STICKY SITUATION Avani Patel

Phil Bagley

Kamile Berenyte

PROBLEM STATEMENT Women’s shoes that have flat, smooth bottoms do not provide any resistance to sticky gum. In 1871, the gum production escalated with the patent of a gum manufacturing machine; today, over 374 billion sticks of gum are made yearly, and when not disposed of properly, gum becomes a sticky situation. Women in urban areas have agreed that they hate it when there is gum stuck on their shoes as evidenced by the amount of responses to the online search “I hate it when gum is stuck on my shoe.” Although there are many answers on how to effectively remove the gum from your shoes, there are no solutions on how to keep the gum from sticking to the shoe.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Provide flat women’s shoes with a material that protects the bottom of the shoe from gum sticking to them.

GANTT CHART

JUSTIFICATION

Methods Personal experience Articles

City spends $230,000 a year “Gum hard to remove once stuck to a solid

surface” – SBWire Web Patents

PAST AND PRESENT SOLUTIONS/COMPETITION

EXPERT INPUT/RESEARCH

Chemists Modern Marvels Mythbuster’s episode

Engineers Yaktraxs Nano Technology

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS

Chicago 4 random people – two women, two males Interview for personal experience Some questions asked:

Notice gum in the city? Have you stepped in gum, if so how did you remove?

Custodian For project reference, more research purpose Some questions asked:

Gum disposed on the ground a problem? Locations in school with most gum? How long to remove gum?

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW RESULTS Chicago

Noted that gum on the sidewalks is problem All stated that they have had gum stuck to shoe Ways to remove gum off shoe is not efficient

Custodian Stated that gum serious problem when stuck to

floor Gum mostly on hallway floors, under bleachers

SURVEY RESULTS

145; 43%

194; 57%

Gender

Male Female

under 16 16 to 22 23 to 29 30 to 36 37 to 43 44+

Male 40 32 38 13 7 15

Female 48 49 24 15 8 21

5

15

25

35

45

55

Age Distribution

MaleFemale

Age Group

Num

ber o

f Peo

ple

6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5

11 11.5

12 12.5

13 14 15+

Male 7 0 2 1 9 2 25 7 32 8 27 6 11 2 7 1 2

Female 14 10 24 17 45 22 38 5 13 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0

2.5

12.5

22.5

32.5

42.5

Men and Women Shoe Sizes

Male Female

Shoe Size

Num

ber o

f Peo

ple

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9+

Male 17 39 42 12 13 5 3 0 15

Female 6 32 34 31 36 12 10 6 41

2.5

7.5

12.5

17.5

22.5

27.5

32.5

37.5

42.5

Pairs of Shoes Acquired /yrMales v. Females

MaleFemale

Pairs of Shoes

Num

ber o

f Peo

ple

Yes No

Male 131 14

Female 164 30

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

150

170

Have you ever had gum stuck on your shoes?

Male Female

Num

ber o

f Peo

ple

Yes No

Male 122 22

Female 184 10

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

150

170

190

Do you think it is a hassle to remove gum?

MaleFemale

Num

ber o

f Peo

ple

90%

10%

Females

YesNo

96%

4%

Do you think it is a hassle to remove the gum from the bottom of the shoe?

Yes

No

Have you ever had gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe?Total: 194Yes: 175No: 19

Our estimate, 52% of women would be interested in buying our product.

60%

40%

Would you buy our product?

Yes

No

DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS

1) Performance2) Customer Needs3) Safety and Legal Issues4) Materials5) Global Environment 6) Product Life and Durability7) Ergonomics8) Target Cost9) Size and Weight10) Operatory Environment11) Aesthetics

BRAINSTORMING POSSIBILITIESSlits Design Idea

Sticker Design Idea

Cover Idea

Hydrophilic Design Idea

Sensor Design Idea

Slots Design Idea

    Problem Statement Ideas

Criteria Weight Idea 2 Idea 5 Idea 9Product will be able to prevent gum from sticking to the shoe.

3 

4 5 4

The product can be accomplished in the given time.

2 4 3 2

The product can be made with the available resources.

3 4 3 3

The product is marketable. 1 5 4 3

Product is affordable. 1 4 4 4

Materials used are durable. 2 4 1 2

Product has appealing appearance.

1 2 1 2

Product is slip resistant. 3 5 2 4

Product is water resistant. 3 4 5 4

Product is testable. 2 5 4 4

Adjustable to shoe size. 1 4 2 1

Adjustable to shape of the sole.

1 4 2 1

Total Score   96 74 72

Idea 2- Cover Idea (Rubber sole that stretches around the shoe)

Idea 5- PVC Glove Idea (glove material on bottom of the shoe that resists gum)

Idea 9- Resistant Material Idea and Sticker Idea Combined (one layer of gum resistant material on bottom of shoe)

DECISION MATRIX

HAND-DRAWN SKETCH OF IDEA

CAD DRAWINGS

Drawing #1

Drawing #2

Drawing #3

BILL OF MATERIALS Material Description Unit Price Quantity Total

Price Plasti Dip Material composition of our product 6.88 4 27.52Aluminum Foil (roll=25 square feet)

Used to mold product. Allows the plasti dip to be easily removed and keep shape. Also allows product to take shape without the shoe getting ruined.

0.99 2 1.98

Paint Brush Used to paint on plasti dip FREE 1 FREEClamps Used to hold shoe on a flat surface

when painting plasti dip on it. FREE 4 FREE

Sintra Plastic (1.5 ft x 1.5 ft)

Used as a mold and for a smoother ending product

FREE 1 FREE

Women’s Shoe Pair

Used to put foil onto it so product can take shape

FREE 1 FREE

29.5Actual Cost (single) = $2.30 Selling Price (in pair) = $6.00

BUILD PROCESS

Materials “Plasti-dip” Paintbrush Flat bottom shoe Scissors

Build Process Use foil to cover the bottom of shoe. Attach the one of the “one handed” bar

clamps to a table upside down, so that the excess bar length is pointing upwards.

Attach the second clamp about ¾ of the shoe length away. These two clamps will be used to set up the shoe for drying.

Put the Aluminum foil covered shoe on top of the “one handed” bar clamps. Make sure that the bottom of the shoe is level.

Evenly paint on the “Plasti-dip”. Cover the sides a little past the thickness of the sole.

 After 30 minutes, apply another coat. Reapply until there are 3 coats.

4 hours after the last coat, the shield with the foil can be removed, and then remove the foil from the shield.

Use scissors to cut the edges straight and trim down any unevenness at the sides.

TESTING: SLIPPERINESS

Purpose: test whether product is slippery Materials:

Testing pendulum Different Surfaces: tile, grass, carpet, pavement

Procedure: take pendulum and place it onto the different surfaces.

Results:

  Stopped or not

  With water No water

Surface Yes No Yes No

Tile   X X  

Grass X   X  

Carpet X   X  

Pavement X   X  

PICTURES- SLIPPERINESS

TESTING: HEAT RESISTANCE Purpose: test whether product is heat

resistant Materials:

T-shirt dryer Paper/Pen

Procedure: trace product before and after putting it through t-shirt dryer at different temperatures. Note the difference in size and shape.

Results: Degrees (F) Point A (cm)

Before After

Point B (cm)Before

After

Point C (cm)Before

After

Length (cm)Before

After

140 9.5 9.5 7.5 7.5 6 6 26.5 26.5

170 9.5 9.5 7.5 7.5 6 6 26.5 26.5

200 9.5 9.5 7.5 7.5 6 6 26.5 26.5

PICTURES- HEAT RESISTANCE

TESTING: WATER ABSORPTION Purpose: test whether product absorbs water. Materials:

Bin of water Scale Timer

Procedure: Submerge product under an inch of water for 1, 5, 10, and 60 minutes. After each time interval, take its mass.

Results:Time in water (min) Starting Mass (g) Ending Mass (g)

1 29.0 29.0

5 28.9 28.9

10 29.1 29.1

60 29.0 29.0

PICTURES- WATER ABSORPTION

TESTING: FLEXIBILITY Purpose: test whether our product loses

shape after being bent Materials:

Protector Procedure: Marks are made at the 1/3, ½,

and 2/3 point of the shoe. For each mark bent shoe at angles of 60, 120, and 180.

Results:   Observations

Degrees 1/3 Mark 1/2 Mark 2/3 Mark

60 The fold did not produce any changes in the product

The fold did not produce any changes in the product

The fold did not produce any changes in the product

120 Returned to its normal shape; no changes

Returned to its normal shape; no changes

Returned to its normal shape; no changes

180 The product was slower to return to its normal shape, slight crease present, but there were no permanent changes

The product was slower to return to its normal shape, but there were no permanent changes

The product was slower to return to its normal shape, but there were no permanent changes

PICTURES- FLEXIBILITY TEST

TESTING: SURFACE TESTS Purpose: test whether gum sticks to our

product Materials:

Gum (5 seconds chewed) Different Surfaces: concrete, carpet, tile, brick,

grass Procedure: Place gum on different surfaces

and make volunteer walk toward gum with product on his/her shoe.

Results: Surface Type Gum Stuck to Product

Yes No

Concrete X  

Carpet X  

Tile X  

Brick X  

Grass X  

PICTURES- SURFACES TESTS

TESTING: STRESS

Purpose: test at what point our product will break

Materials: Lab Stress Analyzer

Procedure: Place product through the lab stress analyzer.

RESULTS- STRESS ANALYZER

PICTURES- STRESS TEST

REFINE—BUILD PROCESS Materials:

Sintra plastic 2’x1’ Contact cement Vertical band saw

Build Process

1. Cut up the Sintra plastic to four pieces of 1’x6”.

2. Glue four pieces together with contact cement.

3. Outline shape of shoe on plastic and cut out.

4. Use a paintbrush to apply Plasti-dip.

5. Let dry for at least 30 minutes and then apply two more coats, letting each one dry.

6. After four hours, Plasti-dip mold can be removed.

7. Use scissors to cut off any unevenness edges.

FINAL SOLUTION PICTURE

IMPROVEMENT What we like about new design:

Product is smoother than before

What can still be changed: Make sure product does not shrink Change product to allow one size to fit all

SUMMARY/ LESSONS LEARNED Summary

Gave chance to interact with people Build trust among team members Ready for “real” world

Lessons Learned Be open to new ideas Important to communicate with groupRequires corporation and hard work