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&A: Be sure to consider these factors when designing a thermo form/fill/seal tool:

• Maximize corner radius to maximize the thickness of the film in the corner, post forming.
• Optimize the number of cavities per index that are designed into the tool to increase throughput or packages per cycle.
• Consider how much text needs to be printed on the lid and ensure the package size will accommodate all text, graphics and bar codes.
• Consider how the device fits in the cavity:
  • The package needs be large enough to accommodate both manual and automated loading of the device into the cavity
  • If there is not a good fit for the device to the cavity, it can migrate to the seal area as the machine indexes and the product travels from the loading area to the seal station of the TFFS machine. This will result in a seal breach and can be difficult to see during inspection.
• Consider seal width and ensure it is sufficient to maintain integrity during sterilization and distribution.
• Consider size and location of peel flap:
  • Corner peel vs. end peel
  • Embossing in bottom web to facilitate opening (easy to separate top and bottom web when peeling)
  • Too short a flap makes it difficult to open...too long is a waste of material.