To be successfully able to package goods for air freight, one needs to have a composite understanding of the product being packaged and its distribution ecosystem. One also needs to have an in-depth understanding of packaging materials and also excellent understanding of the process which ensures secure packaging and shipment.

To begin with, one needs to have good knowledge about the hazards involved in shipping goods through air freight :

* Abrasions and punctures : When the packaging is light, and the product shifts internally within the packing because of insufficient internal packaging, there are severe chances of the product developing punctures and abrasions during transit

* Compression : Un-organized stacking, vibrations or undue shock and even heavy tie-down straps can all generate severe compressive pressure that can bring about heavy damage to the products

* Handling during shipment : Impacts and drops are a part and parcel of air shipment handling operations, and proper preventive packaging must be ensured to minimize or negate any damage arising out the mis-handling of shipment

Mostly all or much of these above factors can be negated or at least minimized with proper preparation and packaging before your goods are shipped by air freight. Here below are listed a few methods in which that can be accomplished.

Packaging Materials Good For Shipments By Air Freight

Use of Fiberboard Corrugated Boxes :

Very commonly misunderstood as normal boxes or cartons, Fiberboard Corrugated Boxes are the one of the most used shipping containers, but a great number of people are yet unaware of the strengths and weaknesses of the packaging. The biggest compression point is within 1" of the edges which are created by two adjacent panels in the box. Fiberboard Corrugated Boxes also degrade with passing time and within six months, it is down to 50% of its original strength. Excessive humidity also degenerates these boxes very quickly, so ideally they should be used as single use packages.For

Packaging in Wood For Air Freight

Wood crafting goods for shipment by air can assist in protecting your goods during transit, allowing minimalistic damage prone shipment if done with great care and deft, Listed below are some essential things which one needs to follow while packaging an air cargo shipment :

* Interlocking corners on the crates of wood are to be always used during packaging

* One should never place the fasteners into the end grain of the wood. This results in the reduction of fastener resistance by more than 35%. You should always place the fasteners in the side or the edge grain of the wood and never the end grain.

* The knots one usually places on the wood boards should not ideally be more than 30% of the total surface area in which they appear, to minimize the centripetal force on the knots

* Never place the fasteners on the knots or they may slip out very easily

* To increase the strength of the wooden boxes used for packaging, always use braces diagonally on each of the panels. This will help strengthen the packaging by more than 40%.

Pallets For Air Freight

Air pallets are usually made out of either plastic or wood. Pallets generally make moving packages much more easier by aiding in the handling and consolidation of the packages. The use of pallets also permits shipments to be moved without coming into direct contact with the packages, thereby reducing chances of damage. Here are some key pointers about pallets :

* Pallets should usually be big enough to fit in shipments without any overhang

* One should never use broken pallets

* Any fasteners which are protruding should ideally be removed before the packages are placed on the pallet.

* It is best suggested that pallets on any shipment should ideally have a floor-bearing load exceeding 100 lbs per square foot.

* One should never exceed the total capacity of the air pallet.

If one follows these basic guidelines and best standards, usually your air cargo packaging would be good enough to prevent any damage during shipment. Finally, it is always best to properly cushion your goods in any best way you can, to minimize the effect any external sudden shock may have on your cargo.