Cushioning Guide & Case Interior Options

As a Packaging Specialist, my mission statement is to “Serve and Protect”. I want to serve my customers by giving them the best value their packaging budget can buy all while protecting their most valuable shippables. Let’s explore the “serve” portion of my mission statement. There are many ways to ship products, as well as considerations to think about when deciding what packaging works best for your specific needs.

A corrugated carton filled with shipping peanuts protecting the unit inside would be one example of a one-time shipment product. Wood crates are another.

Plastic rotationally molded (or roto-molded) and injection molded cases are examples of reusable packaging. These cases come empty or foam-filled. Some come with a “Pick and Pluck” system; an off-the-shelf option which allows you to create your own cavities by removing square cubes of foam. Having a designer create a foam insert custom to your specific needs may be best for your application. Another style case in reusable packaging is the rack mount case. These cases have metal frames that allow you to mount your unit securely inside. For extremely sensitive equipment a deck system might be the best option. Both the rack mount frame case and deck system case include rubber isolator shock mounts to protect your units if dropped.

As a Packaging Specialist, my mission statement is to “Serve and Protect”. I want to serve my customers by giving them the best value their packaging budget can buy all while protecting their most valuable shippables. Let’s explore the “serve” portion of my mission statement.  There are many ways to ship products, as well as considerations to think about when deciding what packaging works best for your specific needs.

A corrugated carton filled with shipping peanuts protecting the unit inside would be one examples of a one-time shipment product. Wood crates are another.

Plastic rotationally molded (or roto-molded) and injection molded cases are examples of reusable packaging. These cases come empty or foam filled. Some come with a “Pick and Pluck” system – an off the shelf option which allows you to create your own cavities by removing square cubes of foam. Having a designer create a foam insert custom to your specific needs may be best for your application. Another style case in reusable packaging is the rack mount case. These cases have metal frames that allow you to mount your unit securely inside. For extremely sensitive equipment a deck system might be the best option. Both the rack mount frame case a deck system case include rubber isolator shock mounts to protect your units if dropped.

There are 4 key elements to consider when deciding the best value for your packaging project:

The unit and package size go hand in hand with the fragility of the unit. For instance, if you have a unit that is 24” x 24” x 12” and it is a moderately fragile unit, 1” to 2” of foam surrounding the unit will be enough to protect it in shipping. This would lead to a case size of approximately 28” x 28” x 16”. If the unit is extremely fragile,  it may take upwards of 4” of foam to give the unit enough sway space (if dropped) to allow the cushion to do its work. This would lead to a case size of approximately  36” x 36” x 24”.  Fragility is measured in Gs, or the number of times gravity the item can take without breaking.

Unit Fragility

Extremely Sensitive

Very Delicate

Fragile

Moderately Fragile

Rugged

Very Rugged

G Levels

12-18 G’s

18-25 G’s

25-50 G’s

50-80 G’s

80-120 G’s

120+ G’s

Equipment Type

Fragile Navigation Equipment

Precision Testing Equipment

Printers, Computers, TV’s, Cameras

Laptops, DVD Players, Lighting Equipment

Refrigerators, Ovens, Rescue Gear

iPhones, Flashlights, Small Appliances, Cables

Foam Thickness Required

6-8″

3-4″

2-3″

1-2″

0-1/2″

None

This is the easiest of the 4 factors to decide. You will likely consider different avenues if you are shipping a $50 unit as opposed to a $10,000 unit. The cost along with fragility of a unit should weigh into your final decision. Would you trust a corrugated box with shipping peanuts to hold up in a shipment across the country if you had a very expensive and fragile unit? Would water affect the unit such as TV’s, Stereos, and Laptops?  If so – you may want to consider an air and water tight package.

You should also factor in the cost of potential down-time if the unit was damaged in shipment. What will it cost you to have a damaged unit sitting idle while you either have to replace it entirely or pay for repairs? My friends who were shipping hard drives to movie cinemas could tell you the cost of the hard drive was minimal compared to the down time costs.

This can be the trickiest of the 4 factors. There are 3 questions to consider in this area:

Ready to talk with a professional?

get a quote

Complete the form below so our packaging specialists can provide you with the most accurate quote for your needs.

Thank you for your submission

One of our packaging specialists will be in touch shortly to discuss their recommendations for your needs, provide you with a quote, and discuss next steps.