Thermoformed Trays

A company provides a variety of trays to the medical industry, including medical device trays, diagnostic kits, implant trays, procedure kits, and dental kits. An inner lid can be added to protect and hold the contents securely during sealing and shipping. To create a sterile barrier, most trays can be heat sealed with lids of Tyvek or other materials, such as paper, foil laminations, and plastic films. Custom trays can be designed to fit a variety of applications, and inner trays can be designed with special features, such as a pocket to hold a vial or a graduated well to measure a liquid. Other features, such as undercuts (small recesses used to snap a lid or other item into place), can be incorporated into the basic design of almost any package. Ivex Technical Packaging Div., Wheaton, IL; 630/668-2838; www.ivextechnical.com.

Rigid and Flexible Trays
A company manufactures trays using a variety of semirigid materials, such as PETG, HIPS, and PP, on form-fill-seal machines. The types of kits produced with these materials range from suture removal and suction catheter to tracheostomy and wound care. The company also makes products using flexible bottom web material. Design, validation, and sterilization services are available. The company offers full service contract packaging with many tools to help offset the initial start-up tooling costs. Opportunity Medical, Highland Park, IL; 888/MEDPACK, ext. 40; www.medpack.com.

Custom Thermoforming
A company uses thermoplastic sheet to meet customer specifications. This material cycles into the oven where it is heated to forming temperature; plug assists and female form cavities combine with heat and pressure to make precision parts. The sheet is chilled into a rigid structure, which prepares it for die-cutting or match-metal punch separation into individual thermoforms. Prent Corp., Janesville, WI; 608/754-0276; www.prent.com.

Plastic Extrusion Products
An extruder of rigid plastic sheet offers a variety of plastic products using materials such as PETG, APET, high-impact polystyrene, and custom blends. The company's copolyester sheet offers clarity and light transmission with good impact and tear strength for applications demanding high visibility of product. Mirrex 3007 is a medical device packaging film for demanding thermoform applications. It is specifically engineered for noncontact heating processes and is formulated to provide excellent sealing properties and high-impact resistance, according to the company. VPI LLC, Sheet Products Div., Sheboygan Falls, WI; 920/467-6422; www.vpisheet.com.