Back in my old kit selling days, I used a PC mount power transformer that was un-shippable after mounting. 100% of kits returned to me for repair required replacement transformers. I eventually started bolting the transformer down to the PCB with a long 4-40 screw.. it was no problem for the 99.5% of kit builders who didn't ever ship their assembled units.
In product design relatively massive problem parts were large radial electrolytic caps and larger value (>.1uF) mylars. This is why you often see hot melt or some form of adhesive securing them. Throw any product on the shaker table over the weekend and you will find your weak sisters rolling around inside the bottom of the chassis on monday morning. 8) Axial lead components were much more robust in this regard, but generally fell out favor due to PCB real estate they consumed.
Damage from drops is a somewhat different problem. I recall issues with international shipments of some very heavy power amps, where the first drop when the shipping container stacked full of amps was dropped on some dock somewhere. this first drop trashed the compressible packing foam, that was designed to sacrifice itself to protect the product. But after the first drop, the product is now unprotected against second and third drops, when the product got shipped again to distributor or dealers.
JR
PS: Most amusing shipping abuse experience for me, is related to the liquid malt extract, I buy to make home brew beer with. This molasses consistency extract is shipped in sealed plastic pouches and relatively well behaved, but my local Fedex depot suffered the consequences of their mishandling one of my shipments badly enough that several pounds of syrupy extract leaked out of the cardboard shipping carton all over their floor, and everywhere they tried to keep the package. I can imagine a very sticky mess in high traffic areas. While mildly amusing, I almost ran out of beer waiting for a replacement shipment. Since then I try to break up the larger extract shipments into multiple boxes for less breakage.
PPS: Back in my mail order kit business days, I did have one package lost, that was eventually discovered the next spring in the customer's back yard, where a temp UPS driver threw it over his fence for safe delivery one Christmas season. I wonder if he was related to that fedex driver who recently went viral?
In product design relatively massive problem parts were large radial electrolytic caps and larger value (>.1uF) mylars. This is why you often see hot melt or some form of adhesive securing them. Throw any product on the shaker table over the weekend and you will find your weak sisters rolling around inside the bottom of the chassis on monday morning. 8) Axial lead components were much more robust in this regard, but generally fell out favor due to PCB real estate they consumed.
Damage from drops is a somewhat different problem. I recall issues with international shipments of some very heavy power amps, where the first drop when the shipping container stacked full of amps was dropped on some dock somewhere. this first drop trashed the compressible packing foam, that was designed to sacrifice itself to protect the product. But after the first drop, the product is now unprotected against second and third drops, when the product got shipped again to distributor or dealers.
JR
PS: Most amusing shipping abuse experience for me, is related to the liquid malt extract, I buy to make home brew beer with. This molasses consistency extract is shipped in sealed plastic pouches and relatively well behaved, but my local Fedex depot suffered the consequences of their mishandling one of my shipments badly enough that several pounds of syrupy extract leaked out of the cardboard shipping carton all over their floor, and everywhere they tried to keep the package. I can imagine a very sticky mess in high traffic areas. While mildly amusing, I almost ran out of beer waiting for a replacement shipment. Since then I try to break up the larger extract shipments into multiple boxes for less breakage.
PPS: Back in my mail order kit business days, I did have one package lost, that was eventually discovered the next spring in the customer's back yard, where a temp UPS driver threw it over his fence for safe delivery one Christmas season. I wonder if he was related to that fedex driver who recently went viral?
