DDL

News & Blog

Home / Blog

ISO Publishes Revisions to ISO 10555

‘International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) has recently published revisions to all affected parts of ISO 10555 “Intravascular catheters – Sterile and single-use catheters –.”

ISO 10555 now consists of four parts instead of five and among the important changes are the new tests added for balloon dilation catheters and power injection for flow rate and device pressure.

The changes and additions should help catheter manufacturers better understand their products’ performance.  The additional guidance on balloon catheters and catheters with pre-connected ports is welcomed as there has been an increase in their use in the field.

DDL Offers Tip #5 of “Driving Sustainability: Five Tips for the Packaging and Device Testing Industry”

#5 – Empower Employees to Drive Sustainability

Employees are a powerful asset in the effort to improve sustainable practices.  They are the people who see firsthand the daily practices in the lab space.  Training them to think in a sustainability context will bring forth many unforeseen opportunities for improvement that otherwise may have gone unnoticed.  Providing a venue for active dialog between management and staff enables continual improvement of processes and bestows added value unto the workforce.

Providing training on a regular basis (semi-annual) will keep employees thinking about sustainability and encourage consistent implementation of the practices described above.  The best way to see these measures executed effectively is to create a culture of sustainability in the workplace.

DDL Offers Tip #4 of “Driving Sustainability: Five Tips for the Packaging and Device Testing Industry”

#4 – Conduct Regular Assessments of Current Practices

Information must be collected and analyzed to gain an understanding of current performance in terms of sustainability.  If the company adheres to a standard such as ISO 14001 or has an environmental management system in place, this practice will already be occurring.  But if not, there are several ways to benchmark performance.

 Track the volume of waste generated on a daily basis as efforts to reduce waste are implemented.  Map temperature and humidity data in lab spaces before and after the addition of thermal barriers, insulation, etc. to provide concrete evidence of improvement.   Track energy consumption as changes are implemented to demonstrate the cost saving capabilities of these programs.

Read Tip #5

DDL Offers Tip #3 of “Driving Sustainability: Five Tips for the Packaging and Device Testing Industry”

#3 – Follow the Three R’s

Here at DDL, like all packaging labs, we go through a vast amount of packaging material: cardboard boxes, packing peanuts, dunnage, plastic wrap, palates, etc.  Finding ways to reuse any or all of these materials can extend their useful lives and keep them out of landfills. 

Reduce: using less packaging when shipping products between sites or to customers will reduce shipping costs and the amount of material that will enter the waste stream.  Choosing reusable and recyclable materials in place of those that are not will reduce the amount of waste generated.

Reuse: reusing packing peanuts, dunnage, and boxes bolsters their life cycle and increases their value.

Recycle:  actively seeking out recycling opportunities and choosing to use products that are recyclable or compostable demonstrates commitment to sustainability and can lead to long term savings.

Read Tip #4!

 

DDL Offers Tip #2 of “Driving Sustainability: Five Tips for the Packaging and Device Testing Industry”

#2 – Limit Climate Variability in Lab Space

A major energy consumption driver in any testing facility is the need for climate control.  Tight tolerances on temperature and humidity mean an HVAC system has to work consistently and reliably.  By isolating lab spaces from surround office space and outdoor air, we can minimize the load placed on the HVAC system, thus increasing its lifetime and reducing the energy required to keep the lab in specification.

Some strategies for achieving isolation include limiting movement through and in between lab spaces, hanging thermal barriers where appropriate, and ensuring proper insulation and door seals are in place.

Read Tip #3

Driving Sustainability: Five Tips for the Packaging and Device Testing Industry from DDL

As regulatory bodies and customers alike get on board with the sustainability movement, testing facilities will need to address policies, procedures, and practices to ensure compliance and customer satisfaction.  Often times, this transition is seen as burdensome; an additional task dropped onto and already busy work force with what can be extensive financial implications.  However, there are many small changes to a company and its culture that can have major implications on the pursuit of sustainability.  The following are a few ideas to consider.

Tip #1 – Strategic Planning of Projects and Shipping

In cases where  a test lab has multiple projects with the same client, there are opportunities to schedule the testing so that the shipping of materials can be consolidated to reduce the amount of raw materials needed for testing along with reduce the energy costs.  Some questions a lab may ask are as follows:  Are any of my colleagues working with this client?  Can we use the same samples for testing throughout the lab?  Can we ship materials together to avoid excess energy expenditures? 

These may be small savings, but the client will appreciate an effort to cut their costs and reduce energy consumption.

Check back on Monday 6/17 for Tip #2!

Join us at these upcoming events
MEDevice Silicon Valley
Nov. 20-21, 2024
Santa Clara, CA

VIEW EVENTS

We’re here to help. Please contact us to request a quote, or talk to one of our engineers.

CONTACT US