|
 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.
TUCK 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.
|
