Using the Example of Bone Screws and Surgical Implants
From Manual Packaging to Automated Solutions
Packing by hand? It remains the case in many areas of the medical device industry and there are many reasons why this is still happening: the batches are small; the products are sensitive and the packaging process is either specialised or varies greatly. But companies are increasingly looking for more flexibility and less dependence on staff availability, and there is a significant shift towards the automation of the packaging process in the medical device industry – even when dealing with small batches of medical devices.
One company that specialises in automating packaging processes for medical devices is Christ Packing Systems, based in Ottobeuren, Germany. Thanks to its modular and easily customisable BoxTeq cartoning machine, even the most complex manual packaging processes can be automated. This enables companies to produce more efficiently and with less reliance on human resources – a key competitive advantage in the medical device sector.
When it comes to high-value medical products, such as surgical implants or bone screws, they are often still produced in small batches of 50–100 units and manually packaged in folding cartons. The packaging process is complex due to varying product sizes and numerous packaging configurations for different target markets. In addition, the speed of the packaging process and the output are highly dependent on staff availability, which becomes a problem, especially during holidays and sick leave periods.
In this case, an automation solution is the answer. However, a standard cartoner cannot perform all the complex tasks of a manual packaging process, and developing a completely new packaging machine is often not feasible due to the time and cost involved.
As Standardised as Possible, as Customised as Necessary
Medical technology companies need a tailor-made solution that meets their high-quality standards and at the same time fits in with their internal cost and time schedules. This is where the modular concept of the BoxTeq from Christ Packing Systems comes into play. The cartoner can be easily customised and equipped with additional components.
“When customers visit our production facilities, they quickly realise that we have the experience and all the resources on-site to successfully carry out such a project,” explains Jürgen Sikora, Key Account Manager at Christ Packing Systems. With more than 70 years of experience, a production area of 12,500 m², and a high degree of in-house production depth/vertical integration, Christ can respond quickly and flexibly to customer-specific adaptations, making customisation easier and more predictable.
“Our vertical integration of around 87% gives us the flexibility to implement customer-specific adaptations quickly and easily”. Jürgen Sikora, Key Account Manager at Christ
Overview: Customised Packaging Solutions for Hard Blisters
This case study describes a specific customer project in which bone screws in hard blister packs with various inserts are being automatically packed into folding cartons and individually labelled. Christ has developed a comprehensive packaging solution consisting of three parts: a feeding solution, a BoxTeq cartoner and a LabelTeq labelling solution.
A special container was developed that enables the customer to feed the hard blisters into the cartoner, which acts as a reservoir for the blisters to be packaged. This was important as secondary packaging takes place in a separate room. The packaging process starts with a blister being automatically fed from the container onto the product transport.
