This presentation was made at the 2019 NAFEMS World Congress in Quebec Canada

Resource Abstract

Medical devices, like many other products, are packaged in boxes with the purpose of protecting the device during transport, allowing easy opening and access to the product and proof of tamper evident. Development and verification of packaging concepts are often based on experience and physical testing following current ISTA standards, which are time consuming due to lead time on raw materials, manufacturing time and test lab availability. Typically, one design iteration takes 3-6 weeks, which leads to a long development process and ultimately a delayed launch, if issues arise late in the process.



Medical Devices are most often shipped internationally in boxes made in corrugated cardboard containing multiple devices, each packed in sales boxes. Testing is regulated by defined ISTA standards, in which the shipper box is subjected to multiple drops on both planes and edges. Physical tracking of the internal displacements and loads is complex and does often not provide sufficient information for the further development. Typical failures observed are excessive deformations on sales cartons and misplacement of devices along with unintended label fractures and peeling.



A sufficiently detailed simulation model was made to enable virtual development and optimization of secondary packaging. The model can predict the loading of both cardboard and label loading during drop impact as well as performance during intended opening of perforations on boxes and labels. The model was obtained by using constitutive modelling for both the non-linear cardboard response along with the adhesive and base material of the label. Furthermore, a fracture mechanical model for the label perforation failure was developed.



In this case study, the impact modelling approach in Abaqus Explicit will be shown along with targeted material testing and sub-model benchmarks. In addition to the gross model of the shipper box, virtual optimization will be demonstrated on the label perforation geometry.



Furthermore, proposals on future model improvements will be presented along with modelling recommendations.