Ever wonder how we make our cases so durable, yet so lightweight?
Transit cases are designed to take abuse. After all, they bang against each other in the backs of trucks, are dropped, and take shocking hits from every side. People expect them to be able to take everything thrown at them and protect their delicate cargo. In addition, they need to be as light as possible for easy transport. How do custom case manufacturers balance all of these requirements? There are three ways we can make a custom case durable enough to protect your cargo while still keeping it lightweight.
Material Selection
Often the cases will be made with lightweight polymers, as they have a great price to performance ratio. They are light enough to not add to much weight to the package, but they also tend to insulate pretty well, can be waterproofed through the addition of a purge valve, and chemically inert. Although polymers bend easily in sheet form and not durable, we design the case with rigidity in mind to achieve this.
Rigidity
Think about a sheet of paper. It bends pretty easily, right? Now think about a ream of paper. That’s a lot sturdier and not prone to bending. Somewhere in-between is the principle by which we make our designs work. Bending a sheet through 90 degrees creates more stiffness along the bend. Custom case designers use this principle when working with polymers – deep ribs increase case stiffness while keeping it lightweight. Rounded-off corners are implemented to strengthen them against impact and make the overall case easier to mold.
Recessed Fittings
Ribs create recessed areas on the faces of the case. Designers will place hardware on these regions, such as handles, tie-down rings, hinges, and latches, to minimize their exposure to damage. This hardware is not secured directly to the polymer but is rather fastened through the case to metal inserts on the inside. It spreads the load over a larger area in order to give more support for larger forces. For larger cases that need to be lifted by pallet or forklift, additional reinforcement is installed to prevent damage where the forks are inserted.
PACKAGING STRATEGIES INCORPORATED FOR ALL OF YOUR CUSTOM CASE NEEDS
Packaging Strategies Incorporated specializes in making custom packaging for whatever product you sell. Whether you need custom shipping containers or custom shipping packaging, we have the expertise and years of experience to deliver a quality product at a price you’ll love every time. We are exceptionally skilled at creating unique and innovative solutions for all industries. For more information about what we can do for your business, contact us online or give us a call at (410) 547-7877. For more packaging tips and ideas, follow us on Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+.