Most of the time when people think about shipping, the dreaded item for transport is usually perishables. After all, foodstuffs are delicate in the extreme, and actually have a shelf-life. But when it comes to electronics, some people think they have it easy. To be fair, electronics aren’t as hard to move as perishables, but just because electronics are neatly packed in boxes, it doesn’t mean they’re indestructible.
And in some cases, they can actually be more fragile than the average apple.
It’s All About The Air
The majority of electronics are designed to work in one particular environment, usually the ideal conditions of a climate controlled indoor space. It’s true that some electronics are water resistant, while others are designed to be exposed to huge amounts of heat, but most consumer retail electronics—and several, specific industrial grade types of electronics—require very specific, warm, dry, controlled conditions.
Shipping, of course, is anything but.
Most the electronics in use today, especially commercial retail products, have their origins in China and are shipped to the rest of the world. That means they undergo exposure to radically different types of weather, temperature and humidity depending on the time of year they are shipped. In a perfect world, this would simply mean shipping electronics in a precisely climate controlled container that dynamically adjusts all its interior parameters to maintain a stable environment.
Of course while it’s certainly technologically possible to ship electronics this way, it’s financially impractical. The cost of doing so, especially for huge amounts of freight, is simply too expensive, especially considering the rough and tumble nature of shipping on a global scale to distant destinations.
Instead, more passive temperature control systems like thermal pallet covers and ocean container liners go a long way towards providing a cost-effective form of climate protection. These systems don’t require elaborate mechanics, and instead rely on scientifically sound insulation techniques to preserve the original temperature and humidity the cargo was packed in. Through a combination of precisely created air pockets and layers of aluminum film, thermal pallet covers can protect individual pallet covers once removed from a container, and ensure that electronics inside are free from contaminants or environmental damage.
Electronics have become an important fixture in the lives of people and the retail market. These kinds of smart shipping techniques ensure these 21st century wonder tools get to their intended destination safe and sound.
