Abstract: The needle assembly tray of the invention generally comprises a base tray having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a groove, that enables the base tray to be bent, a plurality of needle channels in the lower portion, substantially conical shaped openings leading into the needle channels, and a security strip for maintaining needles securely in the needle channels when the base tray is bent, and a lid for the base tray. The tray is adapted to lay flat during shipping but, in use, the upper half of the tray is bent away from the upper half of the assembly to expose the assembly and create a stand on which to prop the tray.

Abstract: Needles and methods of plugging a needle having a tip opening with an inside diameter and a needle tip length, wherein the methods generally comprise the steps of, providing a plug material having a predetermined viscosity; providing a delivery device for introducing the plug material into the needle tip opening, wherein the delivery device comprises a delivery tube having a delivery diameter that is equal to or less than the inner diameter of the needle tip opening; introducing at least a portion of the heated plug material into the needle tip opening via the delivery tube.