Give Your Automotive Components Better Protection during Transportation

An automotive component can meet every production specification and still arrive damaged because of poor packaging. During transportation, components may experience stacking pressure, vibration, sudden drops, horizontal impacts, moisture and repeated handling. A reliable packaging system must protect the product against these combined risks.

Understand the Transportation Hazards

Packaging should be selected according to the component’s weight, dimensions, fragility and surface finish. Manufacturers should also consider the transportation route, stacking height, storage period and handling method.

Heavy components may crush weak cartons, while loosely packed parts can move and collide during vibration. Painted or plated parts may require additional protection against scratches, moisture and corrosion.

Use Suitable Internal Protection

An outer box alone may not be sufficient. Dividers, moulded inserts, cushioning materials, edge protectors and secure restraints can prevent movement inside the package. Sensitive metal components may also require sealed barrier packaging, desiccants or corrosion-inhibiting materials.

The packaging should restrict harmful movement without creating excessive pressure on delicate areas such as connectors, threads, sensors or coated surfaces.

Evaluate the Box’s Compression Strength

Boxes placed at the bottom of a stack must support the weight of the packages above them. A Box Compression Tester applies a controlled compressive load between two platens and measures how much force the package can withstand.

The test can help manufacturers:

• Compare different carton constructions
• Select a suitable board grade
• Identify weak corners, seams or panels
• Check filled and empty packages
• Determine resistance at a specified deformation
• Improve stacking and warehouse planning

Testing may be conducted according to standards such as ASTM D642, ISO 12048 or TAPPI T804, depending on the packaging specification.

Humidity, storage time, box dimensions and stacking pattern can reduce the actual strength of corrugated packaging. Test samples should therefore be properly conditioned, and an appropriate safety factor should be used when determining the required compression strength.

Do Not Depend on One Test

Compression testing evaluates stacking performance, but it does not reproduce every distribution hazard. A complete packaging-validation programme may also include:

• Drop testing for accidental falls
• Vibration testing for road or rail movement
• Inclined impact testing for horizontal shocks
• Climatic conditioning for temperature and humidity exposure

Testing the complete package with the actual or simulated automotive component provides more realistic information than testing an empty box alone.

Pacorr Testing Instruments provides packaging-testing equipment for evaluating compression, vibration, drop and impact resistance. For product information, contact us at +91 8882149230 or info@pacorr.com.