A Guide to Printing on Tyvek for Medical Packaging

If you want to use Tyvek to manufacture medical packaging for various products, there are a few aspects to consider. Tyvek is a widely used material that’s used as packaging for many applications such as medical equipment and tools, along with labels on hospital equipment and more. If you’re new to printing on Tyvek, you need to understand the labeling requirements in place for sterile packaging, which apply to Tyvek along with other materials. These stringent and complicated requirements are dictated by a variety of ISO, ANSI, and UDI codes. These codes will inform the design of your custom Tyvek labels.

In addition to requirements, you need to consider the specific printer type and model you’ll need to use for Tyvek printing of medical packaging. There are many printers available to use, which is why it’s essential to find the right one that provides consistent quality, profitability, and reliability. For some of the best results, our ThermaPrint 64 is one of the most reliable for printing medical packaging.

Here, we’ll review the benefits of printing on Tyvek and what the process entails, along with more information about the specific labeling requirements in place for Tyvek printing.

Why Print on Medical-Grade Tyvek?

Tyvek is often used for medical applications over medical paper because of the numerous benefits it offers. Some of the benefits you can get with Tyvek that aren’t available with medical paper include the following.

Easier to Sterilize

Tyvek is generally easier to sterilize compared to medical paper due to its resistance to microbial penetration. It can also maintain sterility for as long as five years if packaging remains intact.

Resistance to Breakage and Other Damage

Apart from resistance to microbial penetration, Tyvek is also highly resistant to breakage, punctures, and moisture. All other grades of medical paper, on the other hand, are vulnerable to these potential hazards.

Great for Medical Pouches

Tyvek is also highly flexible. Combined with Tyvek’s sterility, this feature makes it ideal for use in sterilization pouches for medical equipment and tools.

How Do You Print on Tyvek?

When printing medical packaging on Tyvek, thermal transfer printing is the preferred method to use. However, when using the thermal transfer method, you will need the right medical printer to avoid damaging the Tyvek substrate. While Tyvek closely resembles grades of medical paper, it consists of Olefin fibers with a width of 0.5-10 µm. These fibers require compression and heating to fuse them together, which is what makes Tyvek one of the most durable materials for medical packaging and labeling. The water-resistant nature of Tyvek also causes most inks intended for porous materials to merely run off the material’s surface, a problem that thermal techniques help solve.

To meet the needs of Tyvek printing applications, the ThermaPrint 64 is ideal for solving most potential issues when printing on this material. The ThermaPrint 64 is capable of handling complex orders using reliable processors that are designed to work with multiple items within a single print run. ThermaPrint 64 printers can also meet the various requirements for accurate labeling and barcodes to maintain compliance with UDI codes and others.

What Information Is Required?

Medical-grade Tyvek pouches, labels, and other materials require a unique device identifier (UDI). To meet UDI requirements for medical devices, labels need to include a unique numeric or alphanumeric code. Both machines and humans need to be able to read these codes to properly identify the product or device, including details such as lot number, expiration date, and other identifying information. A UDI system can help facilitate proper identification from production to the time a product or device is used for patient care.

With UDI systems in place that adhere to FDA guidelines, facilities and staff can keep patients safer, with the ability to identify potential mistakes and correct them accordingly.

Print on Medical Tyvek with DoraniX Printers

Tyvek offers many benefits that make it better for medical printing applications than medical paper, but it’s important to make sure you have compatible printing equipment. To maintain both efficiency and compliance throughout the printing process, our ThermaPrint 64 printers can give you everything you need to print top-quality Tyvek products and labels.

To learn more about our products or request a video presentation, contact us today. You can also request a quote for our products to get started on a custom Tyvek printing solution.