What is Kitting?
Kitting in the medical device industry is used to fulfill orders that require the assembly of any number of items to be packaged into a ready-to-ship package, or kit. From there, completed kits are placed in storage and shipped out at varying different times.
What Items Can Be Kitted?
The kitting of medical devices can contain a range of items and products, needed to satisfy the purpose for which the medical device fills with the end user. Really anything can be kitted, including full assemblies of catheters and sheaths, additional accessories may also be included, like surgical tools, instruction labels, tubing and other needed components, etc. Basically, any items that are regularly sent out as a consistent set can benefit from kitting.
What are the benefits of Kitting?
When medical device kits need to be distributed, it becomes more cost effective to have them pre-built in batches. Pre-assembling kits in this manner offer a number of advantages over waiting to pick and pack the components as individual orders arrive.
The more kits produced at one time, the lower the assembly time will be for each kit. This is because the large production of kits offers a more streamlined approach, and decreases the number of starts and stops, rather than producing a kit at one time, versus another.
When kitting in large quantities, all the components of the kit can be positioned in close proximity to each other to simplify the gathering and assembly process, as opposed to locating and retrieving the components of kits that are prepared separately as orders come in. It is also much easier and faster to prepare a pre-assembled and/or pre-packed kit for shipment.
A Kitting Example
One example of Kitting is the process of fulfilling orders for a medical device company that has designed and manufactured a device that supports hospitals and emergency responders to preserve organs while they are being trasported from a previous host to a new and deserving patient. These kits are ordered in large quantities, and due to the complexity of the device, a number of materials and processes need to come together to make the entire kit ready to go for the end-user. It is crucial that these kits come together almost flawlessly, and are ready to function as it was manufactured. This example is a great candidate for kitting because each kit is identical, and maintains consistency for all end-users.
Prior to assembly, the medical device manufacturer ensures that all of the parts involved in the kitting process, are properly stocked and additional materials that complete the kitting process are in place. This ensures that the project will run smoothly before moving on to the next step. For this specific kitting example, it means tubing, molded baskets, sterile drapes, medical mesh, gloves, seals, solutions, packaging bags are in place and conveniently placed along the assembly line for operators to access. Because the content of each kit is the same, kits can start being created as soon as they have all the components.
Each kit is assembled in Class 8 (100,000) certified medical cleanroom, and ISO 13485 certified facility, where the appropriate heating, filtering, and air ventilation requirements are in place. These conditions provide a sterile environment for the product to be assembled and free from contaminants. This type of cleanroom also ensures that the proper tools, labor and additional resources needed to kit this particular example have all been properly vetted and are in a controlled environment.
From there, each kit is prepared and placed into a shipping box, along with any additional printed materials that may be needed for proper kit operation. The boxes are sealed and put into stock until the client needs them to refill previous stocks. When they are shipped, the proper shipping labels are applied and distributed to the receiving company. Kitting also allows for distribution to be much more streamlined because the items had been kitted in advance.
Kitting is just one of the many capabilities that Biomerics has as part of its packaging-sterilization and fulfillment services. In addition to Kitting, we also provide Packaging Design, Pouch Sealing, Tray Sealing, TYVEK Lid Sealing, Laser Labeling, Backer Cards and much more. We invite you to review the full list of services on our website.
If you have questions and would like to learn more about our services, please contact us at sales@biomerics.com, or call 801-895-2578.
