Method 22

Mannequin Fit & Dynamic Simulation

Problem it solves: Static lab tests measure material performance — absorption speed, rewet, retention. But they cannot predict how a product behaves on a moving body. A diaper that tests well on a flat bench may leak when a toddler crawls, bunch when they sit, or sag when the core absorbs its second load. The gap between lab performance and real-world performance is a fit and dynamics problem that static testing cannot detect.

Innovation & QA

Mannequin testing answers the question that lab testing cannot: does this product work on a body in motion?

What you receive:

Static Fit Report — dimensional measurements at anatomical reference points, coverage zone mapping, elastic tension distribution, and seal quality assessment. You see exactly how the product fits before any liquid is introduced.

Dynamic Performance Report — product behavior documented through representative motion sequences at multiple load cycles. Gap formation, displacement, and core migration tracked across activities and insult volumes. You see where the product fails under real-world conditions — not just whether it fails.

Comparative Benchmark — your product tested alongside competitors under identical dynamic conditions. You see not just how your product performs, but how its fit and dynamics compare to the products currently winning in your category.

The most expensive product returns are not caused by material failure. They are caused by fit failure — products that tested well in the lab but did not account for what happens when a toddler moves.

How It Works

We use standardized mannequin testing equipment to evaluate product performance under simulated real-world conditions:

Static fit assessment: product placed on a size-appropriate mannequin to evaluate coverage zones, elastic tension distribution, leg cuff seal quality, and waistband positioning. Dimensional measurements taken at standardized anatomical reference points.

Dynamic simulation: the mannequin moved through representative motion sequences — sitting, crawling, standing, walking — while the product is loaded with standardized liquid volumes. This reveals failure modes that static testing misses: gap formation during leg movement, waistband displacement during bending, core migration during activity.

Multi-load dynamic testing: the same motion sequence repeated across multiple liquid insults to identify at which load cycle the fit begins to degrade. A product that fits well when dry may perform very differently after the second or third insult when the core weight has shifted.

Comparative benchmarking: your product tested under identical conditions alongside competitor products, producing a fit and dynamics comparison that goes beyond material performance into real-world functionality.

Why Only CORIO

Mannequin testing requires significant equipment investment — standardized mannequins calibrated to target market anthropometric data, motion simulation systems, and liquid delivery apparatus that replicates realistic insult volumes and rates. This infrastructure is expensive enough that most supply chain partners do not maintain it, and most brands have never seen their product tested this way.

We are actively building this testing capability because we have seen the cost of not having it. In static lab testing, a product can score well on every metric and still fail in consumer use because the fit geometry changes under movement. In a current equipment sourcing initiative, we are evaluating mannequin systems from specialized manufacturers — assessing which platforms best replicate the dynamic conditions that matter for the product categories we serve.

The critical insight from dynamic testing is always about interaction: how the product's material performance interacts with its structural geometry under the loads and movements of actual use. A product that absorbs efficiently but allows gap formation during leg movement will leak — and no amount of absorption improvement will fix a fit problem. That diagnostic specificity is what makes dynamic simulation worth the infrastructure investment.

Problem it solves

Static lab tests measure material performance — absorption speed, rewet, retention. But they cannot predict how a product behaves on a moving body. A diaper that tests well on a flat bench may leak when a toddler crawls, bunch when they sit, or sag when the core absorbs its second load. The gap between lab performance and real-world performance is a fit and dynamics problem that static testing cannot detect.

Bilingual Specification Engineering

See This Method in Action

Describe your current challenge. We'll map it to the right methodology and tell you exactly what we'd do — before any commitment.

Send an Inquiry