The 5 common mistakes with medical device pouch sealers
Thu Dec 04 2025
On this episode of SPOT Radio, Charlie Webb, CPPL, breaks down five common mistakes medical device manufacturers make around equipment purchase, maintenance, and calibration. These gaps create significant process risk and are frequent root causes of failed seals in sterile barrier systems.
Charlie draws on 30 years of experience in medical device packaging to explain how improper procurement choices, inconsistent maintenance schedules, and inadequate calibration practices undermine seal integrity and increase the likelihood of product recalls and patient risk. He outlines practical steps to tighten controls, improve documentation, and design validation protocols that reduce failure modes.
Listen in for clear, actionable guidance on preventing seal failures, streamlining validation, and protecting patients from exposure to non‑sterile devices. Whether you manage packaging engineering, quality, or regulatory affairs, Charlie’s insights will help your organisation avoid costly mistakes and strengthen your sterile barrier strategy.
About Charlie Webb CPPL:
Charlie Webb CPPL is the founder and President of Van der Stahl Scientific, a medical device packaging and testing machine provider and packaging testing and calibration laboratories.
He is also a certified internal auditor and is the Quality Manager for Van der Stähl Scientific’s demanding ISO/IEC 17025 Laboratory accreditation. Under Charlie's quality management system, his lab received the MSI Continuous Improvement Award. Charlie is a member of the IOPP Medical Device Packaging Technical Committee. He is a former co-PM in the Kiip group and voting ASTM F02 technical committee and has multiple granted and pending patents on medical device packaging machinery and pouch testers.
His current patent-pending technologies include a medical device tray sealer that will integrate pouch testing within the packaging machine to provide 100% real-time seal testing. Also, in development is his patented HTIP system (human tissue isolation pouch) this disposable system is designed to help avoid packaging machine contamination.
Charlie Webb CPPL Email: Charlie@vanderstahl.com
website: www.vanderstahl.com
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On this episode of SPOT Radio, Charlie Webb, CPPL, breaks down five common mistakes medical device manufacturers make around equipment purchase, maintenance, and calibration. These gaps create significant process risk and are frequent root causes of failed seals in sterile barrier systems. Charlie draws on 30 years of experience in medical device packaging to explain how improper procurement choices, inconsistent maintenance schedules, and inadequate calibration practices undermine seal integrity and increase the likelihood of product recalls and patient risk. He outlines practical steps to tighten controls, improve documentation, and design validation protocols that reduce failure modes. Listen in for clear, actionable guidance on preventing seal failures, streamlining validation, and protecting patients from exposure to non‑sterile devices. Whether you manage packaging engineering, quality, or regulatory affairs, Charlie’s insights will help your organisation avoid costly mistakes and strengthen your sterile barrier strategy. About Charlie Webb CPPL: Charlie Webb CPPL is the founder and President of Van der Stahl Scientific, a medical device packaging and testing machine provider and packaging testing and calibration laboratories. He is also a certified internal auditor and is the Quality Manager for Van der Stähl Scientific’s demanding ISO/IEC 17025 Laboratory accreditation. Under Charlie's quality management system, his lab received the MSI Continuous Improvement Award. Charlie is a member of the IOPP Medical Device Packaging Technical Committee. He is a former co-PM in the Kiip group and voting ASTM F02 technical committee and has multiple granted and pending patents on medical device packaging machinery and pouch testers. His current patent-pending technologies include a medical device tray sealer that will integrate pouch testing within the packaging machine to provide 100% real-time seal testing. Also, in development is his patented HTIP system (human tissue isolation pouch) this disposable system is designed to help avoid packaging machine contamination. Charlie Webb CPPL Email: Charlie@vanderstahl.com website: www.vanderstahl.com