Crate redesign for medical device streamlines delivery process and saves 50% in packaging costs
14 April 2023
Packaging and shipping is often a complex logistical exercise for manufacturers and distributors of medical devices due to their large size and significant expense.
The crate was poorly designed and cumbersome
One such example of a packaging nightmare was a crate we recently came across made by another manufacturer.
It was immediately apparent that the crate was poorly designed, extremely cumbersome, and unnecessarily expensive at $700 per crate. The device manufacturer jumped at our offer for a redesign to help improve the delivery process and save money.
One key complaint of the existing crate was that it was difficult, if not downright unsafe, to get the sensitive and heavy piece of equipment loaded into the crate for transport.
The following two problems were noted:
- The 300 lb medical device was built on top of a custom scissor lift. Two or three men were needed to manually lift the heavy device off the scissor lift and onto a wooden cart with wheels. This then had to be rolled up a ramp and secured into the crate, taking time and considerable manpower.
- Along with the packaging process, there were also problems with the design of the crate itself. It used too many materials, was very heavy, and needed to be unpacked outside as it couldn’t go through standard doorways.
The new design allowed one person to easily roll the device off the scissor lift when lowered.
The LPC design team set forth to create a practical solution to solve both of these problems based on the specific operating environment and device specifications.
First the team designed a custom crate base with casters purpose-built to fit the shell of the machine and to sit on top of the scissor lift. This meant the device could now be built on the crate base while safely secured to the scissor lift.
This solved the problem of needing two or more men to manually lift the heavy device off the scissor lift and onto the wooden crate. The new design allowed one person to easily roll the device off the scissor lift when lowered.
At the same time the crate size was altered to allow it to fit through standard doorways to reach its final destination. This simple change dramatically reduced the time it took to unpack and setup the new piece of equipment as it could be done at the point of use, rather than outside the building.
The crate cap was also re-designed with appropriate markings, a window was included for serial number checks, and the cap was secured with tool-free fasteners to further simplify the packing and unpacking process.
Our solution worked much better and saved the client around 50% in costs.
The client, a large company in the medical industry, was delighted with the outcome. It streamlined the delivery process, saved them shipping time, and improved safety issues during the moving process. Our solution worked much better and saved the client around 50% in costs.
This device was low volume initially, but production increased rapidly as sales took off. The client returned to us for repeat business, and we continue to help them with innovative packaging solutions to this day.
About Larson Packaging
Larson designs and manufactures custom packaging solutions for high-value, fragile and sensitive equipment. When others lack the capabilities or say it simply can’t be done in time, we deliver.