If you are purchasing a rugged computer, you may think that packaging isn’t a problem to worry about. But to make sure you receive your hardware in perfect condition, certain precautions must be made so the packaging supports and protects the product though the delivery process.
Rugged computers and LCDs are designed to mount in specific ways which transmits shock and vibration into the structure in a controlled manner. For example, it should be fairly obvious you would not want to impose a load on the center of an LCD screen. The same would apply to the side or lid of a computer which is a large flat piece of thin sheet metal which can be distorted.
The environmental hazards (drops, shock, vibration, etc.) are frequently worse during the shipping process than they are in the field of use. That means that the hardware is exposed to treatment beyond the specifications designed for in the ruggedization process. The chassis or the rackmount LCD won’t be secured in their racks.
To protect your investment, we provide custom triple wall boxes and custom foam support shapes to make sure your new hardware is protected during shipping. The foam is specifically engineered to provide sufficient supporting force yet cushion extreme shock. Our boxes were built and tested to withstand drop tests. (They passed drop testing without hardware damage, even when the boxes contained non-rugged computers.) The foam supports are designed to accommodate the minimum edge crush test by UPS by providing plenty of space between the computer and the box. The box and foam supports are designed for specific chassis and LCDs. The boxes also have handles build in to help the shippers and the receiving staff easily lift and carry the boxes into your facility. We use the correct tape and make sure the boxes are properly labeled. We never use foam-in-place because one shock event will permanently deform the foam allowing contact between the computer and the box from the next shock.
For larger heavy systems, we will palletize the shipment. We will also do this for international shipments. This better protects the computer and makes it easier for your receiving department to handle the package without anybody getting injured from lifting a heavy box.
On the subject of labeling, many of our customers have custom label requirements to assure the package is properly received and routed to the end user. The military is well known for their stringent requirements. In addition, RFID labels are becoming more common to automate inventory tracking. CP Technologies can accommodate any packaging requirements as dictated by the contract or FARs including bar codes and RFID.
Don’t take a chance with your important rugged computer hardware and make sure your shipment is well protected where ever you purchase it.