How To Choose A PU Foam Pillow Production Line

The selection of a polyurethane pillow production line should be based on three key factors: site size, daily production target and investment budget. For small sites, banana or disc types can be selected, and for medium and large factories, ground rails or ring structures are recommended; for entry-level low-voltage lines with low budgets, high-voltage fully automatic lines can be configured for high-capacity requirements. Through the reasonable combination of equipment configuration and process flow, customers at different stages can achieve balanced capacity output and cost control.

Main factors Affecting Selection

How to choose a PU pillow production line according to the size of the venue?

Different countries and regions have different requirements for industrial voltage. Our production line supports customized electrical systems, including voltage, power, distribution interfaces, etc., to ensure smooth connection to the local power grid and compliance with safety regulations.

Based on our actual project experience, we divide the production line into three common forms: circular, banana, and disc, which are suitable for different scenarios from start-up factories to large-scale OEM factories. The actual floor area depends on the number of workstations configured. The more workstations, the larger the floor area; conversely, it can save site space.

	Area of usable site	Upper limit of workstation	Advantage	Disadvantage
Rotary Production Line	300–400㎡	120 workstations	The production line operates in a closed loop, saving manpower and facilitating the deployment of automatic feeding, pouring, and demolding systems.	There are certain requirements for the structure of the factory building, which is not conducive to significant changes in the later stage
Banana Production Line	100–200㎡	30 workstations	Smallest volume, flexible layout, very suitable for narrow or irregular spaces; easy for single-person operation and management	The number of workstations is limited, not suitable for high-capacity expansion, and automation support is limited
Carousel Production Line	200–300㎡	80 workstations	Small footprint, high degree of automation, strong expansion function, different modules can be selected according to different process requirements of users to achieve efficient production.	The initial investment is large, and the requirements for ground smoothness and load-bearing are high

How to choose a polyurethane pillow production line based on production targets?

When investing in a pillow production line, output is the core factor that directly affects the layout, automation level, and budget allocation of the production line. The calculation of output is mainly based on the number of workstations and unit efficiency.

Number of workstations and unit output

Our polyurethane production line supports flexible customization of the number of workstations, from 30 workstations to 120 workstations, which can be configured as needed.

Each workstation can produce an average of 10 pillows per hour
Each workstation can produce about 80 pillows based on 8 hours of working time per day
Daily output = number of workstations × 80 (units/day)

List of workstation limits for various types of production lines:

Line body type	Maximum configurable workstations	Theoretical daily output ceiling (based on 8 hours)
Earth orbit type	120 workstations	About 9,600 pieces/day
Ring type	120 workstations	About 9,600 pieces/day
Disc type	80 workstations	About 6,400 pieces/day
Banana shape	30 workstations	About 2,400 pieces/day

Suggested output matching plan:

Target daily production range	Recommended stations	Recommended line type
Within 500	Workstations 6-10	Banana type, small ground rail type
500-1,000 pieces	Workstations 10-16	Ground rail type, annular type
1,000-2,000 pieces	Workstations 16-30	Ground rail type, disc type
2,000-5,000 or more	40 workstations and above	Ground rail type, annular type, disc type

How to set the configuration level of pu pillow production line according to the budget?

Budget is the key to determining the degree of equipment automation, production capacity scale, and return on investment cycle. Based on different development stages and target customer types, we divide the polyurethane pillow production line into three typical configuration levels: entry-level, growth-type, and brand-high-end.

Project classification	Entry-level plan (trial market/individual business)	Mature foundry solutions (stable orders/processing foundry)	High-end brand type solution (own brand/cross-border e-commerce)
Budget range	30 – 500,000 RMB	80-1.20 million RMB	150 – 2.50 million RMB
Applicable scenarios	Start-up e-commerce, market testing, temporary orders	B-end OEM, small and medium-sized processing plants with batch demand	Brand operation, customized output, overseas cross-border sales
Recommended capacity	Nissan 100-300 pcs	Nissan 500-1,000 pcs	More than 1,000 units per day
Area occupied	About 200 ㎡ or more	About 400-600 ㎡	About 600-1,000 ㎡
Foaming system	Low pressure foaming machine × 1 set	High pressure foaming machine × 1 set	High-pressure foaming system (supports two-component mixing)
Pouring platform	Manual pouring platform (manual operation)	Automatic pouring platform (robotic arm/track pouring)	Fully automatic visual positioning pouring platform
Mode temperature control	Simple mold temperature system	Precise mold temperature control system	High-efficiency mold temperature machine system + constant temperature pipeline
Formwork structure	Manual opening and closing die rack (aluminum mold)	Automatic/semi-automatic mold opening and closing rack	Fully automatic mold frame + pneumatic/electric grab demolding
Demoulding and transport	Manual demoulding and handling	Grabbing equipment or guide rail transfer	Demoulding robot + automatic transfer
Number of molds	6-10 pairs (recycled)	20-40 pairs	More than 50 pairs (supports multiple series)
Optional equipment	—	—	Punching equipment, bubble breaking equipment, automatic packaging line (optional)
Advantage	Small investment, simple operation, and quick verification of product feasibility	Stable production capacity, improved efficiency, and reduced labor dependence	High degree of automation, strong product consistency, and conducive to establishing brand competition barriers
Disadvantage	Large artificial dependence, low efficiency, and weak scalability	The initial investment is high and requires certain management and process capabilities	High investment threshold, high site and technical requirements

What configurations are required for the foam pillow production line?

Overview of polyurethane foam pillow production line configuration

Module	Core role	Recommended configuration	Applicable recommendations
Raw material system	Provide various components required for foam foaming to determine product performance	– A/B component barrel (200L x 2) – Constant temperature mixing system – Pipe circulation feeding	Customizable low VOC/high rebound formula – Meet export certification such as REACH
Foam machine	Precise measurement and mixing of raw materials, injection into molds	– High pressure machine (standard chemical plant) Low-voltage machine (start-up/budget type)	– Recommended model combinations based on daily output and raw material viscosity
Pouring platform	Complete raw material injection, connect foaming equipment and mold	– Manual feeding table (low pressure machine) – Robotic arm feeding station (high pressure machine)	Priority given to “banana line + manual labor” due to space constraints. Long-term automated selection of “ring + robotic arm”
Mold system	Determine product shape, surface quality, and foam beat	Aviation aluminum alloy mold (supports polishing/etching) Quantity = number of workstations 1.2-1.5 times	Optional mirror/fabric treatment enhances appearance value
Mould base	Support the mold to improve opening and closing efficiency and operational safety	Manual mold frame (low production line) Pneumatic/automatic mold frame (medium to high production line)	– Use with demoulding system to improve efficiency
Mold temperature machine	Control the constant temperature of the mold to stabilize the foaming reaction	Temperature control range 30-150 ℃ ± 1 ℃ accuracy, supports multi-mode temperature control	– Ensure uniform pores and improve rebound stability
Punching equipment (optional)	Improve breathability and touch to create differentiated products	– Mechanical/pneumatic/laser drilling – High positioning accuracy	– Suggested for high-end comfortable pillow/functional pillow products
Breaking bubble machine (optional)	Optimize the pore structure to improve the fineness and rebound of the bubble body	– Blade/ultrasonic bubble breaker	Recommended for use with high rebound formula or high-end export market
Demoulding system	Improve removal efficiency and safety, reduce product damage	– Manual demoulding (initial stage) – Automatic grasping demoulding system (automatic line)	It is recommended to use automatic demolding above the middle line to improve rhythm and consistency

Examples of suggested matching schemes

Scheme type	Applicable scenarios	Daily output	Budget range	Land occupation requirement	Basic configuration instructions	Upgradable path (to cope with production/design changes)	Advantages	Limitations	Customer case
Entry-level solution	Start-up trial/small handicraft factory	100-300 pieces	30 – 500,000 yuan	≥200㎡	Low-pressure machine + simple mold temperature machine + manual injection/manual mold	– Can be upgraded to a high-pressure machine – Increase workstations – Add mold temperature control or auxiliary demoulding device	– Small investment – Easy to operate – Suitable for pilot running	– High artificial dependency – Finished product consistency is slightly lower – Production capacity bottleneck is obvious	Zambia polyurethane pillow production line
Mature foundry solution	Have stable orders/undertake OEM manufacturing	500-1000 pieces	80 – 1.20 million yuan	400–600㎡	High-pressure machine + automatic feeding + standard mold temperature + semi-automatic demolding	– Added Visual Identity System – Install fully automatic mold frame – Can be expanded to ring or disc structures	– Finished product stability – High efficiency – Suitable for medium and large foundries	The demand for land is slightly higher – Limited degree of automation – Operation still requires manual cooperation	Indian linear pillow production line
High-end brand type solution	Own brand/Cross-border e-commerce/Intelligent production	More than 1000	150 – 2.50 million yuan	600–1000㎡	High-pressure system + fully automatic line + automatic feeding + automatic demolding + visual recognition + packaging line	– Multi-line collaborative operation – Upgrade to an intelligent monitoring system – Increase the flexible configuration capability of product types	– Automated high – Excellent consistency of finished products – Save manpower – Brand value enhancement	– High investment threshold – High maintenance technical requirements The initial training and debugging cycle is relatively long	Mexico automatic ring track polyurethane pillow production line

Description:

Each plan supports customized configuration according to customer site, power, and voltage
The workstations of all schemes can be flexibly adjusted, usually producing about 10 pillows per hour per workstation
Entry-level solutions are suitable for light investment startups; mature OEM models are currently the mainstream choice; high-end solutions are suitable for building brand differentiation and automation advantages

Customer case

Entry-level solution

This year, we successfully delivered a customized banana-shaped polyurethane pillow production line to a Zambian customer. The production line combines high-pressure foaming technology with practical pneumatic opening and closing molds, and uses manual injection to meet the customer’s dual needs for quality and cost.

Project Highlights:

Production line type: banana line, suitable for small and medium-sized factories, covering an area of about 150 square meters, with 10 workstations, meeting local site restrictions
Formwork configuration: using pneumatic auxiliary opening and closing formwork, significantly reducing the labor intensity of operators and improving operational safety and stability
Injection method: manual injection, flexible adaptation to diversified products, reducing initial equipment investment, and facilitating workers to quickly get started
Foaming equipment: using a high-pressure foaming machine to ensure the density and rebound performance of foam pillows, meeting high quality standards

Project results:

The production capacity meets the standard, and the number of daily pillows is stable, meeting the local market demand
Reasonable investment, quick return on investment
Customer feedback is good, the production line runs smoothly, and follow-up service support is in place

Mature foundry solution

In November 2024, we successfully delivered a customized polyurethane pillow production line to our Indian customer. The project adopts a linear layout, combines high-pressure foaming system and pneumatic auxiliary mold frame, and focuses on achieving stable production capacity and high-quality products through reasonable investment.

Project overview

Production line type: linear layout
Number of workstations: 24 workstations
Injection method: manual injection
Formwork structure: pneumatic auxiliary opening and closing formwork
Foaming equipment: high-pressure foaming machine
Supporting mold: aluminum pillow mold

Project features

High-pressure foaming system ensures even and delicate foam, good pillow resilience, and fast molding
Pneumatic auxiliary mold frame improves mold opening and closing efficiency and reduces manual operation intensity
Manual injection, flexible operation in the early stage, suitable for multi-category production
24 workstations, moderate production capacity, can produce 300-500 pillows per day per shift, meeting the demand of the local mid-range market in India
The production line has a compact structure, saves space, and is suitable for use in urban factories or standard industrial areas

Customer feedback:

The customer highly praised the stability and practicality of the entire line. Especially after the high-pressure system and mold temperature control were coordinated, the finished product had good consistency in appearance, fine pores, far exceeding the local market average. Currently, the factory has achieved full capacity operation and plans to add automation upgrade modules in the next phase.

High-end brand type solution

This year, we built and delivered a highly automated polyurethane pillow production line for our Mexico customer. The project adopts a circular track structure, with 38 workstations and full-process automated operation. It is a rare intelligent pillow production system in the current Latin America market.

Project Overview:

Production line structure: annular ground rail type
Number of workstations: 38 workstations
Automation degree: fully automatic, including automatic feeding, automatic mold opening and closing, automatic demolding, mold temperature control
Foaming system: high pressure foaming machine
Supporting equipment: mold temperature machine, mechanical arm injection system, automatic mold frame, conveyor line, automatic grasping and demolding device, etc

Project Highlights:

Fully automatic feeding and demolding system greatly reduces manual intervention and saves labor costs by more than 60%.
High-efficiency high-pressure foaming, fine and uniform pores, and a product qualification rate of over 99%
Circular track layout, clear movement line, easy maintenance, conducive to future capacity expansion
A single shift can produce more than 1000 pillows per day, supporting large-scale stable delivery
Cooperate with the online mold temperature control system to effectively control the contraction rate and improve product consistency

Customer feedback:

The customer has high requirements for quality control and automation. After the production line is put into operation, it runs smoothly, and the efficiency of order delivery has significantly improved, becoming a benchmark intelligent demonstration project in the local industry. Currently, the customer is planning to introduce a second line for the development of memory foam + latex composite pillows.

Conclusion

Whether you are entering the polyurethane industry for the first time, have existing orders or plan to build a branded production system, we can provide you with customized solutions covering different stages. We not only provide equipment, but also help to develop a feasible and iterable production line construction path based on the customer’s actual site, order type, and financial situation, helping you to quickly start production, effectively control costs, and have the flexibility to upgrade in the future, achieving a closed-loop business from production to sales. We not only sell equipment, but also are long-term partners for customer business growth.

Post time: May-30-2025