Foam is manufactured in buns (large blocks) or planks and may have to be cut or skived (trimmed or split to exact thicknesses) into sheets before it can be worked with. A foam packaging product has to then be custom cut and manufactured into smaller parts and often requires some assembly. There are many different fabrication technologies available depending on the shape, quantity, and quality that is required for the application, need for precision, and budget.

A leading provider of scientific instruments for medical applications needed to ship blood analyzers to laboratories throughout the US and internationally. During Covid-19, compressing the timelines, and delivering medical equipment without damage due to shipping is paramount. Each blood analyzer weighed more than 500 lbs and had outer dimensions (OD) of approximately 36”x40”x46”. They approached LPC for better service and to quickly manufacture their current design which featured a floating base on a skid with a corrugated cover and internal foam cap.

Every Application is Unique

Foam can be designed, cut, and fabricated to hold any shape. Many products have protrusions like flanges, brackets and buttons that change the overall surface of the product or have varying degrees of fragility or ability to bear weight, all of which can be accommodated with a foam packaging design.

Why Use Foam in Industrial Packaging?

Foam is an effective cushioning and vibration dampening medium used in one-time and repetitive packaging of sensitive and/or fragile products. Foam can also be used for blocking and bracing and shock and vibration protection in crates and cases. Because foam is lightweight and relatively cheap to manufacture, it can protect a shipment during transit without adding substantial weight and cost.

Custom industrial packaging is a service industry, because the packaging is customized to meet a specific application (a set of needs to ship a product to its point of use, and has unique requirements beyond the actual packaging material.) In fact, packaging is only part of "your problem": getting your product to it's point of use, which will require logistics, management, coordination, and other services. Most companies outsource their packaging, either to a supplier or a distributor, because it is not considered a strategic part of a company's value proposition. It is, however, an operational imperative. Ideally, packaging should be part of the new product introduction (NPI) planning process for a company's supply chain, with a goal of reducing complexity, and waste as well as streamlining communications.

Choosing the type of foam packaging is an important design decision that can affect the performance, cost and aesthetics of product packaging. Beaded polyethylene foam (BPE) makes an excellent protective packaging because it has a soft surface, but is very rugged and firm. Consequently, BPE is frequently used for Class A surfaces such as medical equipment, semiconductor equipment, IT servers, automotive, robotics, and other instrumentation. BPE is used in heavy and fragile cushioning, impact and vibration dampening for crating, high end case interiors, electronics, industrial material handling,  automotive dunnage, finished part separators and many more applications.

Factors to Consider When Shipping Heavy Equipment

Chances are, if you are involved in shipping heavy equipment, you have a lot invested in your endeavor. Whether you are transporting machines for an assembly line, industrial robots, large vehicles used for farming or construction, or a wafer polishing machine for a semiconductor business, you want to make sure your investment arrives in good condition. Partnering with an experienced packaging company that understands how to design and engineer for your particular needs, can go a long way toward achieving consistently successful outcomes.

Silicon Valley Semi Cap Equipment Shipping

Within the Silicon Valley are scores of semicondutor capital equipment manufacturers that need to ship their products to destinations around the globe. Given the complexity, possible fragility and substantial investment in the materials being shipped, manufacturers rely on quality custom packaging to protect their shipments while in transit. Several of our neighbors are among the leading semiconductor equipment manufacturers, including:      

Sound Packaging and Safe Arrivals

There are myriad challenges you face when you ship your product to market - weather, moisture, vibration, shock and rough handling - to name a few. While it's impossible to foresee every hazard you may encounter, protective packaging can help prevent damage and/or loss from predictable factors.

Savings at the Margin

In a study by Tom Mariano, recently published in Solid State Technology, the author posits that patterns of annual, double-digit growth in the semiconductor industry may be a thing of the past. After examining the book-to-bill ratios of equipment manufacturers, as well as other key indicators, Mariano sees few opportunities to improve top-line revenue through innovation and new product development.