Transit cases lead hard lives.  They bang together in the backs of trucks, are often dropped, and take knocks from all directions. Yet, users expect them to shrug off this abuse, protect their delicate contents and be as light as possible.  Case designers tackle these conflicting requirements in three ways. Continue reading →

Rotational molding, or rotomolding, is a cost-effective way of making large, joint-free polymer containers. “Rotationally Molded Transit Cases: 8 Advantages” discussed what makes this process so useful. Here, we’ll dive deeper into the details of the process. Continue reading →

A transit case uses isolating mounts to protect electronic payloads from vibration. These mounts are chosen with a natural frequency of vibration significantly different from the expected excitation frequency. This helps ensure the minimum of vibration is transmitted to the payload. However, there are challenges: Continue reading →

Vibration is bad for electronic devices such as radio transmitters and computers. Screws can work loose and cards and cables can come unplugged. As a result, equipment is sometimes inoperable after a long journey. Fortunately, that kind of damage is usually easily repaired, unlike the harm caused by resonance. Continue reading →

Electronic systems need transporting with care. Sudden impacts, as if dropped from the back of a truck, can pop IO cards out of their slots, disconnect cables, and damage hard drives. That’s why you’ll often see acceleration or g-force limits called-out in specification documents for many electronic products. Continue reading →

Study the Sierra Cases website and you’ll see transit cases come in many sizes. Sometimes though, a standard case doesn’t work well for the item or payload to be moved. Perhaps you need to transport something long and thin, like an antenna. In those situations you can end up buying a much larger, and more expensive case, and wasting a lot of the interior volume.

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Something first-time transit case buyers often overlook is adding an I/O panel for easy cable connection. Without it, the case is little more than a storage box, albeit one providing protection from temperature extremes, dust, humidity and shock impact. Using the equipment inside means either taking it out of the case or running with the case open and cables fed in. Either option negates the purpose of the case. Continue reading →

Installing electrical equipment in rack mount cases can challenge the most dexterous technician. The usual procedure is to make the connections at the rear before mounting the unit in the rack. Inevitably though, the cables bunch up behind the equipment, stopping it from sliding into place. A second pair of hands is then needed to gently draw out the cables while at the same time, the hardware is pushed home. Only then, can the securing screws be inserted and tightened.  Then the cables are rearranged, if there’s room to get a hand between case and equipment. Continue reading →

A load spreader does exactly what its name implies.  It distributes a load over a larger area. Engineers might recall load, divided by area, as the definition of stress.  So, a load spreader reduces stress on a load-bearing material or structure. Continue reading →

Leave a transit case in the sun and the interior can get hot enough to kill electronic components.  Inlets and outlets for convection mitigate the problem if the ambient air is cool enough.  But, they may draw in dust and moisture.  Active cooling – thermoelectric or air conditioner – is an alternative but incurs installation, weight and extra costs. Continue reading →

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) can affect electronics, disrupting timing circuits and corrupting signals. If sufficiently powerful – perhaps a pulse from a nearby radar installation – it can induce damaging voltage surges in wiring. There’s even evidence of EMI damaging the read/write heads of hard drive storage units. Continue reading →

Modern electronics are very vulnerable to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), sometimes called Radio Frequency Interference (RFI).  It’s not just lightning strikes, whose destructive potential is well known.  Radar pulses, radio and microwave emissions, cellphones, wireless routers, and the humble microwave oven can affect microprocessor-based systems.  It disturbs timing and corrupts data. Continue reading →

Any time you’re buying a case to hold powered-up electrical equipment, cooling should be a top concern. Without it, signals degrade and electronic components are likely to fail. Convective airflow (letting cool air in at the bottom and warm air leave from the top) might be appropriate for low ambient temperature, dust-free conditions. But most applications need a more sophisticated solution. Continue reading →

There are several exceptional benefits of aluminum cases, including protecting sensitive equipment during transportation. Fragile contents need protection from vibration and shock, and aluminum cases are great for dampening impacts and oscillations. Continue reading →

Imagine reaching your destination and finding a vital piece of equipment is missing. Perhaps it was left behind when the aircraft was unloaded in the dark. That’s why ATA Specification 300 recommends using white containers for goods shipped by air. Continue reading →

“ATA Specification 300: Specification for Packaging of Aircraft Supplies” helps airlines manage the cost of shipping delicate and high-value items. It spells out how containers and flight cases should be constructed to protect contents against damage while minimizing weight and volume. It addresses how containers are to be marked and how they should be designed to facilitate loading and unloading. ATA Specification 300 even covers security features to reveal unauthorized access. The goal is, reducing the cost of air transport. Continue reading →

Late in 2012 it was reported that American Airlines was replacing its paper flight manuals with iPads. No doubt, iPads are sleeker and take up less space. But, the switch was justified by weight reduction.

Weight is very important to airlines. More fuel is required to move each additional pound through the air. It is one reason they pay close attention to what goes in the hold. Continue reading →

Roughly two thirds of fliers drop off a bag at the check-in desk. A few hours later, some of them will find a note inside from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) explaining why it was necessary to examine the contents. This will happen even if the bag was locked. The TSA is very serious about keeping travelers safe, and they won’t let a lock stop them from doing their job: If it’s in the way, it will be cut off or pried open. Continue reading →

In my last two postings I reviewed equipment fragility and the influence of handling and transport on packaging design. The most common approach to protecting equipment within a carrying case, transit case or shipping case is to use foam cushioning. In this posting, I’ll provide an overview of foam materials. Continue reading →

If you are looking for a carrying case, transit case or shipping case to protect your equipment, you should be able to relay the performance expectations to your packaging professional. That’s so he / she can adequately address your requirement. If you do not set these expectations, you run the risk of having inadequate protection with potential equipment damage and nobody to blame. Continue reading →