 Streamlining Kapok Pillow Production: The Kekabu Pro Solution

Abstract

-Kapok, also known as kekabu in Malaysia, is most often used as pillow and mattress stuffing as a great alternative to down or feathers. As a result, it led to the emergence of numerous Small Medium Enterprises (SME) focusing on producing pillows, bolsters, and mattresses. To keep up with domestic demand, productivity increase by incorporating machines is a must. This led to the development and fabrication of Kapok Pro machine. Kapok Pro aims to streamline the process of separating kapok fibre from seed pods and subsequently fill a various sized pillowcase, thus increasing productivity. A prototype was designed and developed before producing the final product. The time taken to fill 10 pillowcases measuring 26×17 inch was recorded for three methods: traditional method, the prototype, and Kapok Pro. Kapok Pro is proved to reduce production time by 84.4%. The productivity test was conducted using three different sizes of pillowcases shows that with each additional hours, the number of kapok pillows produced effectively doubles. Kapok Pro significantly simplifies the kapok processing process, increases productivity, and holds the potential for international commercialization. It offers a cost-effective solution for the kapok industry, addressing the challenges faced by SMEs in Malaysia.