Everything you need to know about electronics packaging design

Here, we explore everything you need to know about electronics packaging.

Why is electronics packaging design important?

Taking into account the points above, it’s easy to recognise the difficulties faced within the electronics industry. Being fragile and often expensive, any damage caused to electronics during transit can prove costly – both for your business’ funds and reputation.

This goes for damage caused by static charges too. Although the problem won’t be noticed immediately, when the product simply doesn’t power on, isn’t functioning correctly, or suffers from lifespan shortages, your packaging solution is likely to blame.

Consequently, protection against impacts during transit, mishandling, moisture, dust, and static charges is vital for a successful electronics packaging solution.

What packaging is best for electronics?

At Swiftpak, we use our packaging expertise, knowledge and experience in the electronics industry to recommend and provide successful packaging solutions. We combine sufficient protection with reduced materials to avoid over-packing and unnecessary complexities for flexible and cost-effective packaging. Here are just a few examples of packaging our customers use effectively to protect their electronics during transit.

What protection does electronic packaging design offer?

ESD (electrostatic) protection

Today, various packaging products are used to protect electronics from static discharge. These include:

• Antistatic self seal bubble bags – no static charges are produced when antistatic bubble bags are handled to prevent ESD. Includes a self seal strip for easy and effective sealing.

• Antistatic bubble wrap – can be used in many situations due to flexibility of the wrap. Available in small and large bubble options.

• Metalized bags – available in open and zip top variations, metalized bags provide excellent protection against ESD. Extremely effective for shipping integrated circuits, CD drives, hard drives and more.

Tamper protection

The value of mobile phones, tablets, gadgets and other similar products often draw attention from the wrong people. That’s why tamper evident packaging plays a big part in the electronics industry. Unauthorized access to packages can result in stolen or damaged products – a costly scenario to rectify. So, what are your options when it comes to preventing illegal activity?

• Tamper evident cartons – simple but cleverly designed cartons can be made to fold into tamper evident boxes. This creates a package impossible to open without causing physical damage. Perfect for expensive mobile phones and similar electronics.

• Tamper evident tape – using tamper evident tape to seal your package is a great way to help deter unauthorised access during delivery. Products like gummed paper tape and reinforced paper tape creates a bond so strong it can’t be removed without damaging the outer package.

For further information on this topic, take a look at our tamper-evident packaging blog. Here, we explain what tamper-evident packaging is and why it’s so important.

Damage protection

Many electronics contain components that are prone to being scratched, cracked and shattered – a common occurrence without the correct packaging. So, how can you best protect laptops, flat screens, and camera lenses from damage?

• Film support packs – Lapsanp, Screensnap, and Quicksnap film support packs are available in various sizes to guarantee damage prevention for your product. The film is used to secure electronics in place, prevent movement, and provide a protective layer against dirt, dust or anything that could leave scratches.

Top tips for electronics packaging

Shipping a safe and secure package should be a number one priority. Electronics are fragile and often expensive, so follow these quick tips to help prevent costly damages and returns.

• Properly secure batteries for shipping – many electronics require batteries or are equipped with detachable batteries for power. These components can be a source of hazardous heat, sparks or fire if improperly packed for shipping. When shipping almost any type of battery, you must safeguard all terminals against short-circuiting. This can be done by using an insulating, non-conductive material to cover them.
• Separate cords and accessories – where electronics have several components, it’s always good to keep them organised in a package. Separating cords and accessories significantly helps the user. It means cords aren’t tangled, each can be labelled appropriately, and provides a better customer experience overall.
• Use effective shipping materials – it’s important to utilise the right materials to ensure your electronics arrive in pristine condition. Corrugated cartons, void fill, and antistatic packaging products can all be used to keep your products safe and secure.
• Deter and detect damages – Electronics can be both fragile and expensive, meaning damages can occur more frequently and hurt your bottom line. But with the application of impact indicators, you can deter and detect damage during transit to prevent this. ShockWatch labels are a tamper-proof solution that can be applied directly to your package. Not only do they act as a visual deterrent to each package handler along its journey but provide physical evidence of any impacts between 5 and 75G (depending on your needs) with the release of a red dye – when your ShockWatch detector has turned from clear to red, you have evidence that the package has been involved in an impact above the stated G-force threshold. For more on impact indicators and how they could benefit your business, take a look at this recent case study where ShockWatch labels were used to keep high tech equipment in pristine condition.

Electronics packaging solutions from Swiftpak

Given the nature of electronic products and the difficulties addressed here, it’s best to seek advice from an expert when it comes to packaging. If your business needs a personalised, performance driven and cost-effective packaging solution, contact Swiftpak today. Our electronics packaging experts would love to help you put.