When transporting delicate, high-technology and high-value capital equipment, the right wooden crate can make the difference between carrying out a safe relocation versus needing to make expensive repairs or replacements.
We have more than three decades of experience supporting OEMs and end users in high-technology industries to build and design the right crates to protect capital equipment in transit.
From our experience, here are five key things to consider when designing the right crate to transport your capital equipment.
1. Understand your equipment’s requirements
Each piece of equipment has specific needs during transport. And it’s vital that you understand yours.
For example, high-technology capital equipment tends to be highly delicate and sensitive to shock, vibrations and temperature fluctuations.
You’ll need to understand exactly how sensitive the equipment is to each of these factors, so you can plan out how to protect it during transportation. For example, you might plan to use a vibration isolation base to reduce vibration or a controlled environment to regulate temperature.
You’ll also need to consider the optimal mode of transportation for the equipment, whether that’s by air, sea or land.
Your chosen mode of transportation will not only impact crate handling procedures, but also determine the negative environmental factors it will be exposed to during transit. For example, sea freight is not particularly suitable for equipment that’s highly sensitive to vibrations, and requires a high level of protection against moisture and water damage.
Finally, a wooden crate can add about 30 cm in each direction to the equipment’s dimensions. It’s important that you factor this in when planning your mode of transport. Otherwise, it could be over the size limit for the cargo hold or require special handling equipment as a result. Both of which, add costs and delay the delivery timeline.
So, when planning transportation, be sure to take the equipment’s total dimensions into account, including all its packaging.
2. Select a suitable type of wood
The type of wood you use for the crate impacts its overall strength, durability and cost. Be sure to choose the right type of wood for the equipment and project.
Here are the three key types of wood to choose from:
- Softwood: Softwood is typically lighter, more affordable, and easier to transport than other types of wood—though it is also much less durable. This makes it a great option for lighter and less fragile equipment, such as small lab mixers, handheld diagnostic devices and portable vacuum pumps.
- Plywood: Plywood is known for its high strength-to-weight ratio, making it suitable for heavy and high-value equipment like lithography machines, water fabrication equipment and freeze dryers. However, it can be prone to delamination and damage when exposed to prolonged moisture.
- Hardwood: Hardwood is generally stronger and much more durable than softwood and plywood. This makes it ideal for extremely heavy items that require high levels of protection, such as ion implanters, electron microscopes and tablet presses. However, it’s often more expensive than less durable wood types and can be much more challenging to work with.
Discover IES’s range of custom-made crates in our blog here.
3. Consider crate design
A crate’s design plays a crucial role in how adequately it can protect high-value equipment during transit.
Closed crates
Closed crates are fully enclosed with solid panels on all sides, completely sealing the equipment inside from the outside world. This offers high levels of protection against dust, moisture and other environmental hazards.
When using a closed crate, the crate’s interior can also be outfitted with custom padding, shock absorbers and other protective features to cushion sensitive equipment against shocks and vibrations during transit. Note: Be sure to factor in your required protective features during design, as they’re very difficult and time-consuming to add in later in the process.
This makes closed crates a great option for sensitive equipment or equipment that needs to be kept in a controlled environment.
Skeletal crates
Skeletal crates (also referred to as “open crates”) provide structural integrity without completely enclosing the equipment inside.
This makes them much lighter than closed crates and easier to handle and transport. They also provide high levels of ventilation and natural air flow, which helps keep equipment cool. Lastly, they provide much easier access to the equipment inside should it be needed.
However, skeletal crates are unsuitable for items that are highly sensitive to temperature changes, dust or moisture, as they offer a low level of protection against the elements. As such, they’re far less commonly used than skeletal crates for transporting highly sensitive equipment.
Skeletal crates are ideal for large bulky and robust items that don’t need to be fully enclosed and that aren’t easily damaged during transit.
Crate bases
The crate’s base also plays a crucial role in protecting equipment against damage. Generally, there are three types of bases to choose from:
- Standard base: A standard base provides a basic level of support and stability and can support a wide range of weights, but are not reinforced for extremely heavy or delicate equipment
- Machine base: A machine base is heavily reinforced and designed to support and secure heavy machinery and equipment.
- Vibration isolation base: A vibration isolation base minimises and absorbs vibrations and shocks that might affect the contents of the crate.
Additional protection
Finally, all items need bracing, whether that’s using ratchet straps, frames, chains, timber bracing or air-cushioning inflatable pillows. You may also need padding and cushioning (such as foam, bubble wrap or other) to protect sensitive equipment against shocks & vibrations.
Also consider whether you need to use sealants or waterproof materials (such as heat-sealed vacuum bags with desiccant) to protect against moisture or changes in temperature), and factor these into your design early on.
Consider whether you need a re-usable crate
Do you plan on using your crate just once? Or will you need to re-use it multiple times? For example, if you need to transport equipment between shows and exhibitions or for routine maintenance and calibration.
In the event that you do need to re-use your crate, you’ll want to build the following features into your design:
- Secure clip fastenings and closes: While it's more efficient to fasten single-use crates with screws, re-usable crates require the use of secure latches that can be opened and closed when required.
- Re-inforced corners and edges: Re-usable crates need to be able to tolerate much higher and more sustained levels of impact that single-use crates. We recommend using stronger materials for your crate and re-inforcing corners and edges.
- Handling aides: You might want to consider including sturdy handles for easy lifting and carrying, as well as heavy-duty, lockable caster wheels to aid movement across flat surfaces.
- Internal ramps: In the event that lifting equipment is not available, aides like internal ramps support teams with de-crating.
4. Identify applicable regulations
Legislation associated with wooden packaging varies from country to country. But it’s your responsibility as the importer/exporter to ensure your crate meets all requirements.
Here are a few regulations you might need to consider in the UK:
- ISPM 15: The International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No.15 (ISPM 15) are subscribed to by 48 countries (including the UK and EU member states) and are designed to stop the global spread of plant diseases and pests. They require all wood packaging material to be heat treated, fumigated with methyl bromide, debarked and marked with the IPPC mark. Learn more in our blog: What is ISPM 15? And Who Does it Apply To?
- BS1133:8: BS1133:8 is a British Standard that provides guidelines on designing, constructing and using wooden crates and containers in the safest and most effective way for transportation. They include specific recommendations to ensure crates meet set standards for strength, durability, and safety.
- UKTR and UK FLEGT: The UK Timber Regulations (UKTR) and the The UK Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) regulations are designed to prevent illegally harvested timber and timber products from being placed on the UK market and promote sustainable forest management. Under these regulations, crate manufacturers using timber products are required to implement a due diligence system (DDS) to ensure timber has been legally harvested.
If you’re unclear on which legislations apply to your specific project and region, check TIMCON, the timber pallets and packaging confederation, for guidance and legislative updates.
Learn more about the legal considerations for wooden packaging in our blog: Wooden Packaging: Legal Considerations for Export and Import.
5. Partner with a reputable crate manufacturer
Finally, the crate manufacturer you choose to work with can be the difference between a high-quality and reliable wooden crate and an unreliable one.
So we recommend partnering with a reputable, experienced and knowledgeable company that has:
- Decades of experience designing and building custom crates for the specific type of equipment and industry you’re working with, as well as an understanding of the nuances and challenges that come with it
- A proven track record and portfolio of successfully completed projects, demonstrating their capabilities and experience
- The ability to tailor and customise the crate to your specific requirements and specifications, including building in specialised features such as cushioning, shock absorption, moisture resistance and more
- A strict and rigorous quality control process that involves using high-quality materials, precise manufacturing techniques and thorough inspections to ensure the crate meets the highest standards
- Proof that they comply with relevant regulations and standards, such as ISPM 15 for international shipping
Be sure to consult your selected crate manufacturer early on in your project, so they can create a plan, highlight any issues and find any required solutions in advance.
Looking for a crate manufacturer you can trust?
At IES, we’ve been supporting OEMs and end users in high-technology industries to design and manufacture high-quality crates for capital equipment since 1991.
Our service covers all aspects of crating and packing, from custom crate manufacture and export packing to freighting, if required.
Learn more about our crate manufacture and export packing service here.
