MECHANICAL DAMAGE SHIPMENTS MUST CONTEND WITH

By mechanical damage, we're referring to damage incurred as a result of devices commonly used in the transport of freight. Perhaps the biggest culprit is the common forklift truck.

FORKLIFT

Electric, gasoline and propane driven - these heavy, four-wheeled vehicles have incredible lifting capacities. Their high weight is necessary to counterbalance the heavy loads they must lift. Your equipment is lifted on two extending steel fork blades that slide (hopefully) under (and not through) your shipment. Hopefully, your equipment is centered and well-balanced on the fork blades prior to being lifted, sometimes, as high as 10 feet. Now, the forklift operator proceeds to accelerate (rapidly if he's behind schedule and normally if he's on schedule) forward, sideways or backwards to a destination.

Forklifts incur punctures, scrapes and drops. Properly operated, they incur little damage, however, under the duress of tight time schedules and the reality that many operators are ill experienced at safe operation, the forklift remains perhaps your most often encountered and worst enemy whenever shipping valuable equipment.

CONVEYORS

For rapid movement of items being shipped, conveyors are often used. They're much like the carousel conveyors one sees at the airport, however, they are designed to support significantly higher weights. Unfortunately, items on the conveyor often become jammed or blocked. The conveyor continues to be driven forward but the jammed item produces a 'damming' effect for all the items after it. Perhaps 'crushing' or 'compressing' effect is a better choice of words. Be aware of the conveyor! It's a time saver for the carrier but it enjoys 'eating' freight, too.

TRUCK BEDS & TRAILERS

Truck beds and trailers are typically wood-lined cavities being towed by a truck (or tractor as it's commonly referred.) As with the trunk of your car when you go on vacation, space is important - one attempts to use as much of it as possible. Freight is loaded with fork lifts to economize this space as much as possible. Perfectly square items such as cardboard boxes, cases and crate are loaded on the bottom. Odd sized items such as things in round containers, items on pallets, etc. are loaded on top. Need we say more? Where is your valuable equipment on this trailer? Does the driver really care about your shipment?

Star Cases are built to withstand the onslaught of the mechanical equipment explained here, and allot more. Star Cases are subjected to severe testing - they're dropped repeatedly, they're vibrated for hours on end and compressed in excess of 20,000 pounds per square inch. Star Cases are your best defense to avoid the mechanical damage encountered in everyday shipping environments.