Wright Medical

Background

As a global orthopaedic medical device company that specializes in the design and manufacture of reconstructive devices, Wright needed protective packaging that could protect a multitude of various sized and shaped implant screws while ensuring that sterility was upheld, withstand EtO and Gamma sterilization as well as be user-friendly.

The Solution

Designed to be used in sterile and non-sterile presentations, the PETG thermoform utilizes a single, consistent footprint for easy product validation. The 2 ½” long x 1 ½” wide clamshell (when closed) was built to protect and hold approximately 350 SKUs. For double barrier sterile uses, a screw is placed in the clamshell and sealed into a chevron poly Tyvek pouch which is subsequently sealed into a second chevron poly Tyvek pouch that is slid into a carton with the small IFU. The complete packages are either sterilized by Gamma radiation or EtO gas. Channels/gates designed on the side of the thermoform allow EtO gas to flow through to the inside of the closed clamshell sterilizing the screw and the entire package.

The packaging has met with high marks in end-user satisfaction with an increase in the OR staff’s ability to easily find the part within the sterile packaging configuration or non-sterile poly bag without having to “dig” in search of the product.

Working closely with Wright Medical, Barger collaborated on the design process to produce the small, universal clamshell that meets their high volume needs. The final packaging configuration addressed Wright’s multiple concerns, minimized its inventory and overall packaging footprint, improved production efficiencies and accommodated its vast line of foot implant screws.

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