Hasbro · Games
Vacuum Form Tray Study
- Problem
- Vacuum-formed game packaging trays were cracking. Find the root cause and a large-scale, cost-effective fix.
- My role
- Project Engineer Co-op, Hasbro (Games, Play-Doh, NERF): investigation, root cause and fix
- Method
- Hands-on inspection of failed trays, material review from supplier quotes, analysis of Hasbro QA drop-test results
- Result
- ~$120k/year in savings on one title and new tray design standards for Hasbro Games
Background
- Game packaging trays are vacuum-formed plastic inserts that sit in the box and hold all of a board game's components.
- Trays from several games were failing, and the goal was a large-scale, cost-effective fix.
Failure mode and root cause
- Failure mode: the trays cracked.
- Root cause: two things weakened the trays.
- The corners were too stiff to flex and absorb impact.
- Small decorative patterns on the top of the tray weakened the material around the edges.
How I investigated
- Inspected every failed tray by hand, touching and flexing it.
- Read the supplier quotes for each product to find out which materials were used.
- Compared the failed trays with each other to find what they had in common.
- Analyzed the results of Hasbro QA's internal drop tests. QA ran the tests; I analyzed the results.
- Reported the findings to management in a detailed PowerPoint presentation.
The fix
- Larger corner radii, so the corners flex more and cushion the components in the box.
- Thinner material: many trays still failed at the maximum #32 gauge, so thicker material was not the answer.
- Corner protection inserts in the master cartons, which cost less than thickening the tray material.
Result
- ~$120k/year in savings on one title.
- A list of tray design standards for the Hasbro Games portfolio, enabling further cost savings.
What I learned
- Working through a root cause analysis, from failed parts to a fix
- Writing reports that compare many different metrics