Designing a cost effective crate that checks all the boxes (excuse the pun) is both challenging and rewarding. Strategic placement of cross members to adequately support our customers precious cargo is the first thing I consider. Next is getting an understanding of the internal dimensions required and determining the shipping environment. Will the crate ship overseas? if so, will it ship ocean or air freight. Will the crate ship domestically? if so will it ship via dedicated freight or LTL? Last but not least we need to understand what type of material handling equipment our customer and the end user plans to use to move the crate through their respective facilities.
Misunderstanding any of these key requirements can create a ripple effect of problems for our customers. In many cases (again with the pun) it is our decades of experience that attributes to our design success. No amount of schooling or engineering can provide the knowledge needed to effectively design complex crates.