More Tips
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Here are six thought-provoking tips for creating a well worded, meaningful and persuasive motivation for your entry to dazzle the judges. Consider each of these in relation to your entry and whether they are applicable and relevant to your entry. (Note that each starts with the words “if applicable”)
1. Innovation - if applicable, explain how your pack development employed - required:
a. Creative application of existing or new ideas
b. Technical Advances
c. Design Advances
d. New material applications
e. Transfer of one technology from another use or industry
2. Protection - if applicable, explain how your pack or pack’s development met the protection requirements
a. Biological, chemical and distribution requirements
b. Testing methods for protection
c. Do testing methods address protection needs?
d. How as the pack met testing requirements?
3. Economics - if applicable, explain how your pack has addressed -
a. Cost reduction factors
b. How were costs reduced?
c. Life cycle issues
4. Performance - if applicable, explain how your pack features superior or enhanced -
a. Filling, opening, re-closing, storing?
b. Machinery efficiencies? (How does it run on machinery)
c. Overall integration (production line, distribution)
d. New benefits to end users
5. Marketing - if applicable, explain how your pack features -
a. Structure/graphics and how they contribute to image or shelf-impact
b. Improved acceptability or appeal of pack or product?
6. Environmental Impact - if applicable, explain how your package has addressed -
a. Environmental and sustainability considerations?
b. Extended producer responsibilities?
c. Design for Recyclability?
Here is an Example:
This is a hypothetical entry for a medical device pouch that has a new easy open feature. The superscript notes such as “1a” refer to the points above. In this example, The 'KEY FEATURES' is 48 words long and the 'MOTIVATION' uses 294 words.
KEY FEATURES (Max 50 Words)
A Linear Tear Medical Device pouch, which allows easier opening than the current peel open design. The pouch is a new idea for the medical category, using an application creatively from the food industry and uses fit-for-purpose materials resulting in improvements in production, distribution, costs and customer appeal.
MOTIVATION (Max 300 words)
1aCurrent medical device pouches use a chevron type opening feature that can be difficult to use. This new linear tear design allows easier access using the large tear notch to pull the pouch open. The film tears horizontally consistently allowing 100% opening of the pouch.
1eThis tear feature is typical for foil packs in the food industry, now introduced as a low-cost packaging material for the medical device.
1dFew LDPE materials allow linear tear constantly. ABC Ltd. worked with DEF Scientific to develop a film that offers consistent easy tearing. Additionally, ABC Ltd. developed a 3-sided weld seal pouch with 4 mm seals to ensure sterile integrity.
2Distribution testing included environmental conditioning, drop, vibration and altitude testing. Design modifications during development were required to meet standards required.
4bThe smaller size pouch allowed the removal of a 'twist' in the current pouch used to constrain the device. 4dThe customer disliked this 'twist' which caused knotting when uncoiling.
3aCost efficiencies are enjoyed as seal breach, an expensive event for a medical device, is dramatically reduced by the weld seal
3bThe smaller size allows up to 50% additional product per pallet eliminating 1,200 pallets per year in shipping. More product can fit inside a shipping container translating to a reduction in distribution cost.
3bThe new pouch design uses lower cost LDPE and removes the need for film lamination and a large amount of Tyvek material, which is a higher priced material.
4bThe new design allows for easier product insertion and sealing process in manufacturing and 4deasier opening by the customer. The smaller package allows the customer to reinsert the device into the package without it uncoiling.
5b/6The reduced pouch and carton size allows customer and hospital pleasing smaller storage space, easier opening and reduced environmental carbon emission.
This is the second of two website pages of TIPS for the AfriStar Awards. To view the first page click on this linkClick here to view the first page of TIPS
