Product design and development of an electronic toothbrush

Submitted byDHIRAJ KUMAR 623/MP/10 PIYUSH GUPTA 637/MP/10

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
There are many people without the support of whom this report could not have been completed. We gracefully thank Mr. Sanjay Gupta sir for his proper guidance and feedback. He was there whenever we needed his help and gave us opportunity to learn about this topic. I would also like to thank sir for providing us the opportunity to explore the product designing and development concepts.

CONTENTS

1. Mission statement 2. Concept development 2.1 Identification of need 2.2 Market research a. Customer needs analysis 2.3 Target specification 2.4 Concept generation a. Literature and patent search b. Benchmarking c. Morphology table 2.5 Concept selection a. Concept screening b. Concept scoring 2.6 Final specifications 3. System level designs 3.1 design 1 3.2 design 2 3.3 design 3 3.4 design 4 3.5 design 5 4. Detailed designs of various parts 5. Selection of material and processes 6. Testing and refinement 6.2 Nonintrusive 6.2 Intrusive 7. Manufacturing processes 8. Packaging 9. Marketing 9.1 Targeted market 9.2 Advertisement and promotions 9.3 Distribution 9.4 Growth estimation 10. Disposing or recycling at end of product life 11. References

MISSION STATEMENT
Our goal for this project is to develop a better understanding of an electric powered toothbrush and to launch a new electric toothbrush that could cater to all needs of oral health. It should be able to perform complete functions of a brush in true sense and the brand should surpass all the competitors. To do this we will do research on the toothbrush. We will also look at alternative solutions and designs for the toothbrush and come up with a comprehensive designing and to make improvements if necessary.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
IDENTIFICATION OF NEED
The history of the toothbrush extends back to 3000 BC, but the modern day brush as we know it was designed in 1938 with the addition of nylon bristles instead of boar bristles. The first electric toothbrush, the Broxodent, was introduced in 1960. Interestingly enough, the only functional difference between the Broxodent and the toothbrush from 1938 was that the Broxodent vibrated. To this day, most mass produced toothbrushes all have the same single headed brush design, with minimal functional differences. Typically in the Indian market the percentage of toothbrush users has slowly inched upwards. As it has always been associated by the non-users as a non-essential item more so because of their fierce loyalty to the margosa twigg (Datun) and the index finger. The market of late has been the entry of several foreign players and the marketing game has assumed a totally new dimension. Companies are trying to shift to PULL strategy of long term returns and the inclination of consumers to shell out a few rupees extra to ensure a more wholesome care of their teeth and gum. This has resulted in rapid growth in value terms. Added to this is the initiative of the companies to focus on expanding the market by bringing over 65% non-users in their consumer fold. With such vast potential to be exploited, the entry of several new players with their innovative ideas and experience in similar developing markets, the industry is likely to see a lot of action in the immediate future.

The overall response reflects a gradual move in the direction of the premium to super premium segment as it is once in three months/four months purchase, thus being successful in luring all customers (except the rural user who are a small minority of the Market) to try

out the ones that are places at a higher price on account of their trendy looks and overall appeal of style and splendour. The present day brushing habits of the Indian society as a whole leaves a lot to be desired - 41 toothbrushes are sold for every 100 persons per year! Total units sold add u to a little over 400 million, growing at the rate of 10% p.a. in volume terms and 25% in value terms. This implies not much inroad has been made into the rural and semi-urban market. The need to maintain oral health is greater than ever since recent research has shown a connection between periodontal disease and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and preterm low birth weight. The exact cause and effect relationships are still being investigated, but more and more data emphasize that having a healthy mouth is important to preserving systemic health. Opportunity lies in existing and emerging markets by using an interchangeable technology whereby a manufacturer can produce a product line to reach entry level markets to high end markets.

MARKET RESEARCH
The purpose of the research was to find out details about the existing product and how to make it function better and to help the toothbrush better suit the needs of the customers. CUSTOMER NEED ANALYSIS The data for our customer needs statements was compiled after taking interviews. Consumers were asked questions about the quality, comfort and aesthetics of the product. Then customer needs statements were developed based on the data gathered during interviews. An importance rating was given to each statement to decide which aspects of the toothbrush were most important. The needs that were considered as the most important were long lasting bristles and a quiet motor.
Questionnaire used for market research
How often do you brush your teeth, on average?
A- 3+ times per day B- 2 times per day C- 1 time per day D- Less than 1 time per day

What type of toothbrush do you currently use?

A- Manual toothbrush B- Manual toothbrush with replaceable heads C- Electric toothbrush

How do you rate Cleaning effectiveness of your current brush?

A- Maximum B-Minimum C-Average

How satisfied are you with Design (handle comfort, colors) of your current brush.
A-Maximum B-Minimum C-Average

What you think about Brand name while going for buying brush?
A-Maximum

B-Minimum C-Average

Which is the crucial functions of a toothbrush that you would consider are important (max 3 options)?
A- Improve gum healthiness B- Sensitive teeth protection C- Tongue cleaning D360 degree cleaning: easy access to every surface of the teeth

E- Prevent bad breath F- Plaque/ debris removal/ prevention G- Dental beauty

What is the source of opinion that affects your purchase decision?

A- Expert opinions like from dentist B- Medical testimonials claimed by manufacturers C- Message communicated from TV commercial D- Opinions from users

what kind of head shape you want for your toothbrush?

A- Round B- Square C- Diamond

What do you think about Handle design

A- Straight B- Curved C- Flexible handle D- Slip prevention

How long will you replace your toothbrush?

A- on average 1 month B- on average 1.5 month C- on average 2-3 month D- replace until the bristle worn out

Reasons of replacing the current toothbrush?

A- General oral health advice B- Bristle worn out C- Oral/ tooth problems D- Travelling

The findings of the market research are tabulated below-

TARGET SPECIFICATION
We found it imperative to increase the appeal of toothbrush by setting higher expectations for aspects of the brush. Sound, physical appeal, and excitability are the categories that are to be primarily focused. Some sacrifices need to be made for the effectiveness of other categories such as price. Incidentally, by increasing the performance in other categories of the brush, we are to expect a lower performance in the price area. To keep the price from increasing by too large of a margin, we have found it in our best interest to increase performance in other categories, but not by a tremendous amount or by relatively inexpensive means. Target specifications-

CONCEPT GENERATION
This is where different ideas to solve each individual need of the customers are developed. They are first sorted in a morphology table, then different ideas are generated by taking different paths through the table, combining individual ideas together to develop complete concepts. Once several concepts have been developed, they are sorted in a concept selection matrix, where each is scored and are selected to develop further. Selected concepts are moderately developed, they are compared to the values obtained from the benchmarking process, and the final design is selected based on the scores awarded. Literature and Patent Search Literature and patent search were done to find out which patents the toothbrush had, cost ranges in different stores, and reviews from customers about the product. There were three patents found for the Crest Spin Brush Swirl. Patent 1 described the overall toothbrush, stating An electric toothbrush with a head that has a static portion of bristles and a circular portion that reciprocates. And the body is angled. (Paten t number: 6178579, Issue date: Jan 30, 2001) Patent 2 described the head of the toothbrush saying A design for the head of the toothbrush, allowing multi-level bristles. (Patent number: 5392483, Issue date: Feb 28, 1995) Patent 3 described the grip saying Grip for the handle of the toothbrush. (Patent number: D357121, Issue date: Apr 11, 1995) Benchmarking Benchmarking was done to compare the product to other products on the market and to see how to make the product better or more competitive. To complete the benchmarking portion of the design process, it was necessary to gather the results of various tests that were performed on various toothbrush available in market. A variety of trials were used to test such criteria as sound, battery life, cost, etc. A decibel meter was used to test the overall loudness of the toothbrush, a multimeter was used to discover the life of the battery in the toothbrush while under assorted loads, and a sandpaper test was used to find the bristle life. These three values and the additional value of price were the most important factors for us to consider during the design process.

Morphology Table The concepts developed in this Morphology table were developed out of ideas from Customer Survey and Needs Analysis and were selected to meet the ideal specifications from the Target Specifications table.

NOTES: Insulation The addition of Styrofoam around the motor inside the body of the toothbrush to reduce the amount of noise created by vibrations. Reduced Size The size of the handle is reduced to be more suitable to childrens hands. Generator A crank drives a generator that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, which will be stored in a capacitor and returned to the motor by flipping a switch. Current will be controlled by a resistor; the crank will be stored inside of the toothbrush body. Alternator A magnet housed inside of the toothbrush body will pass through a copper coil, creating a current which will be stored and released in a manner identical to the generator. Single-Button Operation A single button will open and close the circuit to take power from the source and deliver it to the motor.

The following concepts were developed from the morphology table above and inserted into the concept selection

SYSTEM LEVEL DESIGN FOR CONCEPTS

Concept #1 was designed with a color scheme on the body of the toothbrush, a quieter motor, and a replaceable battery.

Concept #2 was designed with a plain body, less expensive, and all plastic.

Concept #3 was designed only to be more appealing to the eye of the customer.

Concept #4 was designed with a jelly grip for comfort, and various sports designs on the body.

Concept #5 was designed with a quieter motor,with sporty design.

CONCEPT SELECTION
The criteria for selecting concepts came down to using metrics. The most important criteria had to do with sound and life. A replaceable battery would add value to the product. The aesthetics were also important because many other products had very intricate designs. In the selection, some aspects of various concepts were used to yield a final product. New features include a full rubber grip on the handle, colorful design, a door for a replaceable battery and foam insulation around the motor to decrease sound. After screening all 5 of our concept variants, we decided that concept 1 and concept 4 were best to continue screening. Concept Screening

Concept Scoring

FINAL SPECIFICATIONS

DETAILED DESIGNS OF VARIOUS PARTS

SELECTION OF MATERIAL AND PROCESSES

The materials used in the process of creation are: acetal, polypropylene and nylon 66. These materials have been chosen because they are the typically used in such applications.

The acetal is a thermoplastic product for the mechanics industry in general. It has a high hardness and good dimensional stability. It is a thermoplastic with high molecular weight that is characterized by high mechanical resistance, almost zero water absorption and good friction properties. The acetal is also called POM or polyoxymethylene. The polypropylene is a commercial thermoplastic polymer, semi-crystalline, white, semiopaque and currently it is produced in a wide variety of grades and modifications. It is a rigid and hard material which excellent impact resistance, to chemist corrosive products and dielectric. The nylon 66 is a polyamide with excellent qualities: durability, toughness, high elongation, excellent abrasion resistance, highly resilient the ability of shock absorption, noise and vibration. It is moisture resistant since it is dried completely and thus, it avoids the bacterial growth.

TESTING AND REFINEMENT

Nonintrusive Testing For the nonintrusive testing, students were asked to: 1. Record all external features, observe safety features and identify potential hazards. 2. Comment on the ergonomics and aesthetics of the design. 3. Record external dimensions, make a list of parts and understand the function of the various parts.

4. Do AUTOCAD drawings of the entire toothbrush and the various parts with proper labelling and dimensioning. 5. Note all intellectual property rights (like trademark, patent numbers and registration). 6. Do a patent search of related patents on the World Wide Web. 7. Estimate the cost of the product. 8. Check environmental feasibility in terms of recyclability and packaging. 9. Understand the operating instructions and operate the product. 10. Devise and perform an experiment to see how the electric toothbrush compares with a manual toothbrush in removing stains. Is the cost of the electric toothbrush justified in terms of its cleaning capability? 11. Recommend any improvements in terms of cost, manufacturing, aesthetics, safety and environmental issues. 12. Do a literature survey of electric toothbrushes available in the market Intrusive Testing For the intrusive testing, two main experiments are conducted as follows: 1. Charging the toothbrush is done by electromagnetic induction. The coil in the toothbrush is evaluated in terms of the number of turns and the voltage across it. The number of turns are then varied to study its relationship to voltage induced. From these data points, leastsquares curve fitting is taught and a curve is estimated to derive a mathematical relationship. The magnetic flux density is also measured using a Gauss meter for varying numbers of coil turns. Again, a least-squares fit is determined. 2. The energy stored in the nickel cadmium battery is measured. The voltage across the battery as a function of time is measured by building a simple resistive circuit through which the battery discharges. From the voltage and resistance, the power of the battery as a function of time is determined. Since the integral of the power is the energy, numerical integration is used to find the energy from the power curve.

MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
Injection Modeling: At first they put PP powder (Polypropylene powder) in the Injection Modeling Machine which is almost like a small plastic ball. These plastic balls are of crystal color. According to the design of the brush they add different color to make the body of the toothbrush. The pressurization of the Machine of plastic balls in 40 degree Celsius is used to shape the body of the brush. Within 20 to 40 second these machine produce the shape of the body of a tooth brush. It can produce 8 toothbrushes at a time. In the injection modeling machine there is some dice which help to design the brush. They have five injection Modeling machine in their factory. Particle Machine: In the Particle machine they set a logo on the dice and later the logo of that particular brand is added to the body of the brush. It also adds rubber to design the toothbrush. After that, the particle machine helps to add different colors of logo according to their choice. At first they put eight brushes at the middle of the machine and the brushes are held for 5 seconds to put color and logo on the brush. That means whatever work is remaining in the stage of injection modelling machine, is been completed in this particle machine. Moreover, in total

it needs approximately 20 seconds to add a logo. They have 3 particle machines to make their production faster. Taffting Machine: After the completion of the job of particle machine, next step is done by Taffting Machine. Main job of Taffting machine is to adjoin bushels on the head of tooth brush. They use the silver ware to weave the brushels at the head of the brush which help to attach the brushels strongly with the brush. The machine takes one minute to attach brushels on the five brushes. Whatever the color or design they want to add on the brushels they set on the machine, which is controlled by the PRM-850 programming system. For each design they have particular software to command the machine. They have 5 Taffting Machines in their factory. In one minute they can adjoined 25 pieces of brushes. In this production section one people control each machine. According to them this machine holds the highest price among the entire machineries they have. These machines are kept in the air conditioned room as this task is controlled by computer programming. Finishing Machine: Taffting machine has some limitation like brushels of toothbrush may not be in same size or may be brushels are not in same line. For that reason to ensure the quality, finishing machine do the final touch. They have two finishing machines for that purpose and each machine sizing the brushels. These machines are able to size 100 brushels within one minute. However if machines do defect for any reasons they continue their production by manually. They have 6 workers for this department. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) forming machine: For the packaging purpose at first they prepare plastic cover. Previously they collected plastic cover from their supplier which incurred huge cost and ultimately reduced profit. To solve this problem, recently they start to produce plastic cover by themselves. Tri-Star purchases the bundle of the plastic paper. At first they put the plastic paper into the PVC forming machine in 24 degree Celsius and after the 20 second it divides the paper into 8 brush shapes plastic cover. They have only one PVC forming machine. Blister Packaging Machine: After the tasks of finishing machine here comes the packaging part. For that purpose, they use two Blister Packaging Machines, which help to package the toothbrush. To packages the brush they first lay down the plastic cover page. Then keep eight brushes on that shaped plastic paper and upon those brushes they put a paper which is labeled by their company name and logo. Then through the system, they send those brushes to the middle of the machine. In this process the upper side of the machine put pressure on that. And after that a package of 8 brushes comes out through the Blister packaging machine. In total it takes nearly 5 seconds to package 8 brushes. They let us know that, the logo papers are outsourced from different computer and graphic shop. They have not any fixed suppliers for that, rather they go for bargaining option to reduce cost. They let us know that if any packaging machines run out of operation or for load shedding they go for manual production. For that packaging department they have 20 workers .

PACKAGING
Cardboard cartons, transparent blisters, hanger shaped hooks, coffin packing (storing when not in use). In a blister pack, packaging makes up to 40% of cost. Transparent blister pack with a hanger shape hook should be used.

MARKETING
Toothbrush industry is one of the broadest sectors whose market consists of the entire world. No matter how different the cultures of different countries or which race they belong to, toothbrushes have customers all around the world. Additionally, with the increasing education level, people are getting more aware of oral health care and that is also a reason for toothbrush industry to enlarge. Therefore, if we want to give a number for the size of targeted customers of toothbrush industry, we say the size of around 6 billion people which is the population of the World. However, it is very difficult to operate so much globally even for the most advanced companies. Careful plans and reasonable analysis need to be done to select most advantages countries that fit the company's capacity.
Targeted market

Although all the people using any kind of toothbrushes are our candidate customers, users of current electrical toothbrushes best fit to our targeted market. Providing medically the best brushing style, our product can take over the current market share of electrical toothbrushes. To guarantee our goal, we need to carefully analyze the reasons of people for using and not using current electrical toothbrushes. Then avoiding disadvantages and improving the advantages will not only lead us to top of the electrical toothbrush market but also increase the market share of electrical toothbrushes among total toothbrush industry. Advertisement and Promotions We have a new type of product and people are not aware of it. Putting it on shelves doesn't sell it since people don't know about it, they must hear about our product first.

TV advertisements are the most effective but expensive advertisement way however it will definitely compensate its cost. The pricing of TV commercials changes very much depending on the time, the length and popularity of the channel. To get the best value of advertisement, careful research must be done to select the advertisement strategy. Instead of expensive prime time commercials, we think that the morning period is more efficient for our product. Firstly, commercials in morning time are cheaper than the evening. Secondly, morning programmers are watched by women, especially by housewives who usually decide what to buy and shop for home. Women are also careful to their health than men. Therefore, showing the advertisements in morning will be cheaper and more effective. Besides TV commercials, Internet media is another place which is much more cheaper than TV and still effective enough to be considered. Google advertisements are the first option. There are several pricing for Google advertisements such as per-click or per-showing. Apart from Google advertisements, the advertisements in Internet shopping web sites must also be utilized. Campaigns for famous shopping sites will also work as advertisements since the web site will announce it at several sections of the site. In addition to the digital advertisements, promotions in shopping malls will also bring us a quick entrance to the market. Selling with very small revenue for the first month can help us to make use of word-of-mouth. People buying our product for the first time, will definitely tell their friends about it since it is new in the market . Including an explanatory brochure with our product can also convince people to buy it. Distribution The main sale channels for any kind of toothbrushes today is shops with any size from groceries to gross markets; and Internet especially for comparatively expensive products. We also plan to utilize these two channels to deliver our product to customers. Since the Internet doesn't require much attention, we only need to focus on the delivery system for shops. There are different delivery mechanisms for different kind of products. If you have to deliver your product to shops each day, then it could be better you establish your own distribution system. However, if you only need to deliver your product few times in month, and if your product doesn't expire in short time, you may relay on third party distribution networks. Our product is best delivered by established distribution networks in each country. Usually, those distribution channels specialized for the category they operate. Personal care products such as shampoos, soaps and toothbrushes are delivered in same category usually. Utilizing those available distribution channels is the best economical option for cylindrical. Growth Estimation Initial few years are crucial newly established companies. Many companies go bankruptcy because of bad planning in their early lifetimes.

In order to be sure about success of our new business, we paid much attention to our first two years. We intend to make a reasonable growth for first two years that is to reach %30 of electrical toothbrush market of USA and Europe. Considering the confidence that our patent provides us, %30 is not much optimistic. Following figure shows our quarter based expectation for first two years.

DISPOSING OR RECYCLING AT END OF PRODUCT LIFE

The rechargeable battery cannot be replaced, but it is easy to remove for recycling. Like any rechargeable battery, it contains substances that may pollute the environment if discarded with regular household waste. At the end of the toothbrushs life, always remove the battery before you discard the toothbrush, and recycle or dispose of the battery according to local waste management requirements. If you have any recycling questions, contact your local waste management office.

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