Package and Product Integrity Blog

The Package and Product Integrity Blog is the corporate blog for the TCP Family of Companies, including TCP Reliable, Cryopak,  DDL and ATP.  This blog covers topics about package and product integrity. The focus of the information covered in this blog is on the life science, pharmaceutical, cold chain and medical device packaging, as well as product industries.

DDL will be participating as an exhibitor at this year’s MD&M West Expo & Conference, which is just 2 weeks away! MD&M West starts on February 13th, with the Expo opening the following day on the 14th at the Anaheim Convention Center. If you are attending the show, please make sure to stop by booth #1923 to speak with our engineers.

DDL Packaging Engineers, Scott Levy and Robert Hoody will be manning the booth along with our Product & Materials Engineer, Al Gale. If you have technical questions about any current or upcoming testing projects that you are working on, they will be available to answer those throughout all 3 days of the expo.

To learn more about how DDL can help you with your medical device package validation or product and materials testing, visit our website or contact us to see how we can help.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s MD&M West Expo!

About MD&M West
Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West is the most comprehensive resource for every aspect of medical device development. It gathers medtech professionals and leading medical OEM suppliers together to provide you with immediate hands-on access to the tools you need to accelerate your new device to market, all in one convenient location.

Register for MD&M West >>

Cryopak recently announced the addition of thermal modeling and simulation services to its array of cold chain packaging expertise. Cryopak has developed a standard set of processes, options and parameters leading to valid thermal simulation results for existing and new thermal packaging designs.

“The determination of correct simulation parameters and the assessment of appropriate geometric approximations present the biggest challenges in obtaining simulation results that accurately replicate test results,” Landon Halloran, Finite Element Thermal Analyst at Cryopak, said.

Thermal Simulation allows Cryopak to accelerate the design process by reducing inventory and chamber time requirements. Multiple variations on a common development idea can be tested to determine the optimal design. The temperature response at any point in the pack-out can be investigated and a wide variety of graphic rendering can be provided to customers.

Cryopak’s cold chain packaging group offers the following thermal modeling and simulation services;

• Creation of Thermal Packaging System CAD Model
• Thermal Simulation of Modeled Temperature-Controlled Packaging System
• Thermal Simulation with Custom Profile.
• Modification of Payload.

“Thermal Simulation is also offered as an integrated part of the full design, qualification and production service from Cryopak,” Halloran said.

“We saw that there was a need in the industry for these services,” Bill Hingle, Marketing Director at TCP Reliable said. “Others in our industry were starting to use the software on a more regular basis and we wanted to keep Cryopak ahead of the curve.”

To learn more about Cryopak’s Thermal Modeling and Simulation Services, or to speak with one of our cold chain packaging engineers about your thermal packaging system, please feel free to visit our website today at www.cryopak.com.

DDL Product & Materials Division Lab Manager, Mark Francis, presents ASTM F1306. This is a test standard cited by ISO 11607-1, Annex B and provides a way to quantify penetration resistance. The test method employs a universal tester equipped with a load cell, hole clamp and penetration probe. The probe travels at a rate of one inch per minute and the test is complete when the probe has punctured the specimen. Data includes force at break, probe penetration and energy to break. This test method is relevant to packaging engineers, film suppliers and any technical discipline with a need to know more about a film or laminate’s resistive properties.

With the end of the year quickly upon us, we wanted to let you know where DDL will be venturing off to for upcoming industry events. There are two conferences that we are attending the first week of December; BIOMEDevice in San Jose and the LifeScience Alley Conference in Minneapolis.  We will also be hosting a networking happy hour event with a few of our MedTech industry partners, following the LifeScience Alley Conference on December 7th.

BIOMEDevice Expo & Conference | BOOTH #738
December 6-7 | San Jose, CA

Attend BIOMEDevice San Jose and gain immediate access to the newest technologies and innovative solutions, and the most up-to-date information for every aspect of medical device design and manufacturing

DDL Packaging Engineers, Scott Levy and Robert Hoody will be attending the BIOMEDevice show in San Jose. If you are in the area and would like to spend some time discussing any upcoming projects with Scott and Rob, please visit them at the show to say hello.

Register for BIOMEDevice >>

LifeScience Alley Conference & Expo | BOOTH #505
December 7 | Minneapolis, MN

Join medical technology professionals from around the globe at the 10th Annual LifeScience Alley Conference & Expo in Minnesota, the epicenter of medical device innovation. This year’s Conference will bring the medical technology community together to share vital resources, practices, and information on the shifting commercialization landscape.

We will have a couple of employees attending the conference and exhibiting in a booth at LifeScience Alley in Minneapolis. If you are attending the show, please stop by our booth and say hello.

Register for LifeScience Alley >>

Minneapolis MedTech Happy Hour – Hosted by DDL, following LifeScience Alley
December 7 | 5:00-7:00 pm | Porter & Frye in Downtown Minneapolis

DDL, along with several other leading MedTech industry partners, will be hosting a networking happy hour event for MedTech professionals at Porter & Frye in Minneapolis following the LifeScience Alley Conference on December 7th. Whether you are attending LifeScience Alley or not, please register and join us for a great opportunity to connect with other MedTech professionals. Light appetizers and drinks will be provided. To register, please use the link below.

Register to attend the Minneapolis MedTech Happy Hour >>

Patrick Nolan, DDL President, will be presenting on the topic of sustainable packaging during this year’s FMA Progressive Packaging and Sustainability Congress Conference.

Perhaps the rapid industrial growth of countries such as India and China has heightened the awareness of the environmental impact of industrialization. Environmental activism is a logical response to global industrialization and external pressure (the ‘green movement’) is being applied to businesses to make sustainability a significant parameter, in designing packaging. Take the Wal-Mart scorecard, for example, and other programs that are forcing suppliers to use more ‘sustainable’ packaging. This is all well and good but through the ‘sustainable’ packaging process, a few questions arise;

• How do you know when you are designing sustainable packaging?

• How can this be evaluated equitably in the marketplace?

• Where are the standards against which packaging can be measured and examined to determine how well you are meeting a goal of “sustainable” packaging?

• Is sustainable packaging a continuum or a finite achievement?

Nolan’s presentation will cover a general overview of sustainability, the concepts of cradle to grave and cradle to cradle as well as the unintended consequences that can arise during the source reduction process of responsible packaging.

Nolan will also touch on what the industry bodies, such as ASTM, Sustainable Packaging Coalition and European Bioplastics are doing.

The Progressive Packaging and Sustainability is put on in partnership with the FMA Congresses.

The FMA Progressive Packaging Sustainability Congress will take place on November 9-11, 2011 in Chicago, IL.

To learn more about how DDL can help you with your sustainable packaging initiatives and responsible package design, visit our website or contact us to see how we can help.

DDL, Inc. will be exhibiting at the 2011 MD&M Minneapolis Expo & Conference next month in the Twin Cities. The show kicks off with the conference on November 1st at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

MD&M Minneapolis’ Expo hall maximizes your time by gathering the world’s best and most qualified suppliers under one roof. They know your industry, understand your objectives, and are ready to help you bring that new device to market and accelerate your project’s completion

DDL’s Lead Packaging Engineer Scott Levy is a co-chair of the Medical Device Packaging Update at the conference on Thursday, November 3rd. We invite you to join Scott, along with co-chair Kevin Zacharias of Oliver-Tolas Healthcare Packaging for an update on happenings in the medical device packaging industry.

DDL will be exhibiting at booth #830 during the expo, where you will have an opportunity to talk to Scott Levy about any current and upcoming package testing projects.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s show. If you have any questions regarding your package testing needs, please contact us, we are happy to help answer your questions.

ASTM D3332-99, helping to determine the shock fragility of products.

DDL Product & Materials Division Applications Engineer, Amy Peterson, discusses ASTM D3332. ASTM D3332 is the standard test method for Mechanical-Shock Fragility of Products, using shock machines. Amy will help to explain the two different test methods that reside within the ASTM D3332 standard and explain how the data that is collected can help to determine where product damage occurs.

DDL President, Patrick Nolan will be representing us at this year’s Packaging Strategies’ Sustainable Packaging Forum, September 20-22 in Dallas, Texas.

DDL’s newly developed Responsible Packaging Development Group, led by Mr. Nolan is attending this year’s Sustainable Packaging Forum to meet with executives and people within companies that are implementing sustainable packaging initiatives in their organization.

A number of companies understand the importance of designing sustainable packaging; however, many fail to consider the potential unintended consequences that could arise if the package is not tested to ensure the environment it is exposed to is allowing the new package design to effectively protect the product. Our experience with distribution simulation testing will help ensure that you’re new sustainable package is still protecting the product as originally intended.

We look forward to seeing anyone that may be attending this year’s show. If you want to learn more about the Sustainable Packaging Forum and register to attend, click below for further details about the forum and to register.

Cryopak recently announced the launch of one of our new products, the Tempak Plus Insulated Shipping Container.

These cost effective insulated shippers with refrigerants are designed for refrigerated 2-8°C (with excursions of 1-10°C) for 24 hour applications.

The new Tempak Plus Insulated Shipper has been pre-tested against the standard ISTA 7D summer profile.  Test data for this product is available up on request on Cryopak’s website.

Each Tempak Plus comes complete with the EPS insulated shipping container and the specified refrigerant gel packs. These units are available in either assembled or unassembled based on your requirements. Units also come complete with conditioning and packout instructions.

“This light weight shipping system has minimal components and is ideal for customers looking for an affordable alternative to our stringent 2-8°C pre-qualified product line.”  Eva Langen, Engineering Project Manager, said.

For companies looking for a more affordable insulated shipping system that requires basic qualification, the Tempak Plus product is designed for them.

DDL recently announced the expansion of their testing capabilities with the addition of sustainable package testing and their newly formed Responsible Packaging Development Group.

“We can all see that the industry is shifting to towards a ‘responsible’ packaging trend,” DDL President, Patrick Nolan, said.  “DDL is responding to this shift with the addition of our Responsible Packaging Development Group designed to assist companies in the steps that need to be taken in achieving your desired level of sustainability.”

DDL, known in the industry for their expertise in medical device package testing, has been conducting distribution simulation testing on packages for more than 20 years.  DDL’s tenured engineers have a strong understanding of the distribution environment and the conditions that a package goes through during the transportation process.

“A number of companies understand the importance of designing sustainable packaging; however, many fail to consider the potential unintended consequences that could arise if the package is not tested to ensure the environment it is exposed to is allowing the new package design to effectively protect the product,” Nolan said.  “Our experience with distribution simulation testing will help ensure that you’re new sustainable package is still protecting your product as originally intended.”

DDL’s Responsible Packaging Development Group can assist companies in the following ways;

• Compliance to ISO packaging and environmental standard
• Initial Package Design with optimization in mind
• Material selection for optimal source reduction
• Package design testing for evaluation of optimization of material strength and performance
• Package design testing for confirmation of effective cost reduction
• Reduce unintended consequence of source reduction

What recent changes have you seen companies make in regards to designing responsible packaging in line with their sustainability initiatives?