Pointers on Packaging for Computer Shipments

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1 Pointers on Packaging for Computer Shipments

2 At FedEx Express, we understand the importance of your computer shipment and strive to make sure that it will arrive on time and in good condition. Computers and peripherals, such as monitors and printers, are complex and fragile pieces of equipment. They need proper packaging designed to protect them from shock and vibration that naturally occurs in transit. This brochure will help guide you in preparing computer and peripheral shipments, whether you ship once a day or once a year FedEx Express Corporation

3 Table of Contents Page Packaging Guidelines for Infrequent Shippers..3-6 Shipping with Original Manufacturer s Packaging Shipping without Original Manufacturer s Packaging Using Bubble Wrap Cushioning Using Loosefill Peanuts Packaging Guidelines for Frequent Shippers Over-Box Method Foam-In-Place Custom-Designed Packaging Freight Shipments General Guidelines for Computers and Peripherals Laptops Monitors Printers Desktop/Tower Computer Systems Servers/Routers Transit Cases...10 Outer Container Inner Cushioning Packaging Guidelines for Computer Housings Without Internal Components Frequently Asked Questions FedEx Express Package Testing and Design Services...12 General Tips for Shipping...13 Resources Available to FedEx Express Customers...13 Bubble Wrap is a registered trademark of Sealed Air Corporation. 2

4 Packaging Guidelines for Infrequent Shippers These guidelines are intended for businesses or individuals that occasionally ship computers or peripherals. Shipping with Original Manufacturer s Packaging 1) Original packaging is usually designed to ship the product once, not multiple times. Reuse can weaken the packaging and place the inside product at risk. Also, the original manufacturer s packaging may not be designed and engineered for single item shipment or for express shipping and thus may not withstand the associated shock and vibration during transportation. 2) FedEx Express highly recommends that you over-box the original manufacturer's packaging, as shown in Fig. 1 below. Over-boxing helps provide extra integrity for the weakened original manufacturer's packaging. 3) Obtain a box that is at least 6 inches larger in length, width, and height than the original manufacturer's packaging. 4) Inspect the original packaging to ensure the cushioning material and box are intact and unbroken. Make any repairs with pressure-sensitive adhesive plastic tape that is at least 2 inches wide. Accessories Original manufacturer s cushioning Original manufacturer s box Packing material Outer box Fig. 1 Over-Boxed Package 3

5 5) Fill the bottom of the outer box with 3 inches of packing material (e.g., Bubble Wrap cushioning, loosefill peanuts). DO NOT USE crushed paper. Center the original manufacturer's packaging inside the outer box and fill empty spaces on all sides and the top with packing material. The inner box should be surrounded with at least 3 inches of packing material around all six sides of the inner box. 6) Apply at least three strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive plastic tape that is at least 2 inches wide to both top and bottom of carton to protect the package and its contents. Tape ALL seams or flaps as shown in Fig. 2 below. Use applicable routing label or airbill 2 tape (min.) Fig. 2 Sealed and Taped Package 2 tape (min.) Shipping Without Original Manufacturer s Packaging If the original manufacturer's packaging is not available, the computer or peripheral can be wrapped in large Bubble Wrap cushioning or packed with loosefill peanuts and over-boxed. Using Bubble Wrap Cushioning 1) Remove external accessories, such as power cords, keyboards and external hard drives, from the computer or peripheral. Accessories must be packed separately, away from the computer or peripheral. Computer or peripheral wrapped in a minimum 4 inch thickness of Bubble Wrap material Accessories Outer box Fig. 3 Bubble Wrap Packaging 4

6 Shipping Without Original Manufacturer s Packaging (continued) 2) Wrap the computer or peripheral on all sides with at least 4 inches of Bubble Wrap cushioning. 3) Place the wrapped item inside a sturdy outer box. See Fig. 3 on page 4. 4) Accessories that are wrapped in appropriate amounts of Bubble Wrap cushioning can also be placed in any open spaces of the box. Fill all spaces with additional Bubble Wrap cushioning so that the wrapped item fits tightly inside the box. If no open spaces exist, pack accessories in an additional box. 5) Apply at least three strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive plastic tape that is at least 2 inches wide to both top and bottom of carton to protect the package and its contents. Tape ALL seams or flaps. Refer to Fig. 2 on page 4. Using Loosefill Peanuts 1) If Bubble Wrap cushioning is not available, pack the computer or peripheral with loosefill peanuts and overbox. Since this type of packing material allows the packaged item to settle to the bottom of the box, it is very important to use the over-box method of packaging. 2) Obtain two boxes. The inner box should be at least 4 inches greater in length, width, and height than the item you are shipping. This will allow for 2 inches of space for all six sides. The outer box should be at least 6 inches greater in length, width, and height than the inner box. This will allow 3 inches of space between the inner box and the outer box. 3) Remove external accessories, such as power cords, keyboards, and external drives from the computer or peripheral. Pack accessories separately, away from the computer or peripheral. 4) Wrap the computer or peripheral in a plastic bag to prevent the loosefill peanuts from getting inside the unit. Fill the bottom of the inner box with at least 2 inches of loosefill peanuts and center the wrapped item inside the box. Fill empty spaces on all sides and top with loosefill peanuts, ensuring that there is at least 2 inches of loosefill peanuts on all six sides of the item. See Fig. 4 on page 6. 5) Close and seal both the top and bottom of the box with three strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive plastic tape that is at least 2 inches wide. 6) Fill the bottom of the outer box with at least 3 inches of loosefill peanuts and center the inner box inside the outer box. Fill empty spaces on all sides and top of the inner box with loosefill peanuts ensuring that there is at least 3 inches of loosefill peanuts on all six sides of the item. 5

7 7) Apply at least three strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive plastic tape that is at least 2 inches wide to both top and bottom of carton to protect the package and its contents. Tape ALL seams or flaps. Refer to Fig. 2 on page 4. Packing material (e.g. loosefill peanuts) minimum of 2 inch thickness on each side Inner box Packing material (e.g. loosefill peanuts) minimum of 3 inch thickness on each side Fig. 4 Loosefill Peanuts Over-Boxed Package Plastic bag Outer box Packaging Guidelines For Frequent Shippers If your business ships computers or peripherals on a regular basis, follow these simple guidelines. Over-Box Method As Fig. 5 below shows, an excellent packaging option for frequent shippers is the over-box method, using a specially engineered foam corner cushion designed to fit around the inner box. This packing method allows you to use one size of inner box, one size of outer box, and one type of foam corner cushions to ship items of various sizes and weights. Inner box Foam corner cushions Computer or peripheral surrounded with packing material Outer box Fig. 5 Foam Corner Cushion Over-Boxed Package 6

8 Packaging Guidelines For Frequent Shippers (continued) 1) Place the computer or peripheral inside the box and surround the item with at least 1-1/2 inches of packing material (e.g., loosefill peanuts, Bubble Wrap cushioning, foam-in-place) on all sides so that the item does not move inside the box. 2) Close and seal the top and bottom of the inner box with three strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive plastic tape that is at least 2 inches wide. Refer to Fig. 5 on page 6. 3) Place the box with the item inside a larger (outer) box fitted with the foam corner cushions. The outer box must fit tightly around the foam corner cushions. 4) Close and seal the top and bottom of the outer box with three strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive plastic tape that is at least 2 inches wide. Tape ALL seams or flaps. Refer to Fig. 2 on page 4. The foam corner cushions must be properly engineered for the fragility level and weight of the products being shipped. Contact a packaging specialist for further information or call the FedEx Express Packaging Design & Development Department at (800) Foam-In-Place Foam-in-place (polyurethane foam) can be an effective packaging material when the foam-in-place cushion is engineered and designed correctly. The FedEx Express Packaging Design & Development Department will only approve foam-in-place package designs that use molds that are properly engineered and designed. Foam-in-place cushion designs that do not use molds can vary greatly in size and thickness and therefore do not provide a consistent protective cushion. Contact the FedEx Express Packaging Design & Development Department for more information at (800) Custom-Designed Packaging If you ship frequently, you may want to have your packaging custom designed. FedEx Express packaging engineers can provide guidance to you and your packaging supplier. See FedEx Express Package Testing and Design Services on page 12. 7

9 Freight Shipments Shipments that qualify as freight must be packaged accordingly. See the current FedEx Service Guide to determine if your shipment qualifies as freight. In addition, freight shipments: Must be packaged to allow for stacking of other packages on top of your shipment. Must be banded and stretch wrapped to pallet. The bands must be in both directions of the pallet. Pallet loads secured with only stretch wrap are not acceptable. Corrugated or fiberboard pallets cannot be used. All freight shipments weighing 151 lbs. or more must be secured on a forkliftable base and be compatible for pallet jack usage. The minimum specifications for a typical base for forklift or pallet jack configuration are illustrated in Fig. 6 below. 3" General Guidelines for Computers and Peripherals Laptops Use specially designed FedEx laptop boxes when possible, available at the FedEx Worldwide Service Centers or by calling us at Go FedEx, (800) Quantities may be limited. Top tray 7" 7" Fig. 6 Pallet Laptop Accessory area Bottom tray Outer box Fig. 7 FedEx Laptop Box 8

10 General Guidelines For Computers and Peripherals (continued) Original manufacturer s packaging should be over-boxed as shown in Fig. 1 on page 3. DO NOT pack laptop accessories, such as external power supplies, books, and drives, on or near laptops and notebooks. Always leave at least 2 inches of packing space between the accessory and the computer. DO NOT use FedEx Small, Medium, Large Boxes or the FedEx Pak for shipment of laptop or notebook computers. Monitors Remove the base and any attachments from the monitor when possible. Ship the monitor face down. Follow packaging procedures outlined in Packaging Guidelines for Infrequent Shippers on pages 3-6. Printers Always remove the printing cartridge before shipping. Place the cartridges inside a sealed plastic bag to prevent ink or powder from leaking into the box. Tape all moving parts down (e.g. door, print heads). Remove any paper trays and pack separately. Refer to Packaging Guidelines for Infrequent Shippers, pages 3-6 for complete packaging guidelines for printers. Desktop/Tower Computer Systems Refer to pages 3-6 for information on how to package these systems. Servers/Routers Due to the high value, variable weights and sizes of these units, we recommend that customers call the FedEx Express Packaging Design & Development Department at (800) for packaging recommendations. 9

11 Transit Cases While transit cases, as shown below in Fig. 8, can effectively protect computer and peripherals that will be shipped multiple times, care must be taken in the design of both the outer case and the inner cushioning. Outer Container The outer container should be manufactured in compliance with Airline Transport Association standards. Handles, latches, wheels, and locks should be recessed into the case. Use a FedEx tie-on-tag when shipping transit cases instead of the FedEx pouch (adhesives will not hold to some transit case finishes, resulting in lost or delayed shipments). Ask your courier or call us at Go FedEx, (800) to order the tie-on-tag. Note: Recessed latches and handles Tie-on-tag Fig. 8 Transit Case Inner Cushioning To protect the computer or peripheral, the foam cushion must be engineered to fit the product that is being shipped. Foam cushioning inside the case must be replaced periodically due to the cushioning breaking down after each shipment. Packaging Guidelines for Computer Housings Without Internal Components Packaging designed for computer housings without internal components are usually designed for the weight of the empty housing. Upon assembly and installation of inner components (circuit boards, disk drives, modems, etc.), the packaging protection requirements change to accommodate the increased weight. 10

12 The original packaging used to ship the empty housing is inadequate for reshipping the assembled unit. Shipments of assembled units in original packaging must be over-boxed as outlined in Packaging Guidelines for Infrequent Shippers on pages 3-6. Frequently Asked Questions Will orientation markings be followed? FedEx Express cannot guarantee that orientation markings such as UP arrows or This End Up will be followed. Please see the current FedEx Service Guide for terms and conditions of service. Does FedEx Express offer insurance for my shipment? FedEx Express does NOT provide insurance coverage. We do offer declared value, which is our maximum liability for a shipment. If you desire insurance coverage, contact your insurance agent or broker. Refer to the Declared Value and Limits of Liability in the current FedEx Service Guide. How do I prepare shipments containing magnetic media such as computer disks or storage cartridges? We recommend that you always make a backup of magnetic media before shipping. Magnetic media should always be packed in a rigid box or FedEx supplied Small, Medium or Large box. FedEx Express accepts no liability for erasure of magnetic media. What packaging test standards do my shipments need to meet? FedEx Express does have a drop, vibration, and compression test standard for shipments moving via FedEx Express. These packaging test standards can be obtained by contacting the FedEx Express Packaging Design & Development Department at (800)

13 Through this testing, our packaging department can determine if your shipments can withstand the rigors of the transportation environment. FedEx Express Package Testing and Design Services We offer package testing, evaluation, and design services. These services can help avoid product damage. In some cases, we may even save you money by helping eliminate unnecessary packaging costs. The FedEx Express Packaging Design & Development Department encourages all frequent shippers of computers and peripherals to submit a sample of their packaging for testing and evaluation. To obtain an application for packaging services, call (800)

14 General Tips for Shipping Have packages ready when you call for a pickup. Identify a specific pickup location, e.g., lobby entrance or loading dock. Keep small FedEx Express packages, such as a FedEx Envelope or FedEx Pak, on a counter or table. When the courier picks up from a loading dock, have FedEx Express packages separate from other types of packages and materials. Place the packages close to the edge of the loading dock for easy pickup. Mark weights correctly. Resources Available to FedEx Express Customers FedEx Express Packaging Design and Development Department (800) Packaging Guidelines at The FedEx Guide to Proper Packaging brochure Pointers on Packaging, Taping & Labeling brochure FedEx Customer Service Go FedEx, 13

15 NOTICE This packaging brochure is provided free to FedEx Express customers to reduce the possibility of loss or damage during transit. It is NOT intended to be a comprehensive guide for packaging items we accept for transit. We make no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding this information. Proper packaging is the sole responsibility of the shipper. For more information and guidelines, contact the FedEx Express Packaging Design and Development Department at (800) Refer to the current FedEx Service Guide for terms, conditions and limitations applicable to FedEx Express delivery services.

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