Company Background
XYZ medical is a startup company that manufactures innovative medical devices. The company produces a range of products, including diagnostic devices, oxygen therapy devices, and endoscopy cameras. The company’s products are distributed globally to hospitals, clinics, and medical professionals.
Introduction
For any company that produces physical products, product packaging is an essential component. The packaging is not only a means to showcase the company’s branding but also protect the products during transportation, storage, and display. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that the packaging is fit for the specific product’s purpose. This case study will focus on packaging testing for a hypothetical company that produces medical devices.
Packaging Problem
The company has encountered various packaging issues. Customers have reported that some packages are damaged during transportation, leading to some of the products arriving in dysfunctional conditions. The company has also had issues with the packages being opened during shipping, which can result in contamination of the medical devices.
Testing Approach
To address the packaging issues, the company decided to conduct testing to determine if the current packaging materials were sufficient for the products. The testing approach involved a series of physical tests to evaluate the packaging’s resistance to static and dynamic forces.
The company collaborated with a packaging testing service provider (Purple Diamond) to perform the following series of tests:
1. Drop Test: To determine the packaging’s strength, the team performed a drop test. The package was dropped from a predefined height to simulate shocks encountered during transportation.
2. Stacking Test: The stacking test assessed the packaging’s ability to support weight when stacked. Packages were arranged with weights of up to 500 kg exerted on the stacked boxes.
3. Compression Test: The compression test evaluated static compression resistance under different weights.
4. Vibration Test: The vibration test simulated the vibrations that could occur during transportation in a vehicle. The package was exposed to different levels and frequencies of vibration to imitate transport conditions.
Test Results
The tests showed that the current packaging couldn’t withstand the forces experienced during transportation and storage. The test results indicated that the packaging was insufficient to protect the medical devices from the dynamic forces encountered during transportation. The company had to redesign the packaging to improve the resistance to these forces.
Conclusion
The packaging of products is an essential factor in ensuring the safety and functionality of products. Therefore, companies must conduct packaging testing to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the packaging materials. Although this case study focused on a hypothetical company, the conclusions are applicable to all companies that manufacture physical products. By performing packaging testing, companies can ensure that their products are protected and that they reach their customers in good condition.
