1. Alternative Materials for Infant
Mealtime Products
By: Sean Dunn, George Ferko,
Shannon Fitzpatrick, Ashley Kamauf,
Binay Patel, and Susan Sebelsky
Presenter : Shannon 1
2. Outline
• I. Company Background (Shannon)
• II. The Problem (Shannon)
• III. Materials Selection (Ashley)
• IV. Design Evolution (Sean)
• V. Testing (Binay and Susan)
• VI. Manufacturing (George)
• VII. Financials (Binay)
• VIII. Future Steps (Susan)
3. Background on Playtex
• Playtex Products, Inc. is a leading
manufacturer of feminine, skin, and infant care
products.
4.
5. The Problem – Customer needs
Ceramic Microwave Plastic
Customer Needs
• Toxin-free
• Affordable
• Aesthetically attractive
• Sustainable
• Eco-friendly
• Dishwasher safe
• Microwavable
Currently, parents who use plastic dishes will heat the
food on ceramic dishes first.
6. Mission Statement
• Our mission is to create a mealtime set that is:
– microwave safe
– non-breakable
– free of harmful chemicals
• The set will:
– implement the alternative materials that we have
researched
– provide a safer, more efficient way for parents to
feed their 9-18 month old children
8. Bagasse
Material
• All-natural fiber that is a byproduct
of the sugar cane refining process
Industry
• A substitute for Styrofoam in the
production of disposable plates
• Widely available from countries
such as the US, Brazil, and China
Our Testing/Evaluation
• Passed drop testing
• Passed stain testing after 1-3 cycles
• Why not just use paper?
– Environmentally sound substitute for trees
– It does not require bleaching, is highly recyclable,
and is also highly biodegradable
8Presenter : Binay
9. PLA
Material
• Made from corn or other starch based products
• Thermoplastic polyester
• Biodegrades in less than 90 days
Industry
• Manufactured by blow molding,
injection molding, thermoforming,
and direct extrusion
Our Testing/Evaluation
• Passed drop test
• Failed stain test (Low grade PLA)
• Microwavable and dishwasher safe
• FDA food safe
Presenter : Ashley 9
10. Bamboo
Material
• Very high sustainability
• Imported from China and Vietnam
Industry
• Processing
– Stripping
– Sugar and moisture removed
– Pressed with water
– Laminated into bulk shape
– Finishing
Our Testing/Evaluation
• Breakage in drop testing has led to
investigation of different constructions
• Staining variability
• Bite test results exceeding CPSC requirements
Presenter : George 10
11. Cork
Material
• Harvested from trees
• Renewable, recyclable, and reusable
• Biodegradable
Industry
• Boiled to remove impurities
• High elasticity and compressible
Our Testing/Evaluation
• Passed drop test
• Passed stain test
• Microwavable and dishwasher safe
• FDA food safe
Presenter : Sean 11
12. Concept Generation
Presenter : Susan 12
HOLD FOOD CLEAN FOOD HOLDER HEAT FOOD HOLDING UTENSILS KEEP HOLDERS STRUCTURE OF ENJOYABILITY/FUN STORAGE OF HOLDER
STATIONARY FOOD
plate/bowl dishwasher microwave n-shaped magnets compartments colorful switch containers
tray hand washing stove top motor powered tray with snap in slots connectable bowls flashing lights lids
hollowed out fruit throw away exothermic reaction interchangable head suction cups reward on the bottom music removable bag that ziplocs
fishbowl removable surface toaster oven/toaster squirter system sticky surface rotating system cartoon characters throw it out
box compressed air lid=microwave glove for eating with hands friction small portions glitter nesting bowls/plates
basin high pressure water warm plate bracelet adhesive layers interactive buttons stackability
boot bleach rotation legos outer ring placemat with section themed set foldable
sack ammonia nuclear skewer to poke food weights pyramid give you compliments shrinkable
animal shell brushes (wire/plastic) hamster lock in to plate wider bottom cutout shapes prize at the bottom utensils could pop into back of plate
syringe gritty cleansers rotation grips rubbery bottom maze tv on the surface collapsable
edible container windshield wiper light magnets velcro adjustable compartments stickers blow up/inflatable
bowl/plate in one hoover vacuum heat lamp end wider sand weighing it down hot/cold compartments fun shapes plate as lid for bowl
water heater tongue blow dryer moldable handles interlocking blocks rearrangable parts transformers interlocking
bag gravity car exhaust resting holder hooks over the table v-shaped bowl live fish/sea animals inside magnetic to mat
hand sprinkler dragon fire flat/curved rubber mats interlocking parts legos interlocking blocks
levitation toothbrush double boiler looped ends textured mobile train set roll up
mind bacteria/microorganism electrical current adhesion to hands placemat with slots solar system plates transparent hooks
water suspension chemical solution laser memory foam handles suction tower or containers radio suction cups
vacuum self-cleaning thermo-chemical reaction over fingers brakes pumping mechanism tell a story vase (decorative)
bag turbo spin cycle grill elastic to attach to set pulley system automated dispenser slip and slide stick to the ceiling
air suspension (wind) steam cleaning pig roast style mechnical wings necklace insulation curly doctor's office thing flatten
fire truck only rinsing solar panel gel filled handle fun tack catapult sports goal in mouth invisibility
police car oxidation sun suction poster mounts orbiting catapult levitation to the storage location
space shuttle loofah hot plate duct tape glue conveyor belt animal faces twisting mechanism (like laundry)
helmet water gun heating sleeve feeding tube static electricity suspended in gelatin disney princess hangability
catapult wipes open flame hold with mind vacuum seal cars/trucks
water heater car wash bunsen burner train shaped duct tape fish/Nemo
force field crock pot clamp astro-turf body
body heat vacuum food themed
THINGS TO AVOID bake/broil baseball/sports
90 degree angles oil/gas color changing
small gaps photo inserts on the bottom
16. – Plate Holder
• 36% wider to provide stability
• 136% higher to accommodate more plates and prevent
spills
• Modifications to finger holes
Design Improvements
18. Ergonomics – Unique Features
•Plate holder
•Finger holes to make it easier for parents to
remove plates
•Unique base made specifically for Playtex
plate, giving the system more stability
19. Ergonomics – Unique Features
• Fork/Spoon handle
• Flexible n-shaped handle makes holding
fork/spoon easier for infants
• Plate
• Inclined bottom allows infants to easily
scoop food from plate surface
20. Design Testing
• What prototypes were tested?
– Plate
• Compared to a similar competitor's product (Boon)
– Plate holder
• What was tested?
– Notch Scoopability
– Tip Seep
– Slide Spill
23. Focus Group – Results
Develop protocol
Discussion guide Post-discussion
Recruit mothers
Create goals
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NovemberOctober December
Background
• Playtex’s focus groups, also referred to as “Mom groups,” are composed
of 15-20 pre-selected mothers
Goals
• To find out how mothers feel about the implementation of natural
materials in mealtime sets
• Receive reactions to the plate holder design and how it can be
improved
25. Focus Group – Results
• 13 out of 13 moms do not heat plastic in the
microwave when feeding their children
– The mothers like bagasse because it feels natural, is
durable, and will not get too hot after heating
• When presented with the plate holder, one
mother stated “the marriage of materials works”
• The most attractive design features were:
– bagasse suction of the holder
– ease of use disposable option
27. Manufacturing
Sugar Cane Bagasse
Brazil Biomass and Renewable
Energy Exports S.A.
(Bagasse Pellet Manufacturer)
FOB: Paranaguá, Brazil
BioPlanet
(Pulping and Plate/Bowl Pressing)
Large Order FOB: Mexico or China
Playtex
(Quality Control and Assembly)
28. Bill of Materials
# of
Parts Part Title Material Request
Build vs
Buy Source
Labor &
Mat CostSpecifications
1 Holder Body Mold
Polylactic Acid/Cereplast
Hybrid Resins
Inner Diameter = 6 in, Out
Diameter = 7.5 in, Inner Hole =
1.5 in, Height = 2 in, Inter Lining
Perforated every 1/32 in Buy CEREPLAST,INC $1.19
2 Rubber Ring Bottom Rubber Ring Diameter = 6 in. Buy CEREPLAST,INC $0.25
3 Adhesive Resin Amount = 0.5 ounces Buy LHS Enterprises $0.10
4
Bagasse
Compartment Plate
Insert Bagasse
Diameter = 6 in, 3 Check
Shaped Cross Section
Compartments, Height = .60 in Buy Brazil Biomax $0.26
5 Bagasse Bowl Insert Bagasse Diameter = 6 in, Height = 2.5 in Buy Brazil Biomax $0.24
6 Outer Mold- Fork
Polylactic Acid/Cereplast
Hybrid Resins Length = 4.5in Buy CEREPLAST,INC $0.33
7 Outer Mold- Spoon
Polylactic Acid/Cereplast
Hybrid Resins Length = 4.5 in Buy CEREPLAST,INC $0.30
8 Inner Flex Stripe Polyethene Length = 4 in Buy
Zhejiang Yulong
International Trading
Company Ltd $0.25
TOTAL $2.92
30. Cash Flow Sensitivity to Assumptions
-10000
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Base Case
Worst Case
Best Case
31. Financial Forecast
Parameters Base Case
Net Present Value $12,727,000
Break Even Period 11 Quarters
Break Even Amount $622,500
Break Even Units 708,750
IRR 81.9%
32. Tornado Diagram
($10,000.00) ($5,000.00) $0.00 $5,000.00 $10,000.00 $15,000.00
Number of Units Made Per Year
Unit Cost Per Unit Sold (in Dollars, from Bill of
Materials)
Marketing & Support Costs Per Year (People Time,
Ads, Travel, Trade Shows, Office Support
Net Present Value Under High, Low & Base Assumptions
Base Case
Best Case
Worst Case
33. Future Steps
– Next Generation Prototype
• Changes based on Mom
Group
• Changes based on new
physical testing of desired
features
• Incorporation of the
Playtex prototype into ours
– “Mom Group” of next
generation prototype
• Design updated based on
final results
• Large number of
participants (~100)
• Smaller group sizes per
session
– Marketing Strategy
Development
• Emphasize “green” product
• Emphasize ease of use and
safety
– Manufacturing Ramp up
• Employ suggested foreign
producers
• Assemble small inventory
– Consumer Testing
35. Acknowledgements
• Our company sponsors
and customer research
team at Playtex
– Jeremy Giese
– Adriana Kliegman
– Cathy Durden
– Frank Yang
• Our faculty advisors
– Prof. Lori Herz
– Prof. Todd Watkins
• The IPD staff
– John Ochs
– Lisa Getzler-Linn
– Bobbi Spain
• Lehigh staff
– Devin Tyman
– Prof. Richard Vinci
– Prof. David Angstadt
