In Sterile Service Departments (SSDs), it is vital that heat sealed pouches are properly sealed to minimise the risk of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs). Any medical device that has the integrity of its sterility compromised can prove to be fatal to a patient being operated on in theatre.
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It is for this reason that many SSDs choose to regularly perform seal checks to ensure their pouches are being sealed properly. But what are the options out there and which one is right for you? Let take a closer look at each option:
One of the most popular ways of checking the strength of your seal is to perform a pouch destruction test. The reason many people like this method of seal testing is because it provides an independent test of your heat sealer without the equipment actually leaving the department. Ten pouches are simply run through the heat sealer and sealed according to the standard procedure set by the department. Then, those ten pouches are sent off to a test house which will perform a seal strength test. One such company that can perform such a test is Henderson Biomedical. A special piece of calibrated equipment will pull apart each pouch and measure the amount of force in newtons required to do this. The results are recorded and a certificate is produced confirming this. If the pouch seal is not strong enough, then of course the heat sealer is then called in for a service or repair. However, if the heat sealer is performing as it should be, then the user simply keeps to certificate on file and the heat sealer continues to be used as normal.
The pouch destruction test complies fully with BS EN 868-5 and ISO -2, which means SSDs can have confidence in their heat sealer in the event of an external audit.
The second method of seal checking is the Ink Test Pro by Hawo. This method is a completely new type of ink test that avoids dirty hands or work spaces. It works in a similar way to the standard ink test, but instead of having a pipette and bottle of ink, you simply squash one of the Ink Test Pro sachets in a sealed pouch. Since it is all sealed inside a pouch, this testing method avoids ink getting everywhere, which is a common problem when performing a standard ink test with a pipette and bottle of ink. Another advantage of this is that you can check all four sides of the seal, not just one edge.
The final method is the daily Seal Check. Unlike the Ink Test Pro which is unique to Hawo, the seal check is available from other manufacturers including, but not limited to, VP Stericlin and Amcor. In its simplest terms, the Seal Check is a pack of 250 sheets of paper (enough for a years&#; supply), which can be placed inside a pouch and then sealed. The paper is dark in colour and has a special pattern to it meaning that any creases or imperfections in the seal can be noticed very easily. The paper sheet can also be kept for your records.
So those are the options, but which one is best for you? That depends on the procedures you have set in place and how much emphasis you wish to put on seal testing. Some SSDs will only carry out one of the options above, others will do all three. It is the role of the department manager to decide which one or which combination of tests should be employed.
Henderson Biomedical can offer all three types of seal tests and being an ISO UKAS accredited company, we are more than qualified to advise you on which option is best for you. Contact our dedicated heat sealer technical team for more information.
Owning an industry and keeping it running smoothly is no easy task. From checking whether workers are working properly, to continuously updating work techniques, to upgrading lab testing instruments, a lot of effort and patience is required.
Owners may be more focused on their workers' jobs, such as working hours and techniques, but may forget to upgrade their lab test equipment. Not only is it faster and smoother, but it also allows workers to complete their tasks in less time, making it essential to keep your lab equipment up-to-date. As workers use new and updated equipment, over time they become familiar with the process, which also broadens their experience, increasing their interest in the work and ultimately leading to boredom. You can keep all these issues at bay by updating your lab's test equipment from time to time.
One of the reasons why quality lab equipment is so important in your lab is to help you achieve the highest quality products and the most accurate test results. On the other hand, using inferior equipment increases the chances of error. Invest in good equipment to minimize discrepancies and contamination.
Another important reason to invest in quality laboratory equipment is to reduce maintenance efforts. Purchasing cheaper, lower-quality lab equipment can save some upfront costs, but can be expensive in the long run. After all, poor-quality lab equipment and instruments often have far more maintenance problems. Not only does the repair cost the lab money, but it also causes downtime that slows down the process and can lead to further financial losses. Therefore, investing in higher-quality equipment proves to be a more economical option.
Investing in good equipment not only increases your chances of success in your lab but also contributes to the safety of all lab visitors. Laboratory processes and procedures often involve handling hazardous chemicals and other contaminants. Properly functioning equipment with modern safety features to minimize radiation exposure is essential for the safety of laboratory personnel.
For more information, please visit Cell Instruments.
Investing in top-quality laboratory equipment can also help increase the efficiency of your laboratory in a number of ways. For one thing, high-quality devices tend to be faster, resulting in less production time in the lab. Additionally, manufacturers can design their high-end devices to minimize energy consumption, which can lead to further financial savings.
State-of-the-art lab equipment incorporates the latest technology to help you deliver accurate results and automate multiple processes. Automated labs have several advantages, including ultra-fast and accurate results. It can also be accessed remotely.
You might think that investing in cheap research products will save you a lot of money, but the opposite is true. The cost of maintaining these cheap lab rigs is much higher than spending a little more on lab rigs. High-quality products require far less maintenance and can reduce maintenance costs.
The skills of workers using the updated lab equipment are improved as well. Outdated devices lock users into specific skills. But when new and updated instruments are introduced into labs, those who use them are looking forward to trying out the new instruments and learning new skills that will help them improve their performance.
What is a heat seal tester?
The Heat Seal Tester is specifically designed to simulate heat seal conditions and manipulate parameters to determine the heat seal-ability of plastic films, laminates, coated papers, and other films. The heat seal tester is mostly used in the plastic industry.
Heat Seal Tester Application
Heat Seal Tester is very widely used for testing packaging materials in the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, and plastic industry. Define packaging procedures for packaging operations, product packaging, and product quality control.
Conclusion
A wide range of materials can be tested including plastic film, plastic composite film, paper-plastic composite film, aluminized film, aluminum foil, aluminum composite film, high barrier film, rigid film, and stretch film. It is also used for heat sealing various materials such as engineering plastics, rubber, waterproof materials, insulating materials such as PP, PVC, PVDC, and nylon packages such as plastics, rubber, paper, and paper-plastic composites.
In Sterile Service Departments (SSDs), it is vital that heat sealed pouches are properly sealed to minimise the risk of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs). Any medical device that has the integrity of its sterility compromised can prove to be fatal to a patient being operated on in theatre.
It is for this reason that many SSDs choose to regularly perform seal checks to ensure their pouches are being sealed properly. But what are the options out there and which one is right for you? Let take a closer look at each option:
One of the most popular ways of checking the strength of your seal is to perform a pouch destruction test. The reason many people like this method of seal testing is because it provides an independent test of your heat sealer without the equipment actually leaving the department. Ten pouches are simply run through the heat sealer and sealed according to the standard procedure set by the department. Then, those ten pouches are sent off to a test house which will perform a seal strength test. One such company that can perform such a test is Henderson Biomedical. A special piece of calibrated equipment will pull apart each pouch and measure the amount of force in newtons required to do this. The results are recorded and a certificate is produced confirming this. If the pouch seal is not strong enough, then of course the heat sealer is then called in for a service or repair. However, if the heat sealer is performing as it should be, then the user simply keeps to certificate on file and the heat sealer continues to be used as normal.
The pouch destruction test complies fully with BS EN 868-5 and ISO -2, which means SSDs can have confidence in their heat sealer in the event of an external audit.
The second method of seal checking is the Ink Test Pro by Hawo. This method is a completely new type of ink test that avoids dirty hands or work spaces. It works in a similar way to the standard ink test, but instead of having a pipette and bottle of ink, you simply squash one of the Ink Test Pro sachets in a sealed pouch. Since it is all sealed inside a pouch, this testing method avoids ink getting everywhere, which is a common problem when performing a standard ink test with a pipette and bottle of ink. Another advantage of this is that you can check all four sides of the seal, not just one edge.
The final method is the daily Seal Check. Unlike the Ink Test Pro which is unique to Hawo, the seal check is available from other manufacturers including, but not limited to, VP Stericlin and Amcor. In its simplest terms, the Seal Check is a pack of 250 sheets of paper (enough for a years&#; supply), which can be placed inside a pouch and then sealed. The paper is dark in colour and has a special pattern to it meaning that any creases or imperfections in the seal can be noticed very easily. The paper sheet can also be kept for your records.
So those are the options, but which one is best for you? That depends on the procedures you have set in place and how much emphasis you wish to put on seal testing. Some SSDs will only carry out one of the options above, others will do all three. It is the role of the department manager to decide which one or which combination of tests should be employed.
Henderson Biomedical can offer all three types of seal tests and being an ISO UKAS accredited company, we are more than qualified to advise you on which option is best for you. Contact our dedicated heat sealer technical team for more information.
Owning an industry and keeping it running smoothly is no easy task. From checking whether workers are working properly, to continuously updating work techniques, to upgrading lab testing instruments, a lot of effort and patience is required.
Owners may be more focused on their workers' jobs, such as working hours and techniques, but may forget to upgrade their lab test equipment. Not only is it faster and smoother, but it also allows workers to complete their tasks in less time, making it essential to keep your lab equipment up-to-date. As workers use new and updated equipment, over time they become familiar with the process, which also broadens their experience, increasing their interest in the work and ultimately leading to boredom. You can keep all these issues at bay by updating your lab's test equipment from time to time.
One of the reasons why quality lab equipment is so important in your lab is to help you achieve the highest quality products and the most accurate test results. On the other hand, using inferior equipment increases the chances of error. Invest in good equipment to minimize discrepancies and contamination.
Another important reason to invest in quality laboratory equipment is to reduce maintenance efforts. Purchasing cheaper, lower-quality lab equipment can save some upfront costs, but can be expensive in the long run. After all, poor-quality lab equipment and instruments often have far more maintenance problems. Not only does the repair cost the lab money, but it also causes downtime that slows down the process and can lead to further financial losses. Therefore, investing in higher-quality equipment proves to be a more economical option.
Investing in good equipment not only increases your chances of success in your lab but also contributes to the safety of all lab visitors. Laboratory processes and procedures often involve handling hazardous chemicals and other contaminants. Properly functioning equipment with modern safety features to minimize radiation exposure is essential for the safety of laboratory personnel.
Investing in top-quality laboratory equipment can also help increase the efficiency of your laboratory in a number of ways. For one thing, high-quality devices tend to be faster, resulting in less production time in the lab. Additionally, manufacturers can design their high-end devices to minimize energy consumption, which can lead to further financial savings.
State-of-the-art lab equipment incorporates the latest technology to help you deliver accurate results and automate multiple processes. Automated labs have several advantages, including ultra-fast and accurate results. It can also be accessed remotely.
You might think that investing in cheap research products will save you a lot of money, but the opposite is true. The cost of maintaining these cheap lab rigs is much higher than spending a little more on lab rigs. High-quality products require far less maintenance and can reduce maintenance costs.
The skills of workers using the updated lab equipment are improved as well. Outdated devices lock users into specific skills. But when new and updated instruments are introduced into labs, those who use them are looking forward to trying out the new instruments and learning new skills that will help them improve their performance.
What is a heat seal tester?
The Heat Seal TesterHeat Seal Tester is specifically designed to simulate heat seal conditions and manipulate parameters to determine the heat seal-ability of plastic films, laminates, coated papers, and other films. The heat seal tester is mostly used in the plastic industry.
Heat Seal Tester Application
Heat Seal Tester is very widely used for testing packaging materials in the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, and plastic industry. Define packaging procedures for packaging operations, product packaging, and product quality control.
Conclusion
A wide range of materials can be tested including plastic film, plastic composite film, paper-plastic composite film, aluminized film, aluminum foil, aluminum composite film, high barrier film, rigid film, and stretch film. It is also used for heat sealing various materials such as engineering plastics, rubber, waterproof materials, insulating materials such as PP, PVC, PVDC, and nylon packages such as plastics, rubber, paper, and paper-plastic composites.