DS Smith and Schneider Electric have teamed up on a fully recyclable corrugated cardboard solution for three integrated electrical switchgear products, aiming to reduce material use and improve supply chain circularity.
The companies say the switchgear components are integrated into the switchgear cabinet as a part of a finished final design, intended to facilitate secure attachment to the moving parts of the large industrial products and ensure that easy handling and maneuvering during the production, transportation and supply chain process. The packaging solution is also designed to fit easily into automated production lines.
Apparently, the heavy-duty weight of the electrical switchgear products means they can only be moved and packed from the side with the use of an industrial manipulator (a specialized rigid arm-lifting device designed to assist in the handling of heavy, awkward, or fragile packages). The moving parts of the three electrical switchgear products require securing into the correct position to be safely transported, while the packaging needs to provide protection during challenging or unexpected transportation and supply chain conditions.
The packaging components can reportedly be assembled in less than one minute on any advanced and automated packaging line, with minimal folding required during the assembly process. DS Smith adds that an openable side tray provides a stable base and means the products can be firmly anchored into place for optimum product protection. The parts are fixed with the same corrugated cardboard sheet elements and integrated into a separate endcap.
The packaging also includes a polyethylene bag to protect the greased elements of the product from dust. Metal connectors are protected by a folded corrugated cardboard insert, and each side element is glued together with several layers of corrugated cardboard. The multi-layered endcaps are also comprised of fibre-based corrugated cardboard materials.
The DS Smith team drop tested the packaging solution as a part of the design and compliancy process, and as a controlled procedure to assess the product’s durability and safety by releasing it from a set height to measure its resistance to impact, shocks, and potential structural damage. It is designed to be compact and negate unused or void space to use the least amount of materials possible, with reduced freight and storage costs.
Levente Szabó, cluster director at DS Smith Hungary, comments:
“The Electrical Switchgear is a complex industrial product, and it can be incredibly heavy and delicate to transport, and so achieving the correct balance between protection, handling efficiency, and sustainability, is absolutely key in a packaging solution. This design demonstrates what can be achieved with fibre-based and corrugated cardboard solutions. The intention was to make a solution that is not only robust, but fast and easy to assemble, and both sustainability and recyclability are extremely important factors for our customer.”
In April, Mondi claimed to have delivered a 10% reduction in logistics and production costs for Turkish technology company Argesim Teknoloji by developing a customized corrugated packaging solution for its sensor-based products. Mondi says that by optimizing box dimensions, strength and ergonomics, it eliminated shipment-related production damage and reduced operational risks across the supply chain.
The following month, DS Smith and home and building equipment company SOMFY partnered on a fully recyclable corrugated cardboard solution to protect roller shutter motors during transportation and replace polystyrene inserts. The modular system can accommodate thirty-four different types of engine lengths and can be adapted to four box sizes, making logistics easier.
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