Considering phase-change materials in medical device distribution

During the event, Scott Levy, packaging engineer at DDL will explain that an estimated 90% of failures are caused by distribution simulation because medical device manufacturers don't fully understand their own distribution environment and the methodologies behind the processes.

In an effort to mitigate potential failures, medical device manufacturers must understand their specific distribution environment and match it to the specific test methodology they'll be using for validation. “This will help identify and alleviate any problems prior to launching the product,” Levy says. “Without this knowledge, bringing your product to market can be a daunting task.”

During his presentation, “Distribution Simulation Geared Towards Medical Device Manufacturers,” Levy will also focus on common failure modes and offer advice to circumvent these issues up front.

Meanwhile, TCP Reliable technical services manager Anthony Alleva's presentation will focus on the science behind phase-change materials (PCMs), selecting the appropriate ones, and how to design your package around them. His presentation is entitled, “Phase-Change Materials in Temperature Controlled Package Design.”

With temperature-range requirements becoming more stringent, packages require PCMs that can hold very specific temperature tolerances. “Water is the most commonly used PCM,” says Alleva, “but when you need a specific kind of temperature, you need a material that's adapted for that purpose.” This workshop will help attendees explore some of these materials as well as present case studies of packages designed using PCMs.