WHO YOU ARE:

An entry-level product test engineer at a mid-sized consumer products testing laboratory, ProAssess.

THE SITUATION:

Your supervisor assigns you to a special case for a high-priority client, a toy retailer called E&E Toys. The client has designed a new toy and has come to your company to have it tested, as the law requires, to ensure it meets applicable toy safety requirements. While you have only worked at ProAssess for about 18 months, your supervisor says she trusts your judgment to review the toy in question based on your stellar track record.

THE CLIENT AND THE PRODUCT:

The toy has gone through several phases of design, but they do not quite have a functioning sample yet; however, they have detailed drawings and pictures of the prototype to share. They also have a list of the toy features, but your supervisor warns you that the feature list is from the client’s marketing department, and therefore may not be a complete list of technical functions.

You have worked with this client before, but this is the first new product you have reviewed. However, based on your past experience with the client, you know that E&E Toys does not have a large product testing budget, and prefers to test for only those requirements that are truly necessary.

OTHER DETAILS:

ProAssess purchases industry standards and test methods from various standards organizations in order to conduct business. In addition, your company subscribes to the ASTM Compass database, which provides electronic access to all current and past versions of ASTM standards, which are extremely important to the consumer products testing industry.

Based on your past work experiences, you know that you will need to consult ASTM F963-17, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety; however, you no longer have a copy, so you will have to locate this current version of the standard using the ASTM Compass database.

TESTING DETAILS:

Per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), all sections of ASTM F963 are mandatory; however, not all toys possess all the various features and functions that are detailed in the test standard.

While you have not been given a specific budget to work with for this assignment, as far as what the client is willing to pay, your supervisor reminds you that each test method listed in ASTM F963 would be a separate line item on the bill to E&E Toys. She understands the client does not like to spend money on product testing but wants to ensure that ProAssess is not held liable for failing to recommend potentially appropriate tests.

YOUR CHALLENGE:

Write a technical report that contains the following sections: A recommendation of tests and other requirements from the applicable toy test standard, ASTM F963, as well as your evaluation of the specific toy. Remember to provide reasoning as to why you are recommending specific tests or markings.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Location and analysis of standards (using ASTM Compass database)
• Development of relevant standard section list
• Drafting of recommendations in memo format
• Drafting of introduction, recommendations, and other sections
• Final report, 500–750 words with appendixes, appropriate citations, and these sections:
  • Introduction
  • Product description and analysis
  • Overview of relevant standards
  • Recommended tests
  • Required tests