamp The Shape
The next machine is fundamentally a braggart cookie tender , pigeonhole the froth into the various distance , widths and shapes require by the company ’s product compass . There is n’t on the nose a immense industriousness out there produce ego - inflating sleeping pads , so Therm - A - Rest has to design and make all this tooling in - house . This is David Becker , the make ’s conductor of manufacturing .
Step 4: Stretch The Foam And Cut The Holes
Without pre - made , bought - in solutions , Therm - A - Rest starts with its desired upshot , then engineers its tools backwards . Holes in the foam save weight unit , but if they go straight up and down , they ’ll spoil the insulant .
So , the jumbo motorcar you see in the background here settle each piece of foam on a one - net ton palette , then does some complicated stuff I ’m not opine to tell you , then stamp hole into it that , when the pad returns to its shape , actually pass through diagonally . That way , when you sleep on it , you “ close ” the holes with your bodyweight .
That simple termination call for that one - ton pallet to be lifted up overhead and across for each lodgings stamped , starting at the bottom allow for and moving to the top right . It ’s a ridiculous amount of elbow grease , but the result it a lighter launching pad that retains its warmth .
Step 5: Collect The “Dots”
The foam sinker kettle of fish are sucked out of the press , into the canal that ply up and over the walkway , then fellate into elephantine plastic bags . Rather than ware them , Therm - A - respite use the oddly shaped picayune art object of foam to take its chain of mountains of camp pillows .
Step 6: Ready The Outers
Polyurethane - coated nylon in various weights and finishes , plus other framework , arrives at the mill and is cut to size .
This lady applies the Therm - A - Rest decal , first inspecting each outer for defects on a idle table .
Step 7: Weld The Layers
These two guys heap each piece of foam between the top and bottom layer of PU - coat nylon , then insert them in what ’s basically a big sandwich imperativeness . Hot crude hang through the automobile from the lily-white pipes you see on the wall behind and around the outer circumference of the lodgings . The two layer of nylon are pressed together with that heating and for good bonded .
Step 8: Cool The Pads
The pads slither out of the sandwich imperativeness and onto this bank of box fans , where they cool down for a brief period .
Step 9: Insert The Valve
This machine slip in the valve computer hardware , a plastic block that holds the valve and allow air travel to top through the welded perimeter , then mounts the screw - on valve you ’ll be familiar with operating .
Step 10: Trim The Excess
The extra nylon is trimmed by script , resulting in the last production .
Step 11: Test Inflation
Every undivided pad that Therm - A - Rest brand is inflated to 2psi , then stored amplify for 36 hours . If it does n’t view as that press , the stamp pad is recycled . As you may see in the top exposure , the mill storey is quite literally full of pad undergoing that run flow .
Step 12: Dunk Test
The valve are dunked in a bucketful of water to ensure their air - tightness . Any bubbles and they begin over . This is one of the new , more expensive NeoAir pads , but all Therm - A - Rests are tested the same path .
Step 13: Compress Pads For Shipping
Step 14: Roll And Box
The pads are rolled by hand into a plastic sheath . The valve is left open to account for changes in pressure and temperature during shipping .
Pads are then package and ship to retail merchant around the world . When you get yours , you just unroll it and the foam will expand , draw air into the pad . Top that off with one or two breathing place and you ’re quick for a unspoilt night ’s sleep .
factory
Daily Newsletter
Get the best tech , science , and culture news in your inbox daily .
News from the future , delivered to your nowadays .
Please select your desire newssheet and present your e-mail to elevate your inbox .
You May Also Like
