Case study | Precision-applied gamma indicator dots

Customer overview

The company profiled in this case study is a leading provider of advanced life science pipetting solutions. 

The challenge | Poor gamma indicator dot adhesion 

CleanMark approached the company’s manufacturing team with an introduction call and discovered that they needed help improving their process for gamma indicating identification on the growing amount of packages which transported their pipetting devices to their customers.

The company’s existing process for sterile indication was to manually apply a gamma indicator dot label to thousands of pre-printed barcode labels by hand. These labels were later applied to inner boxes for customers as well as outer shelf cartons which store products inside the warehouse. 

Theoretically, this was a working process, but the inconsistency (and sometimes complete lack) of gamma indicator dot placement created confusion when trying to determine which packages had actually completed the sterilization process. This inevitable misplacement combined with the increasing volume of packages was causing timing set-backs on the manufacturing floor but, more importantly, left the end customer with wavering confidence in their products. Without proof, how could they be certain that their products were successfully sterilized?

The solution | Cost-saving, automatically applied gamma indicator dots

First, CleanMark engineers identified the proper synthetic label material and adhesive construction to survive the rigorous ASTM packaging requirements for this application. Secondly, CleanMark offered a custom two-in-one label design where the gamma indicating feature was built directly into the label itself. This feature completely eliminated the time-consuming step of hand applying a gamma indicator dot like before. 

Traditional custom gamma indicating labels entail a long indicating strip which runs along the entire border of the label (see image below).

The chemicals and materials used to make these gamma indicating features function and change color correctly can be pricey in volume, especially when large companies consume thousands of labels per day. 

Sensitive to this inconvenience, CleanMark invested in the technology used to produce gamma indicator dots instead of strips, all while using the same automatic application technique. One small auto-applied gamma indicator dot per label compared to thousands of continuous feet of a gamma strip saved a significant amount of material cost in the long run while achieving the same goal.

The results | Gamma indicator dots that save time, resources, and reputation

After gaining a deep understanding of the customer’s goals, CleanMark was able to create a more efficient label that prevented hours of future downtime while increasing peace of mind for the company’s customers. 

This new solution also indirectly saved their executive management team a great deal of unnecessary cost. Ultimately, they received the best of both worlds when acquiring a label that needed to fulfill a vital purpose. Most importantly, their customers could count on them to deliver parts with proof of sterilization — a priceless asset for any life science professional performing critical research.