How to ship a PC- Safe shipping practices from a system integrator.
Damaged packages are a product of a modern industrial shipping industry. As many of you are probably familiar with, the shipping process can be very rough on packages, leaving boxes damaged or crushed in inexplicable ways. This is a danger that, as systems integrators, we must take very seriously. Computers are complex delicate equipment. We need to account for the weight of heatsinks and graphics cards potentially trying to come loose if dropped or otherwise mishandled, and there are, of course, external concerns with case conditions too from those drops. And beyond that, even more consideration must be given to water cooled PCs we ship assembled and filled with coolant. We build gaming PCs, workstation towers, custom servers, and more. So how do we find a packaging solution that also encompasses all of our solutions?
Polyurethane Expanding Foam and how it protects your components from movement during shipping.
The first and most critical vector of protection is our expanding polyurethane foam. Our shipping technicians can calibrate foam expansion using our specialized foam equipment and place it on a per-system basis. The foam will quickly expand and cure in place between any identified areas of concern, holding GPUs, coolers, and more in position. When cured, these foam pieces can also be removed and placed back (Useful to hang on to if you plan to travel or ship the system yourself!). Our technicians then verify that the packing material will be easily removable by the customer and then place it back within the system.
Expanding foam’s main advantage over conventional packing techniques is two-fold. One is a perfect fit every time is attainable as opposed to traditional foam or bubble wrap (which is prone to popping inside of computers). The second advantage is that the expanded foam has more rigidity to hold heavy components in place while still having a slight give to avoid the shock of a drop causing havoc on connection points like a cooler retention bracket.
What is Polyurethane expanding foam?
Polyurethane foam is a polymer with a specialized cellular structure that allows for minor compression and provides a great cushioning effect while remaining relatively firm. Expanding foam uses this same polymer and seeks to fill empty space in the area it is applied in.
How to box up your PC for safe shipping.
The second vector of protection comes from external packaging. All our systems are first placed in the case manufacturer’s box with the original packing material; this box is then sealed and placed inside an AVADirect box with bubble wrap along with your accessories box and any ordered peripherals. This effectively doubles the shock zone for your computer, reducing the amount of impact that reaches the inside of the system significantly.
Our success rate with custom pc delivery is industry-leading, and the methods employed have been continually refined over 20+ years of business. If you have unique shipping concerns or requirements, don’t hesitate to reach out to our sales team; palletized shipments, direct courier, or more can be arranged.
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