Figure 1 BD Swab

Figure 4 BD Swab Packaging Dimensions

Figure 2 BD Swab Dimensions
Figure 3 BD Swab Packaging
Excessive Packaging Case study

BD persist plus Protective barrier with Chlorhexidine Gluconate and
Alcohol
Packaging Data



Hatches areas represent borders which are
sealed,
dimensions are in millimetres

Masses:
Total: 3.84 grams
Packaging = 1.97 grams
Swab= 1.87 Grams
Packaging materials

Package consists of a three layers with an external paper liner and an internal plastic film
sandwiching an aluminium foil layer.
Analysis
Packaging represents almost 50% of the item mass
Package area far exceeds that of the item itself (3895mm
2
vs 576 mm
2
)
Package seal depth is not consistent, if it can be 3mm on one side, why not all sides?
Likely that ADHB is given commercial retail packaging, likely that for ADHBs purposes it is
over engineered and overprotected
Packaging appears to be multi-tiered due to the presence of solvents
Although the packaging is composed partly of aluminium and paper, due to the lamination
of plastic and all three being combined it is unrecyclable.

Suggestions
Incremental changes
Reduction in border seal and package area


Figure 5 redesigned packaging (dimensions in mm)

The unhatched area represents the swab cross sectional area
Red hatched area is additional space
Blue hatched area is the glue seal area

New cross sectional area: 1596 mm
2
new vs 3895mm
2
old , approximately 41% reduction in area and
mass (0.81 grams new)

Further savings might be able to be realized through moving to a thinner gauge material

Changes are easily implemented, although it will require slight retooling on the
manufacturers part to achieve tighter tolerances.

Figure 6 Cross Section

Step Changes

Figure 7 Redesign 2 (dimensions in mm)

Figure 8 Artistic representation

New packaging consists of a folded over single piece design (similar to individually wrapped
toothpicks) versus the existing laminated dual piece design.
Advantage of this design is that it allows savings of the removal of one glue seal on one side
1368 mm
2
cross-sectional area (15% savings over the new redesign) but saves on glue and
material for a disproportionate weight saving (estimated 20%)
Requires new machines as existing packaging machines are unlikely to be compatible