The Basics on Industrial Crates
Wooden Shipping Crates for Industrial Use
Designing wooden shipping crates that will protect expensive industrial equipment during transportation and storage goes beyond simply building a box. Wooden shipping crates and heavy-duty skids must be crafted for the shape, size, weight, sensitivity, fragility, and final destination of the equipment to be shipped. This may include foam lining, floater bases, or additional supports to protect against vibration or shock. Blocking, ramps, and specialty hardware may be necessary to help with loading or reusing the crate at a later date.
However, overdesign can result in much higher expenses. Unnecessary hardware, excess lumber, and additional labor produce excessive costs. On the other hand, under design may result in damaged or destroyed industrial equipment, which can lead to significant expenses that may not be covered by insurance. The disruption to the flow of business can cause additional costs.
Industrial Crate Design
The majority of industrial crates use the PPP-B-601-A design, which is typically light-duty wooden shipping crates with a variety of uses. These can be enhanced with intermediate cleats, which are additional boards between the edge cleats. In addition, thicker sheathing may be used to strengthen these types of crates. This is the wood that constitutes the four panels and top of a crate, and it is typically plywood.
However, many times a job will call for a PPP-B-601-A D/E. These are used when top loading is difficult or not possible or when the equipment to be transported is very heavy and/or bulky.
Once the equipment has been secured on the base of the crate, the cap (two sides, two ends, and the top) will be fitted over it and fastened to the skids. Depending on the weight, size, and value of the equipment, the base may be solid lumber or plywood.
Depending on the industrial equipment to be transported or stored, a pallet or skid may be enough. However, typically this is not the case with machines, sensitive items such as medical equipment, or other high-value miscellaneous items. Skids are the wood construction under a base that enables forklift lifting and moving. In some circumstances, a base with a cap or sleeve may be enough. Risers, removable supports, and rails may ease the loading and unloading process. Most industrial equipment will require full protection from damage during moving or from the elements.
Vibration and Shock Protection with Floater Bases
Most industrial equipment and machines are highly sensitive to vibration or shock. A shock-absorbing floater base may be added for protection. This is a platform raised from the crate base by compressed material, typically polypropylene foam, polyethylene, or polyurethane. Floater bases mitigate the impact of vibration or shock. Industrial crates may also be constructed with foam lining, or the equipment may be braced or blocked with foam to alleviate vertical and lateral shock.
In addition, special labeling and indicator devices may be used to determine if the equipment was handled appropriately. An indicator device will show if a tipping violation or shock occurred.
Alliance Relocation Services for Industrial Crating Needs
Alliance Relocation Services has provided fast reliable service for over 20 years. We have the materials and production capacity and a network of specialty vendors to handle large scale orders even on short notice. We use precision engineering to meet every shipping challenge, and we can work with 3D models to design and build the best crates for shipping and storage. We are committed to ensuring that valuable equipment is shipped and stored safely and securely. Our crates and cases are designed and constructed to withstand the rigor of transportation while mitigating the impact of harsh shipping environments. Call us today at 877-242-0409.