Packaging Standards

The purpose of this document is to outline acceptable standards for the Packaging and
Palletizing of product shipping to SPX Service Solutions, Owatonna, MN, and Romeoville, IL.

The overall objective of this is to insure safety, guarantee part quality, maximize packaging and warehousing efficiency, and reduce waste.

2.0 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

2.1 PALLET: Pallets are a portable platform with an understructure on which a unit load is assembled for storage or transportation purposes.

2.2 PALLET SPECIFICATIONS

Wooden Pallets: Click below on Figure 2.2.1

Plastic Pallets: No cup styles are acceptable. Due to product weights the pallets could flip and injuries. This is the largest acceptable size for a standard pallet.

Click below on figure 2.2.2 for recommended style of pallet.

3.0 LOAD CHARACTERISTICS

Maximum height of pallet load is 45.0” with pallet. This allows for double stacking in Ocean containers.
Maximum weight for a pallet load is 1500 lbs.
Equipment over 120 lbs. must be individually palletized.

3.1 PALLET SURFACE UTILIZATION

Packaging is not to extend past the standard pallet size. If the packaging configuration is larger than the standard pallet size, the packaging must be redesigned to ensure that the packaging configuration does not exceed the standard pallet.
Larger equipment in excess of 120 lbs. must be shipped on individual pallets or in individual crates.
If there is a drawing for packaging, the drawing is the governing document.

3.2 CARTON LOADING/PALLET SECUREMENT

There are two different ways to stack boxed loads. Interlocking patterns
rotate each layer on the unit load. Using this method allows the load to loose up to 50% of its strength. Column stacking is the preferred stacking method (stacking one box directly on top of the other). Each layer of cartons must be in alignment corner to corner with the other carton layers.
Load stability influences the choice to use the Interlocking pattern. Other methods to increase load stability include stretch wrap, slip sheets between layers and strapping. Used in combination with the column stack you will increase stacking strength and load stability.

4.0 BANDING

4.1 Hand

Steel banding to be made of .75 width x .020 thickness.
Plastic Polypropylene Black .50 width x .025 thickness; 500LBS break strength.
Plastic Polyester Black .50 width x .025 thickness; 750LBS break strength.

4.2 Machine

Plastic Polypropylene White .50 width x .025 thickness, 400 lbs. break
Note: Individual cartons do not need to be banded if they are taped properly.

5.0 STRETCH WRAPPING

Stretch wrap is transparent plastic usually applied with an automatic turntable or hand held roll applicator. Stretch wrap must overlap the pallet to prevent loads from shifting during transportation. Part identification labels must be clearly seen through the wrap
- Multiple cartons on pallets must be stretched wrapped several times.
Hand: Polyethylene, 18”width x 1500’ ; 70 gauge (17micron)
Machine: Polyethylene; 20” wide x 6000’ ; 80gauge(20.3micron)

6.0 CONTAINER LOADING

All product must be shipped on pallets. Loading product directly on the floor of the container is not acceptable.
Units must be braced and blocked between loads to prevent rocking.
Load bars must be placed at the end of the container to prevent load shifting and packages from falling out when the door is opened.
Container loads must not be stacked to the ceiling.
Suggested 6.0” of clearance is required for unloading containers.

7.0 CRATES/WOOD BOXES

Crates/ Wood boxes protect the product from damage in transit and material handling.
Crates are designed to rely on the frame members to support the load. Open, unsheathed crates (figure 7.1) are used when surface damage to the contents is unlikely or distribution hazards are minimal.

Click below to view Figure 7.1

Click below to view figure 7.2

Three-way nailing of corners (Figure 7.2) is the preferred method to improve crate performance in rough handling. All crates must be 3.00”off of the floor to allow for mechanical handling.
All wood crates and boxes and any non-manufactured wood packaging material new and used must be treated and marked in accordance with the SPX International Wood Packaging Material Regulations. (7.3)

Click below to view Figure 7.3

Click below to view Figure 7.3.1

Wood boxes are made from sawn lumber and are most frequently used as a shipping container when one or more of the following conditions are present: high-density contents, difficult load, and severe environment, multiple, loose parts or components.
Eight common styles of wood boxes are shown in Figure 7.4, with two of the styles receiving the greatest usage. Those styles are #2 for heavy loads of any type up to 1,000 pounds, and #4, for lighter loads up to 400 pounds.

Click below to view Figure 7.4
Wood box styles

DUNNAGE MATERIAL

SPX recommends the use of paper based void fill material rather than plastic-based void fill material. Paper-based material is easily recycled along with the corrugated containers, and doesn’t require intermediate steps for segregation of materials.
SPX does not allow the use of peanuts, textiles or shredded paper as void fill materials.

8.0 CORRUGATED BOXES

Corrugated fiberboard boxes are shipping containers used most often in the U.S. industry representing more than 90% of all shipping containers for products distributed by rail, truck, and air carriers.
SPX requires suppliers to adhere to Item (Rule) 222 for LTL motor freight, and or Rule 41 for Rail. For boxes that are transported at least part of the way by one or both of these modes, the minimum requirements of the rules are a starting point or base for developing a corrugated box specification.
See table 8.1 carrier regulations for minimum fiberboard requirements. To use the table first choose the Alternative A for burst or puncture protection or Alternative B for edge crush or stacking strength of the box.
Only one certificate appears in the box manufacturer’s certification stamp on the box, either Alternative A (burst), or Alternative B (ECT). See Figure 8.2.
Refer to ASTM D4169 for additional information on material testing to meet this specification.

Click below to view Table 8.1

Click below to view Figure 8.2

9.0 ELECTRONIC PACKAGING

• ESD (Electro Static Discharge) sensitive [ESDS] items be handled and shipped in accordance with the latest revision of ANSI/ESD S20.20.

• ESD Symbols

ESD Protective Symbols
ESD Susceptibility Symbol May also be referred to as Sensitivity or Caution Symbol

• MSD (Moisture Sensitive Devices) shall be handled and shipped in accordance with the latest revision of IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033.

References and Resources

“Transport Packaging”, Alfred H. McKinlay
“Fibre Box Handbook”, Fibre Box Association