Plastic Tote Distribution

Abstract

Plastic totes have been commonly used to transport healthcare products from a distribution center to a retail store. Damages often occur in partially-filled totes. This article reviews the research performed at the Healthcare Packaging Consortium, including problem validation, the use of a bubble wrap sheet at the bottom of a plastic tote to cut down potential damages, the use of air pillows at the top of the a tote to reduce immediate and subsequent impact accelerations, and equations developed to predict drop height and impact acceleration at the interior tote bottom based on peak accelerations logged from a shock recorder.