How do you guys stack parts and avoid scratching?

eimim · Jul 17, 2015

How do you guys stack parts and avoid scratching? These will be a few different materials - polycarbonate, brass, copper, stainless, titanium and a couple others. Some are easier to scratch than others, so some solution that will take care of the soft ones. They are lathe parts that have some contour so they won't stack against one another well.

I've seen people use egg crates, but I have some parts that are going to be a bit too long for that - about 3" long by 9/16". I've seen foam with ribs in it, but I can't find a source for that kind of material.

There are going to be thousands of these parts, so something economical would be great. I did some searching and didn't see this come up but I bet some of you have some innovative solutions or sources for foam with ribs in it like mentioned above.

Omega · Jul 17, 2015

Plastic Sleeve Net in Stock - ULINE

We mostly use it for shipping..sometime to protect finish between ops

MaxPrairie · Jul 17, 2015

First thing that comes to mind for me is the plastic tubes endmills come in. These can also be bought through ULINE. Maybe a bit more than you're willing to spend but would ensure no parts clang or rub.

RoboMiller · Jul 17, 2015

we buy clear plastic tubes about 4 feet long or so. cut them to desired sizes and use rubber caps. we also use the plastic nets that was mentioned already.

grbl · Jul 17, 2015

I would look at vacuum-formed plastic shipping trays for parts that size and shape. You can probably get away with a stock item, but if you want lots of places will do custom form-fitting trays.

JNieman · Jul 17, 2015

One option is a pelican case. Layer of hand-cut foam with nested parts - thin layer solid foam - layer of parts - layer solid foam, etc etc.

If the customer is semi-local, I'd pick up empty pelicans when you drop off full ones. Or see if they can arrange for returning the cases somehow. Cheaper than Pelicans are Melmat 'spacecases', and they'll custom make them to whatever size you want. Less "bomb proof" than a pelican but still semi-overkill for shipping. We do that for things that're FOD-critical and rather valuable.

Otherwise, the plastic sleeve netting is the shit.

wrustle · Jul 17, 2015

We do a fair amount of aerospace work. EVERYTHING must be packed with no metal to metal contact.

We simply get 2ml thick plastic bags from Uline, drop in the part, fold over the top, and use a bench top electric stapler to seal the deal. Then bulk pack in a large zip-loc type bag in a box to ship.

Sounds like a lot of work but it really only takes a few seconds a piece.

Later,
Russ

Tonytn36 · Jul 17, 2015

Crude mold and some of those expanding foam shipping supplies?

Instapak Quick in Stock - ULINE

Hardened · Jul 17, 2015

I like the vacuforming idea. Easy to make the machine, used to have one when making models back in the day.

lionelt · Jul 18, 2015

I've used plastic tubing that can be sealed each end then shrunk tight with a heat gun.

They have automated conveyers that run the parts under a heat source fot longer runs.

Bobw · Jul 18, 2015

Omega said:
Plastic Sleeve Net in Stock - ULINE

We mostly use it for shipping..sometime to protect finish between ops

I've always liked this stuff, I'm always impressed when parts come in with this stuff on them... I've never bought it,
I just never throw it away when it comes in on something.

The price really isn't that bad, 1500feet of 3/8-5/8 is $150, 10 cents a foot, Three and one third cents per part if you cut
it long.

Larry Dickman · Jul 18, 2015

Are you talking about protecting them for shipping, or just when they're being moved around in the shop? For in the shop, or going out for processing and the like, the easiest and most effective way we've found are just cardboard box dividers.

David Hansen · Jul 22, 2015

Plastic wrapping sounds good for small projects.

Ukraine Train · Jul 22, 2015

I've been meaning to make a similar post, except for bigger parts. I'm running some ~7" diameter x 8" long steel parts that don't stack too well. Cardboard sheets are the best solution I've come up with to separate layers but they still knock into each other. I like the plastic netting sleeves; this might be good additional protection.

casy_ch · Aug 13, 2015

I use what we call <butcher wrapping paper> or <sulfur paper> here on the other side of the pond.

Rgds
Jean-Claude

John Welden · Aug 13, 2015

How do you guys stack parts and avoid scratching

I put something between the parts so they won't scratch each other.

trelos_zoi · Aug 13, 2015

eimim said:
How do you guys stack parts and avoid scratching? These will be a few different materials - polycarbonate, brass, copper, stainless, titanium and a couple others. Some are easier to scratch than others, so some solution that will take care of the soft ones. They are lathe parts that have some contour so they won't stack against one another well.

I've seen people use egg crates, but I have some parts that are going to be a bit too long for that - about 3" long by 9/16". I've seen foam with ribs in it, but I can't find a source for that kind of material.

There are going to be thousands of these parts, so something economical would be great. I did some searching and didn't see this come up but I bet some of you have some innovative solutions or sources for foam with ribs in it like mentioned above.

My question is do you want returnable or expendable? Obviously returnable if volume is sufficient and someone can cover the additional freight is a long term preference, of mine anyway. You will wind up doing a calculation to determine if up front cost of returnable are justifiable or not... Dunnage/dividers can be made from expanded plastic sheeting as you mention or other products. Sometimes to minimize return freight expendable dunnage is used so the container can "knock-down" flat minimizing return volume, those are usually cardboard with layer pads. Also depends on weight of product vs. stack height etc. Packaging can be an engineering science unto it's own at times...

I've used guys like this in the past for example and there are many others:
Returnable Packaging Resource ? RPR
Returnable Packaging Resources etc..

rcaffin · Aug 13, 2015

Simple solutions

How do you guys stack parts and avoid scratching? These will be a few different materials - polycarbonate, brass, copper, stainless, titanium and a couple others.

Bubble wrap. It comes on huge rolls and is cheap.
Crumpled-up old newspaper - from your local newsagent.
Thin sheet foam and adhesive tape.

More generally, find a local shop which does packaging per se, and ask them for suggestions. They will have many options.

Cheers
Roger

Ox · Aug 13, 2015

We have square "pads" that are made to fit our boxes. This will separate tiers, which many times is plenty, but on shafts - maybe, maybe not.

I ran a bunch of shafts that were in the 1.5" OD x 5" long area. Some bigger and some smaller.
I needed to ship them 2/3 the way accrost the country. So, in a pinch I wrapped them with blue paper hand towel stuff. Werked Great!

----------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

rkwadd · Aug 13, 2015

I've seen egg crate foam as a (big) step up from cardboard bulk egg crates. It's expensive though.

How do you guys stack parts and avoid scratching?

Aluminum

Aluminum

Hot Rolled

Cast Iron

Aluminum

Titanium

Titanium

Diamond

Aluminum

Stainless

Diamond

Titanium

Plastic

Cast Iron

Plastic

Diamond

Plastic

Plastic

Diamond

Aluminum

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