Air freight brings its own unique mechanical and logistical challenges Air freight is a far cry from the conditions encountered in road or sea transport. Many types of damage that occur exclusively in air freight cannot be explained by classic drop tests, but rather by the specific stress profile of this mode of transport. Packaging for air freight is therefore crucial for protecting the goods being transported.
While a device may function without problems for years in European road transport, in air freight recurring malfunctions suddenly arise The packaging appears undamaged on the outside, but internally, screws have loosened or components have shifted. This clearly demonstrates that air freight requires a separate technical approach. Therefore, NOVAPOR develops air freight packaging specifically tailored to these requirements – perfectly optimized for the safe, international shipping of sensitive industrial equipment.
High-frequency vibrations in air transport
Lower frequency ranges generally dominate in road transport. In air transport additional high-frequency vibrations are also present, generated by engines, structural aircraft movements, and taxiing on the apron. These frequencies are sometimes significantly higher than the typical truck frequency spectrum.
This is critical for bolted assemblies. High-frequency vibrations lead to micro-movements in the contact area, causing the preload to gradually decrease. The screw does not loosen abruptly, but loses stability over many cycles. The device appears undamaged, but exhibits internal malfunctions.
Handling and transshipment as an additional risk factor
Besides the actual flight, handling processes play a crucial role. Air freight shipments are moved multiple times, transshipped, and transported by forklifts. Short, sharp impacts occur during unloading or the transition between the conveyor system and the loading unit. These shock loads differ significantly from the more uniform vibrations experienced during road transport.
Air freight packaging designed only for medium frequencies cannot adequately filter such high-frequency pulses. Assemblies with long lever arms or bolted mounting plates are particularly sensitive.
Building height limitations and design flexibility
In practice, the overall height of air freight vehicles is often limited. Total heights of around 1.60 meters significantly impact loading capabilities and freight costs. This restriction reduces the available suspension travel and directly affects the center of gravity.
Packaging for air freight must therefore be mechanically effective, even though the design options are limited. The damping must be neither too soft, as this would result in large relative movements, nor too hard, as this would transmit high shock peaks. The adjustment is always made in the tension between building height, weight and mechanical protective effect.
Frequency-conscious damping through sandwich modules
A homogeneous foam can rarely cover the entire frequency spectrum optimally. Materials that dampen effectively at low frequencies often react too slowly at very high frequencies. Conversely, stiffer materials produce a faster response but are less able to absorb shock loads.
NOVAPOR therefore often works with sandwich modules in air freight applications, which combine two different foams. One layer primarily absorbs energy during impact, while a second, faster-reacting layer more effectively reduces high-frequency vibrations. This principle enables a frequency-conscious damping, where the focus is not on maximum softness, but on targeted system coordination.
Practical example: Damage exclusively in air freight cases
An international company that develops and ships high-precision devices worldwide contacted us to resolve a peculiar problem with its shipping packaging. According to the customer, no issues arose during road transport of its products within Europe. However, as soon as air freight was involved, malfunctions repeatedly occurred upon arrival at the end customer's location.
The analysis revealed no classic impact damage. Rather, internal screws had loosened. The existing air freight packaging was designed for medium frequencies and functioned reliably during truck transport. However, the characteristic high-frequency vibrations and handling impulses of air freight were not adequately dampened.
NOVAPOR conducted a comprehensive load profile analysis and subsequently developed a custom-designed sandwich damping system specifically tailored to the extended frequency spectrum. Since the conversion, no further damage has occurred, even though the devices continue to be shipped worldwide by air freight.
Suitable packaging for air freight
Various packaging concepts are suitable for air freight. A classic wooden packaging offers high structural stability and is particularly suitable for heavy equipment. Export-ready packaging made of strong corrugated cardboard can also be advantageous when weight reduction and height restrictions need to be observed. Many projects utilize a combination of a load-bearing wooden frame and a corrugated cardboard-based outer structure.
What matters is not the base material, but the integration of structure, damping system and transport profile.An air freight package must be mechanically robust, export-ready, and at the same time frequency-matched.
Air freight requires a specific packaging strategy.
Air transport is not a variant of road transport, but rather a unique mechanical challenge. High-frequency vibrations, handling impulses, height restrictions, and international logistics processes all interact and influence the vibration behavior of the entire system.
NOVAPOR therefore considers packaging for air freight an integral part of the device design. Only by jointly analyzing frequency spectrum, shock behavior, overall height, and logistical requirements can a solution be developed that functions reliably worldwide and effectively reduces screw loosening or malfunctions.