The need for automotive parts is increasing rapidly with the production of more and more new vehicles. In fact, some statistics have reported that the total number of cars currently on worldwide roads has gone over the one billion mark.
With this increasing auto production comes the need for more automotive parts. These parts require safe shipping as well as ways to look good for those parts that reach retail shelves.
The automotive industry is an enormous and distinctive one that has Department of Transportation regulations for the packaging of its auto parts. It is also undergoing far-ranging changes due to new areas such as embedded electronics systems, security systems, entertainment systems, power control systems, and chassis control systems. There are also engine and powertrain, body, safety, telematics, air bags, collision avoidance, and lighting systems that have made packaging solutions challenging ones.
As a result, automotive part packaging is a highly specialized type of packaging. Your many parts can range from large to small, lightweight to heavy, or heavy duty to very fragile. All of these need very specific forms of automotive part packaging solutions to get them from your facility to the manufacturers who have ordered them.
You also have to consider your automotive part packaging solutions for additional components that are the lifeline of every vehicle – electronic and electrical parts. While all automotive parts are needed, these are especially fragile and need product-specific packaging.
As the automotive industry introduces more and more non-traditional vehicles, new packaging needs arise, a number of which involve software testing systems. These help automotive suppliers comply with the ISO 26262 functional safety standard. In addition, there are packaging needs for high voltage battery simulators and testing systems. These are critical for electric and hybrid electric vehicles.
Automotive Part Packaging Solutions: What Parts Require Specialized Packaging
In addition to the electrical and electronic components that require very specific packaging, you also have to consider solutions for all of your usual automotive parts.
What other parts have packaging needs? Essentially, everything that finds its way into vehicles will require some form of packaging. The packaging used must not only completely protect the various parts, but must do so in an affordable manner.
What are the various parts that need this specialized automotive part packaging solutions? They include the following, although this list certainly isn’t exhaustive:
- air bags
- air conditioning systems
- A-arms
- alloy wheels
- axels
- batteries
- bearings
- breaking systems
- bumpers
- buttons
- cables
- carburetors
- camshafts
- catalytic converters
- clutches
- cooling fans
- crankshafts
- coils
- dashboards
- differentials
- doors
- engines
- exhaust systems
- fuel pumps
- fuel tanks
- fuses
- gauges
- gear boxes
- GPS systems
- grills
- handles
- hoods
- hub caps
- ignition systems
- lights
- meters
- mirrors
- moldings
- panels
- radiators
- radios
- roof racks
- seats
- seat belts
- sensors
- shocks
- signaling systems
- spoilers
- springs
- steering wheels
- sway bars
- switches
- tires
- transmissions
- windows
- windscreens
Responsible packaging of your automotive parts can save you money and greatly improve the handling and safety of your shipments.
Packaging of these many parts can normally be bubble wrapped and then card-boarded. In many instances, they should also be housed in wooden or plastic containers to protect them further while in transit. For parts that are more prone to damage during their transit, loading, and unloading, you will need to provide extra protection for them. You will need to use packaging that can allow for the various different shapes so that they will arrive at the manufacturer in the same condition they were when they left your facility.
Samples of Automotive Part Packaging Solutions
Not every automotive part can be shipped in the same forms of packaging. While some can survive their transit through the use of bubble wrap and cardboard, many others will require something far different. For example:
Moldings – These should be wrapped in plastic film or bags, then cushioned and boxed.
A-arms and sway bars – These should be wrapped in fiberboard or plastic film or bags and securely taped.
Shocks and coil springs – These should be packaged in tubes with enough dunnage-like padding at the ends, along with loosefill peanuts. This will prevent any puncturing.
All in all, the design, material, and size of your packaging will depend on the parts that require packaging. If you choose to go with custom designing, this can help to reduce your packaging costs and end-to-end logistics costs. It can also improve the development to the supply cycle, providing you with efficient time utilization. Reusable packaging, where possible, is not only more environmentally friendly but can reduce your packaging costs in the long run.
If you’re not sure where to begin your automotive part packaging solutions journey, you’ll need to obtain a highly knowledgeable consultant who can advise you of the best packaging for your automotive products.
Choosing the right automotive part packaging solutions for your products can be difficult and vital to your branding. MJS Packaging offers the best customer service and lowest prices for your product packaging. We have exclusive access to manufacturers from all around the world, so we can advise you on the best automotive parts packaging solutions you require.
