Colloquia

Samenvatting

This thesis outlines the development of Movacolor’s newest and smallest batch blender – internally referred to as MagiMix – intended to be innovative, cost-efficient, and capable of enhanced batch composition accuracy for lower-throughput processing machines in the plastics industry. Initially, there were substantial uncertainties regarding market needs, product specifications, and technical requirements. However, through extensive stakeholder consultations, in-depth research, market analysis, and performance evaluations, essential user requirements and technical criteria were identified.

Utilizing a structured New Product Development (NPD) methodology, the project transitioned from the ambiguous Fuzzy Front End phase into concept generation, where innovative solutions for dosing accuracy, material blending, and user interaction were explored. Multiple concepts were evaluated against the established requirements, leading to the selection of an optimized design solution.

A functional prototype of MagiMix was developed and should be rigorously assessed to ensure compliance with user expectations and the technical specifications.

It is expected the design of MagiMix significantly improves upon existing solutions, offering increased market competitiveness by enhancing user experience and performance. Recommendations for further development and market implementation are provided to ensure ongoing product success.