Date: April 29, 2017

To: Guyfer McPerson III

Owner and Proprietor
Guy’s Gags Novelty Store
From: Zikora Agbapu; Production Manager
Guy’s Gags Novelty Store
Subject: Recommendation Report for Material Study for Gag Glasses

Attached is the report for our study, “Fixing the Problem of Skin Irritations from
Groucho Marx Glasses: A Recommendation Report.” I completed the tasks described in
my proposal of April 1, 2017: determined which of the components in the Groucho Marx
glasses causes skin inflammation, tested the defective component to ascertain the
severity of the possible damages, determined if the problem could be due to production
methods, established criteria by which to evaluate potential solutions to the defective
part, and assessed the solutions based on the established criteria.
To carry out this research, I performed secondary and primary research. I studied
the literature on polymer materials and their interaction with human skin, interviewed
Fellow Nameson, tested the materials in a variety of polymer trials, conducted a focus
group and consulted trade magazines for alternatives. Then, I collected and analyzed
my data and wrote the report.
Our main findings are that the choice of Bisphenol-A plastic (BPA) for the frame
of the glasses is the leading cause of the skin irritations, as it contains impurities and
reacts adversely to a particular medication. The impurity levels in the plastic are within
the legal limit, but it is significant enough to warrant company response. We recommend
that Guy’s Gags Novelty Store switch from BPA to Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), a
safer, cheaper and more durable material.
I appreciate the trust you have shown by inviting me to participate in this phase
of the feasibility study, and I look forward to working with you on any follow-up activities.
If you have any comments or questions, please contact Zikora Agbapu at
zagbapu@gmail.com or 678-4676415.
Fixing the Problem of Skin Irritations
from Groucho Marx Glasses:
A Recommendation Report

Prepared for: Guyfer McPerson III

Owner and Proprietor
Guy’s Gags Novelty Store

Prepared by: Zikora Agbapu; Production Manager

Guy’s Gags Novelty Store

April 29, 2017

 Abstract
“Fixing the Problem of Skin Irritations from Groucho Marx Glasses:
A Recommendation Report”

Prepared by: Zikora Agbapu; Production Manager

Guy’s Gags Novelty Store

On April 1, 2013, Mr. Guyfer McPerson III, owner, and proprietor of Guy Gag’s
Novelty Store, approved a proposal by Zikora Agbapu (Production Manager) to carry
out a feasibility study on sorting out the customer complaints of skin irritations after
prolonged use of the Groucho Marx glasses. The author began by performing research
to better understand the current materials and production methods for the eyeglasses
frames. Then, they tested the various components of the glasses with a variety of tests,
determined the criteria by which each potential solution might be evaluated, and
performed the evaluations. Due to the nature of the BPA plastic that is used to construct
the frame, there are trace amounts of impurities that cause skin irritations with the
wearer. Injection molding also introduces some impurities into the polymer, but these
have no significant effect on the frame or the user. Some replacement materials were
compiled and run through a decision matrix to see which one of the plastics bet fit all the
established criteria. I recommend that Guy’s Gags Novelty Store switch from BPA to
PET, a better alternative that solves the initial problem while reducing costs and
improving durability.

Keywords: Groucho Marx, novelty store, skin irritations, injection molding, epoxy resin
 Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 5

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 6

Research Methods ........................................................................................................ 7

Task 1. Determine which components cause skin inflammation ............................................. 8

Task 2: Test the defective component for the severity of the damages .................................. 8

Task 3: Determine if the problem is from production. ............................................................. 8

Task 4: Establish criteria to evaluate potential solutions ......................................................... 9

Task 5: Assess the solutions based on the established criteria. ............................................10

Task 6: Analyze the data and prepare a recommendation report ..........................................10

Results....................................................................................................................................10

Task 1. Determine which components cause skin inflammation ............................................10

Task 2: Test the defective component for severity.................................................................11

Task 3: Determine if the problem is from production .............................................................11

Task 4: Establish criteria to evaluate potential solutions ........................................................11

Task 5: Assess the solutions based on the established criteria. ............................................12

Conclusion.............................................................................................................................13

Recommendation ........................................................................................................ 14

Glossary ....................................................................................................................... 16

List of Symbols ........................................................................................................... 16

References ................................................................................................................... 16

List of Illustrations

Table
Table 1. Polymer Decision Matrix ………………………………………………………..13
 Executive Summary
To determine the best cause of action for addressing customer complaints about
the Groucho Marx Glasses, Mr. Guyfer McPerson III tasked me with developing a plan
to investigate the cause of the complaints and come up with an alternative solution.
Ever since a recent redesign, many customers who purchased the new Groucho
Marx glasses have returned their units, claiming that it caused skin rashes and irritation
after prolonged use. Mr. McPerson III wanted me to determine the best way to fix this
problem. This charge included identifying the cause of the skin irritations and find a
solution without incurring additional cost to the glasses.
To carry out this study, I completed the tasks described in my proposal of April 1,
2017: determined which of the components in the Groucho Marx glasses causes skin
inflammation, tested the defective component to determine the severity of the possible
damages, determined if the problem could be due to production methods, established
criteria by which to evaluate potential solutions to the defective part, and assessed the
solutions based on the established criteria. Then, I collected and analyzed my data and
wrote the report.
My main finding is that the choice of material for the frame is the chief culprit, as
the Bisphenol-A plastic used for the frame contains trace amounts of uncured epoxy
resin that are harmful when in contact with human skin, and can cause skin irritations
and inflammations. Injection molding also introduces some impurities into the polymer,
but these have no significant effect on the frame or the user. I compiled a shortlist of
alternative materials and ran the list through a decision matrix to see which one of the
plastics bet fit all the established criteria.
I recommend that Guy’s Gags Novelty Store switch from BPA to PET, a better
alternative that solves the initial problem while reducing production costs by up to 25%
while improving durability.
 Introduction
To determine the best cause of action for addressing customer complaints about
the Groucho Marx Glasses, Mr. Guyfer McPerson II tasked me with developing a plan to
investigate the cause of the complaints and come up with an alternative solution.
The sales for the Groucho Marx glasses have fallen by over 63% over the past
three years. This decline in sales comes after a recent redesign of the product. This
redesign was carried out to reduce production costs and increase the durability of the
glasses. Since then, many customers who purchased the new Groucho Marx glasses
have returned their units, claiming that it caused skin rashes and irritation after
prolonged use. This situation is not ideal because it could lead to a significant loss in
revenue by the end of the quarter. More significantly, this could tarnish the company’s
reputation among visitors and travelers, especially as a lot of these irate customers
leave negative reviews online.
Therefore, Mr. McPerson III wanted me to find out the leading cause of these
skin inflammations and determine the best alternative approach. Specifically, Mr.
McPerson asked me to develop a plan to perform five tasks:
 Determine which of the components in the Groucho Marx glasses causes skin
inflammation. We conducted primary research to complete this task.
 Test the defective component to determine the severity of the possible damages.
We conducted primary research to complete this task.
 Determine if the problem could be due to production methods. For this task, we
interviewed Fellow Nameson, head of production about the design and
construction of the glasses.
 Establish criteria by which to evaluate potential solutions to the defective part.
We performed secondary research to complete this task.
 Assess the solutions based on the established criteria. We conducted secondary
research for this task

My main finding is that the choice of material for the frame is the chief culprit, as the
Bisphenol-A plastic used for the frame contains trace amounts of uncured epoxy resin
that are harmful when in contact with human skin, and can cause skin irritations and
inflammations. Injection molding also introduces some impurities into the polymer, but
these have no significant effect on the frame or the user. I compiled a shortlist of
alternative materials and ran the list through a decision matrix to see which one of the
plastics bet fit all the established criteria.
I recommend that Guy’s Gags Novelty Store switch from BPA to PET, a better
alternative that solves the initial problem while reducing production costs by up to 25%
while improving durability.
In the following sections, I provide additional details about my research methods,
the results I obtained, the conclusions I drew from those results, and my final
recommendations.

Research Methods
We began our research by performing preliminary interviews with Fellow
Nameson, the lead designer of the team behind the new Groucho Marx glasses, who
walked me through his design decisions and his rationale behind each decision. From
these short conversations, I highlighted several potential sources of problems, like the
material choice for the frame, and the shape and width of the bulbous nose.
To perform the analysis requested by Mr. McPerson III, I broke the project into
six parts:
1. determine which of the components in the Groucho Marx glasses causes skin
inflammation
2. test the defective component to ascertain the severity of the possible
damages
3. Determine if the problem could be due to production methods
4. Establish criteria by which to evaluate potential solutions to the defective part
5. Assess the solutions based on the established criteria
In the following discussion of how performed each task, I explain the reason that guided
my research.
Task 1. Determine which components of the Groucho Marx glasses causes skin
inflammation
My preliminary interview with Fellow Nameson, the head of production, raised
several possible causes of the skin irritation that the customers suffered. Some potential
sources of problems highlighted include the material choice for the frame and the shape
and width of the bulbous nose. For this task, I carried out primary research by analyzing
each of the components visually for any sign of possible defective failure. I also
performed further interviews with Mr. Nameson helped to identify the source of the
problem correctly. I also relied heavily on the design logs and bill of materials from the
original conception of the glasses to figure out what could be causing these skin
irritations.

Task 2: Test the defective component to determine the severity of the damages
After our interviews with Mr. Nameson and identifying the possible guilty
components, I checked them all to correctly pinpoint which one exactly causes the skin
inflammation using a variety of scientific apparatus and equipment. For the frame, I
used polymer and plastics chemical testing methods to identify that material’s structural
information including its molecular formula, atomic weight and the possible presence of
additives. The purpose of this test was to check the frame material for the presence of
impurities that could have an adverse reaction with human skin. The test involved
performing TGA* and TMA tests on a sample of the plastic frame. I chose these two
tests because they can easily be cross-checked against standard values and any
discrepancies would signal the presence of impurities. I then used the calculated
differences between these two measurements to identify the nature and chemical
structure of the included impurity.

Task 3: Determine if the problem could be due to production methods.

My research revealed that the presence of any unknown additives to the material
could introduce impurities that might cause adverse reactions with the wearer. With the
present production method, there are many possible points at which impurities might
find its way into the polymer material. Currently, the Groucho Marx glasses are
produced by injection molding. This method is very cost-effective, as it uses a single
cast to create thousands of parts, and requires no specialized tools. However, my
research shows that there is a risk of some of that lead leeching into the finished plastic,
acting as an impurity (Gray, 2012). To test if this is the cause of the skin reactions, I ran
several samples of the same materials through a mass spectrometer to test for the
presence of lead in the polymer.

Task 4: Establish criteria by which to evaluate potential solutions to the defective

part.
We studied the extensive literature on the production of polymers. I met
informally with many members of the production team to discuss the priorities they had
while designing the original glasses and some of the factors that influenced their
decision for the choice of the frames.
I began with the first criterion: cost. Mr. McPerson had told me in our preliminary
conversations that any new solutions should cost about the same as the current setup,
and I intend to stay within those constraints. For this reason, I did not conduct a
thorough examination of hypoallergic plastics used in designer sunshades and
prescribed reading glasses, as they are too expensive to produce and would be overkill
for our novelty glasses.
Also, we paid particular attention to the durability of the chosen material. The
Groucho Marx glasses’ primary audience is children and young adults, so it is likely that
these frames would experience wear and tear over its lifetime. It is important the
glasses can handle the abuse and avoid failure or breakage.
We concluded that two factors that might seem essential were not: chemical
resistance and thermal expansion. The operating conditions for these glasses are within
very close temperatures, so there is no need to pick polymers specifically designed to
withstand extreme temperatures and chemical concentrations.
Task 5: Assess the solutions based on the established criteria.
I began the research into the alternative materials by examining trade magazines
in the field of material science and polymer research, to create a shortlist of options. I
paid particular attention to materials specifically related to eyewear, as that best fit the
scope of this study. After drawing up a shortlist from the trade magazines, I tested each
material in a mass spectrometer to ensure that its chemical composition caused no
adverse reaction with human skin. I also rated each material by the cost per pound for
each polymer to see the option that best fits the necessary criteria

Task 6: Analyze the data and prepare a recommendation report

I drafted the recommendation report and sent it to other members of the
production team in a digital form for revisions and editing. I then incorporated my
colleagues’ suggestions into the final draft, which I printed and handed to Mr. McPerson
III.

Results
In this section, I present the results of my research. For each of the tasks I
carried out, I present the most relevant data I acquired.

Task 1. Determine which components of the Groucho Marx glasses causes skin
inflammation
During the interviews with Fellow Nameson, the head of production, I discovered
that the frame of the Groucho Marx glasses was made from a Bisphenol-A (BPA), a
conventional epoxy resin polymer that is often used in plastic bottles, food cans and
water supply lines. Before BPA can be shaped, it must first be cured using amine
hardeners so that it can retain its structure and make it safe for human contact. Other
additives like plasticizers, fillers, and pigments are also present in the final cured BPA to
change the color and texture of the finished product. Even after curing, trace amounts of
uncured BPA remain in the polymer, causing allergic contact dermatitis in individuals
allergic to epoxy resin (Ngan 2002).
 Another source of skin irritation is the reaction with diethylstilbestrol, a synthetic
hormone used in pharmaceutical and medical preparations. It is often prescribed to
pregnant women to prevent miscarriages and ensure they carry their babies to term. A
patient who is on diethylstilbestrol would experience similar redness and itching after
prolonged use of the Groucho Marx glasses.

Task 2: Test the defective component to determine the severity of the damages
According to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the governmental
body that sets and enforces workplace chemical exposure limits, the legal exposure
limit for uncured BPA is 0.2 ppm (GISO 5155). The results from the TGA and TMA tests
show the presence of uncured BPA in the frames, at an amount of 0.1 ppm. This is
below the legal exposure limit, but it is enough to cause some complication if it is in
prolonged contact with the skin.

Task 3: Determine if the problem could be due to production methods.

The results from the mass spectrometer testing corroborated the information
from the TGA and TMA tests, as it showed the presence of uncured BPA epoxy resin
which acts as an impurity in the finished product. The mass spectrometer also showed
trace amounts of metallic oxides which got in during production, but at the current
levels, it causes no harm to either the structural integrity of the frame or to the end user.

Task 4: Establish criteria by which to evaluate potential solutions to the defective

part.
From the guidelines Mr. McPerson III gave me and the information gathered from
secondary research, I identified the main criteria which would evaluate the different
possible solutions. I started by defining the three necessary criteria:
 Customer Satisfaction. The main problem that led to this report was the skin
irritations that the customers suffered after prolonged use of the glasses.
Therefore, I organized a focus group to gauge customer comfort, satisfaction,
and hilarity with each prototype.
  Cost. Guy’s Gags is a small family-owned business, and any solutions that are
too expensive to implement would be a waste of time. From the allotted budget,
the final design for the glasses should cost no more to produce than the initial
plan and move 25% more units in the first year. This means that the chosen
material should be inexpensive, but attractive.
 Durability. I decided to consider materials that are durable and can hold its shape
for a long time. If the material is flimsy and unreliable, it will lead to weak sales
and disapproval from the customers.
Next, I identified one desirable criterion to help me make the distinction among the
various solutions. To decide which criteria are important to consider when evaluating
options, I consulted the company’s mission statement.
 Environmental Sustenance. The mission statement for Guy’s Gags states
“making the world a better place, one laugh at a time.” This involves practicing
greener production methods by picking a solution that is recycled or can be
produced efficiently.

Task 5: Assess the solutions based on the established criteria.

One challenge I faced is that it was impossible and impractical to do an extensive
assessment of all the plastic polymers available on the market, as that is well beyond
the scope of this feasibility study. A second challenge is that a lot of the polymers have
very similar physical and chemical characteristics that it is difficult to choose one over
the other. For this reason, I would only consider similar polymer groups and not the
individual members of the group. Based on the information gathered, I chose five
popular polymer groups to investigate further.
 Polyethylene Terephthalate, PET
 High-Density Polyethylene, HDPE
 Polyvinyl Chloride, PVC
 Polypropylene, PP
 Low-Density Polyethylene, LDPE
 To make the evaluation as objective as possible, I compared the various polymers in
a decision matrix (see Table 1).

Table 1: Polymer Decision Matrix

Comfort Cost Durability Environmental Total
Polymer Score1 Score2 Score3 Score4 Score
PET 10 7 7 8 32
HDPE 8 5 6 7 26
PVC 6 10 5 6 27
PP 7 6 8 8 29
LDPE 9 8 4 5 26

1Polymer scored points equal to average consumer rating from a focus group on a 10-
point scale.
2Polymer scored points ranked on the purchase and production costs for each material.
3Polymer scored points ranked on the tensile and compressive TMA tests performed.
4Polymer scored points based on environmental factors i.e. energy use for production,
recyclable and biodegradable on a 10-point scale

Conclusion
In this section, I present the conclusions based on our research related to the
questions I set out to answer.

Determine which components cause skin inflammation

On the basis of my research, I conclude that the presence of uncured epoxy
resin in the BPA polymer frame is the primary cause of the skin irritations that the
customers have suffered. Another possible reason is the chemical reaction between
Bisphenol-A and diethylstilbestrol. In either case, BPA plastic is the sole source of
complications.
Test the defective component to determine the severity of the damages
On the basis of my primary research with the TGA and TMA analysis, I conclude
that the amount of uncured epoxy resin is not high enough to warrant any legal
complications, but high enough for us to make a change for the customers’ well-being.

Determine if the problem could be due to production

On the basis of my primary research with the mass spectrometer, I conclude that
the production methods cause no significant harm to the customer, and Guy’s Gags can
continue to manufacture the Groucho Marx glasses using the same production
equipment and methods.

Assess the solutions based on the established criteria.

The time and cost criteria eliminated a majority of the specific plastic polymers
available on the market, leaving me with only the general polymer groups. All the
polymers met the necessary criteria of durability, customer satisfaction, and cost, but to
different degrees of success. For the environmental criterion, all the chosen polymer
groups except LDPE can be recycled, but the production methods tor LDPE is about
25% more efficient. From the decision matrix, it is clear that PET is the option that best
fits the desired established criteria.

Recommendation
I recommend that Guy’s Gags Novelty Store switch the material for the frames of
the Groucho Marx glasses from BPA to PET plastic. PET is a durable plastic that is very
resistant to moisture, weather, wear and tear. It is certified safe for human skin and
causes none of the irritations seen with BPA. Also, it is a thermoplastic, meaning it can
be melted and recycled for a different use.
The cost of production for PET glasses frames is 25% lower than BPA because it
melts at a lower temperature and requires less energy for injection molding. PET is also
compatible with the current production method, so there is no need for expensive
machinery overhaul.
 Glossary
Amine: A group of chemical elements containing a basic nitrogen atom and a lone
electron pair.
Dermatitis: A skin condition in which it becomes red, swollen, and sore, sometimes with
small blisters, resulting from direct irritation of the skin by an external agent or an
allergic reaction to it.
Injection Molding: A manufacturing procedure which involves creating a lead relief
shell of the intended shape, then introducing melted plastic into the molded cast and
letting the plastic dry into the desired object.
Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA): A technique in which the mass of a substance is
measured as a function of temperature while the material is subjected to a controlled
temperature program.
Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA): A technique which involves measuring finite
changes in the height of a sample under a constant force as it undergoes a change in
temperature.

List of Symbols
Ppm parts per million

References
Dunn, J. G. “Thermogravimetric Analysis.” Characterization of Materials, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., 15 Oct. 2002.
General Industry Safety Orders 5155. California Labor Code Sec. 142.3. Department of
Industrial Relations. 2002.
IsolaGroup. "Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA)." YouTube. YouTube, 09 Aug. 2013.
Web. 30 Apr. 2017.
Ngan, Vanessa. "Allergy to Epoxy Resin." DermNet New Zealand. DNNZ, 2002. Web.
01 May 2017.