iResolve -

Drylock Technologies : a new player in the diaper arena

2012-10-29T06:20:19+00:00

After many rumors the new diaper from Drylock Technologies has been released. It is currently sold under brand Toujours as private label for supermarket chain Lidl.

It started in Germany and it is expected to spread in other country depending on the capacity of new diaper manufacturer.

Drylock Technologyes is the new venture of a long-time private label hygiene executive Bart Van Malderen that is getting back into European diaper markets. The biggest distinctive feature of this venture is that diapers they are going to produce will be the first fully fluffless diaper ever (at least for EU market). And they will be the only alternative to DryMax technology from Pampers that introduced a couple of years ago the almost fluffless diaper core. In fact Pampers contains a small amount of fluff (so called curly fibers) in the product altough its main function is to acquire and distribute liquid and not to absorb it.

Core is made of super absorbent polymer encapsulated between 2 layers. The distinctive feature is that SAP is contained in small pockets formed by combination of two layers and are kept in place without (or with a very low amount) additional thermoplastic material but only by means of bonds all over the 2 webs. These bonds are designed to allow controlled and gradual loosening when SAP swallow and expand. This design provide space for SAP volume growth and avoid reduction of SAP performances because of consequent pressure increase after swallowing. More liquid is absorbed and more bonds are broken releasing more space.

The new diaper is made of a new fluffless core consisting of SAP in larger quantity than standard diaper. In order to avoid gel blocking phenomena Drylock uses a very thick acquisition layer (around 150 gsm) that grant some softness to the product. This gives to the product a very thin profile and possibility to claim a great saving in shelf space and transport cost. Additionally it provides great benefit to the user because it fits perfectly as an underwear.

Technology used to produce this core is not so innovative because it is derived by printing process. But it is the first time it is used in diaper manufacturing. It should consists of a drum with a clustering means, an injection nozzle to provide SAP into perforated side of previous means and a system to transport carrier web in a position to properly receive SAP. More info in the coming days. Stay tuned.

Fameccanica introduces Janus

2012-08-26T13:59:30+00:00

Recently Fameccanica.Data introduced a new machine to produce training pants named Janus. This is a very interesting concept because take its basis from a different product design compared to the ones we can currently find on the market. We can say it is a tentative for Fameccanica to try to became a product innovator and not to simply follow requirements of their clients.

Nowadays training pants (or pull on diapers) are made following 3 typical designs:

1.- diaper with full-waist elasticization by means of transversal elastic threads and with side sealing. This is a typical design used from many years in Asia and still used from majority of diaper producers.

2.- diaper with narrow and straight central chassis with elasticated side panels in the front and in the back. This is a concept introduced by P&G and KCC and it is greatly widespread in US and EU.

3.- Diaper with refastenable closure system on the side panels. Mainly present in US.

Janus eliminates the need of side seam to connect the front and back portion of the pant-diaper and therefore simplify significantly the whole production process. The innovation consists of new product design with lateral elasticated panels with a mechanical closure system to connect each other. Even though this product configuration is not totally new the method to manufacture such product gives some advantage eliminating a lot of bottle necks in these type of processes.

How to design an absorbent core

2012-08-20T21:24:06+00:00

A core is generally made of a mix of fluff and SAP (hereunder we wil not cover special cores made of other materials or so called "fluffless core"). Usually this mix is “homogeneously blended” (HB): it means that SAP and fluff are in the same ratio everywhere along the core. The reason to have an HB core is because SAP works better when it is well mixed with fluff and this improves core general performances. Of course other type of constructions are possible altough, with current cores available on the market today, they do not reach performances that HB cores can.

Our recommendation is to design an HB core.

Good products have core with a tridimensional shape. It means that a core with uncompressed fluff show a tipical increased thickness (it means more absorbent material) in the crotch area and especially in the front side. See simplified core design on the right. You can see there is a first layer along the whole core and a second one positioned in the center/front area. These two layers can be two distinct cores but generally it is a single core with a 3D profile (usually it is obtained through a profiled mould filled by absorbent material).

You can identify 3 different zones

* shallow zone: it is the lightest area mainly teh back of the core

* deep zone: it is the heaviest area and it is located where you need more absorbency

* transition zone: it is the area between shallow and deep

Typical basis weights vary from 100 to 200 for shallow zone and fro 400 to 700 for deep zone. As you can easily understand depending on what deep zone shape and basis weights you choose for your core you will have a specific distribution of absorbent capacity from front to back. Pic shows a graph of capacity profile for a specific product obtained through a xls software developed by iResolve named PocketShape

Since we choosed to design an HB core it means SAP will follow fluff distribution (if our equipment is able to do it!!). More SAP we add more absorbent capacity you have distributed along the core with same “capacity diagram” that fluff defined.

A simple spreadsheet like PocketShape will help you to obtain the proper “capacity diagram” and modify your core geometry accordingly.

Of corse you can design a more stylish cores, rounded and narrow at crotch area but the basic rules we have described here above are the same.

Just their application requires more sophisticated tools to predict core performances.

Baby Diaper Core : what is made of

2012-08-20T21:18:18+00:00

Up to 80’s it was general practice to form absorbent core for infant diapers, entirely from wood pulp fluff. Given the relatively low amount of fluid absorbed by wood pulp fluff on a gram of fluid absorbed per gram of wood pulp fluff, it was necessary to employ relatively large quantities of wood pulp fluff, thus necessitating the use of relatively bulky, thick absorbent structures.

During 80’s SAPs were introduced in baby diaper cores and allowed to reduce wood pulp fluff usage.

These SAPs are superior to fluff in their ability to absorb large volumes of aqueous body fluids, such as urine (i.e., at least about 15 g/g), thus making smaller, thinner absorbent structures feasible. In addition SAP particles typically pack closer than fibrous structures, thus achieving even thinner cores at elevated concentrations.

These SAPs are often made by initially polymerizing unsaturated carboxylic acids or derivatives thereof, such as acrylic acid, alkali metal (e.g., sodium and/or potassium) or ammonium salts of acrylic acid, alkyl acrylates, and the like. These polymers are rendered water-insoluble, yet water-swellable, by slightly cross-linking the carboxyl group-containing polymer chains with conventional di- or poly-functional monomer materials, such as N, N'-methylene-bisacryl-amide, trimethylol-propane-triacrylate or triallyl-amine. These slightly cross-linked absorbent polymers still comprise a multiplicity of anionic (charged) carboxyl groups attached to the polymer backbone. It is these charged carboxyl groups that enable the polymer to absorb body fluids as the result of osmotic forces, thus forming hydrogels.

The degree of cross-linking determines not only the water-insolubility of these SAPs, but is also an important factor in establishing two other characteristics of these polymers: their absorbent capacity and gel strength.

Absorbent capacity or "gel volume" is a measure of the amount of water or body fluid that a given amount of SAPs will absorb. Gel strength relates to the tendency of the SAPs to deform or "flow" under an applied stress. SAPs useful as absorbents in absorbent structures and articles such as disposable diapers need to have adequately high gel volume, as well as adequately high gel strength. Gel volume needs to be sufficiently high to enable the SAP to absorb significant amounts of the aqueous body fluids encountered during use of the absorbent article. Gel strength needs to be such that the SAP formed does not deform and fill to an unacceptable degree the capillary void spaces in the absorbent structure or article, thereby inhibiting the absorbent capacity of the structure/article, as well as the fluid distribution throughout the structure/article.

Prior absorbent structures have generally comprised relatively low amounts (e.g., less than about 50 % by weight) of these SAPs. There are several reasons for this. The SAPs employed in prior absorbent structures have generally not had an absorption rate that would allow them to quickly absorb body fluids, especially in "gush" situations. This has necessitated the inclusion of fibers, typically wood pulp fibers, to serve as temporary reservoirs to hold the discharged fluids until absorbed by the SAP.

More importantly, many of the known SAPs exhibited gel blocking.

"Gel blocking" occurs when particles of the SAP are wetted and the particles swell so as to inhibit fluid transmission to other regions of the absorbent structure. Wetting of these other regions of the absorbent member therefore takes place via a very slow diffusion process. In practical terms, this means acquisition of fluids by the absorbent structure is much slower than the rate at which fluids are discharged, especially in gush situations. Leakage from the absorbent article can take place well before the particles of SAP in the absorbent member are even close to being fully saturated or before the fluid can diffuse or wick past the "blocking" particles into the rest of the absorbent member. Gel blocking can be a particularly acute problem if the particles of SAP do not have adequate gel strength and deform or spread under stress once the particles swell with absorbed fluid.

This gel blocking phenomena has typically necessitated the use of a fibrous matrix in which are dispersed the particles of SAP. This fibrous matrix keeps the particles of SAP separated from one another. This fibrous matrix also provides a capillary structure that allows fluid to reach the SAP located in regions remote from the initial fluid discharge point. However, dispersing the SAP in a fibrous matrix at relatively low concentrations in order to minimize or avoid gel blocking can lower the overall fluid storage capacity of thinner absorbent structures. Usage of lower concentrations of these SAPs limits somewhat the real advantage of these materials, namely their ability to absorb and retain large quantities of body fluids per given volume.

Another reason why extremely high concentrations of SAP were not possible resides in the physical integrity disadvantage of structures made of particulate material. Creating a fibrous matrix therefore also had the advantage of providing a fiber re-enforced structure, similar to those used in many other technical situations where structural re-enforcement is provided by fibrous elements, such as in fiberglass.

Besides increasing gel strength, other physical and chemical characteristics of these SAPs have been manipulated to improve their performance especially to decrease gel blocking.

Pampers Cruiser Active Fit Dry Max

2012-08-20T20:38:30+00:00

A new baby diapers with very limited amout of fluff is available in some markets. It has been told it is fluffless but in reality it is not completely true.

The product is Pampers Crusiser(with Dry Max technology) in US and other commercial names in other countries. (like Active Fit) They are manufactured and distributed by P&G.

Chassis is the same as the old version with rigid front flaps and elasticated rear ears. Onto rear ears a couple of tape with hook are placed to be fasten on loop landing zone in the front of diapers.

This product is quite new because absorbent core is made of 2 nonwovens wrapped around a mix of SAP. SAP is kept in position witout use of any fluff but only with a special glue. This system allow to place SAP only where it is needed (and you will see there is no SAP in the back) and of course to save a lot of fluff.

In a size 5 in US you will find about 14g of SAP (and positioning glue). In this way the same absorbency of previous product version is guaranteed.

As we have stated at the beginning it is not completely true it is fluffless because the acqusition layer is still made of fluff. As the previos product there is a patch consisting of a web (usually a resin bonded material) and a layer of curly fibers without any SAP. This is a design very peculiar and it is needed to give to consumers the feeling of a (altough very little) thickness. A completely fluffless core with a very thin product could cause some complaints from the market. Anyhow this design allow to keep the same structure of previous product in contact with the skin of babies. It should reduce possibilities to generate negatives (eg rushes) because hte product is more or less the same.

Here you will find some drawings showing the Pampers Cruiser structure obtained throug a reverse engineering approach.

More detailed info are available.

Lab & Performance Check

2012-08-20T19:29:10+00:00

The first step to establish a fruitful and reliable process to develop new products is to set a up a lab to control and evaluate performances and quality of your products and ones of your competitors. iResolve has a long and proven experience in using lab data to design new products. Very often you do not need to spend thousand of dollars to produce good data to be used to improve your product: You need simple and reliable procedures and very simple tools.

iResolve provides up to date procedures, tools and know how to set up a perfect lab tailored on your needs and your budget.

Access to our lab section of our ecommerce site here. If you need assistance to establish your lab send us an email.

New Product Development

2012-08-19T21:21:15+00:00

Companies typically see New Product Development process as the first stage in generating and commercializing new products within the overall strategic process of product life cycle management used to maintain or grow their market share.

NPD is a must for all companies that want to survive in the market and choose their route.

iResolve helps you envision and create products and services that provide value to your customers and result in sustainable (and profitable) product portfolios.

With accessible professionals, a collaborative style, and the kind of tailored solutions you won't get from big consulting mills, iResolve assesses your needs in a flexible and hands-on way. Then we work collaboratively to craft solutions that get your products to market faster and increase customer acceptance.

Start from sharing your product idea and consumer needs and we will take you through all the steps to develop your new product and launch it on the market.

We will bring in not only our proven methodology that all other consulting firms can declare but even our proved wide expertise in product and process development for hygiene absorbent products, personal care and cosmetic industry. These include knowledge of product state of the art design, raw material selection and development, engineering and manufacturing insights.

We provide product assessment and competition monitoring analysis to envision new ideas

We create new product design including raw material selection to match your competitors and satisfy customer needs according your marketing strategy

We fix all development gateway and support the whole development process till the launch on the market

We identify the right process and technology to minimize your investments and risks but guarantee final result

We organise customised consumer tests to check result and validate the whole process before the product launch

Unlike consulting firms that sweep in promising instant transformation, iResolve focuses on making changes in the specific areas that yield the greatest return and lasting improvement. And we leave you with the tools and experience you need to make the changes stick.

Intellectual Property Support

2012-08-19T21:19:20+00:00

In a world of free trade, technology, brands and information, intellectual property rights have become one of the company's valuable assets, if not the most valuable one. Protecting and managing your intellectual property assets in a way that will maximize these assets is becoming crucial..

In many successful companies, intellectual property and intangible assets are recognized as a source of competitive advantage. A lack of adequate protection and enforcement measures can put valuable assets and even an entire business at risk.

The cost of intellectual property litigation is high, and the threat of infringement continues to increase. But risks can be minimized by taking steps to adequately protect and enforce a company’s proprietary rights.

iResolve is dedicated to provide integrated services in all areas of intellectual property for hygiene, personal care and cosmetic industry.

iResolve professionals help clients protect and enforce rights to own and use patents.

We provide preventive technical evaluation of any new idea to verify possible risks for patent infringements.

We support your R&D to develop and properly write a new patent application to protect your idea and preserve your rights for the future.

We carry out reverse engineering projects of your competitors product to reveal manufacturing process and spot any possible infringement of your patents.

We inform about new developments and trends of market leaders in your field by following patent applications they file.

What We Do

-0001-11-30T00:00:00+00:00

Innovation is the key for success today. No industry is immune. The pressure is on to be the nothing less than the best.

But being the best takes serious change and it's no easy matter.

Innovation requires efforts and competencies. To be the best and not throw away your investment you need specialists that can support you in:

- identify new products and support relevant research and development

- protect new ideas filing properly patent applications

- organise consumer test and validations

- select manufacturing technology and assist start up and commissioning

focused on CPG, cosmetics and hygiene industry.

We can find the right gear for your business showing you different and more efficient ways to do better and innovative products

Patent Survey Reports

2011-11-23T15:50:01+00:00

Periodically iResolve publish reports collecting, listing and describing patent filed at international level (PCT) by some important players where valuable info are collected:

- international patents filed for each specific player in a certain period (generally quarterly)

- brief patent description and link to original document for quick download

- outline of new development trends and forecast about possible new products introduction

These reports are used by our customers to be constantly updated on new ideas that are boiling in R&D teams of their competitors. Even though those ideas seem protected by an international patent there are many reasons it is worth it to receive these updates:

- generate new ideas or simply copy the ones presented because they are not patented in your country;

- prepare some countermeasures and start developing something similar (very often in cooperation with raw material suppliers);

- develop new technologies to answer possible future request for that (or similar) feature.

We provide these IP reports in 2 forms

1.- quarterly (or bi-yearly depending on target) report as standard publication. It is sent as a periodic newsletter, sold by subscription and has a very limited cost.

A sample copy is available for download at this link.

2.- specific survey (by type of feature or target). This is a personalized research and it is carried out for a few customer (ideally 1). If you are interested to receive such an update pleas ask for a personalized quotation.

To subscribe to our newsletter (type 1) go to our ecommerce site here