fm 38-701 packaging of materiel - packing

8/14/2019 FM 38-701 Packaging of Materiel - Packing

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FM 38-701

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY FIELD MANUAL FM 38-701MARINE CORPS ORDER MCO P4030.21DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY PUBLICATION NAVSUP PUB

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORC E PAMPHLET AFPAM(I) 2DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY INSTRUCTION DLAI 4145.2

PACKAGING OF MATERIEL

PACKING

DEPARTMENTS OF THE ARMY, THE NAVY, THE AIR FORCE,AND THE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved f or public release; distribution is unlimited.


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F M 38-701/MCO P 4030.21D/NAVSUP P UB 503/AFP AM(I) 24-209/DLAI 4145.2

i

*FM 38-701

MCO 4030.21D

NAVSUP PUB 503

AFP AM(I) 24-209

DLAI 4145.2

DEP ARTMENTS OF TH E ARMY,

NAVY, AND AIR FO RC E, AND TH E

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

P ACKAGING OF MATER IEL

PACKING

CH AP TE R P AGE

INTRODUCTIONPU RPOSE .......................................................................................................................... 1

SCOP E ............................................................................................................................... 1

REFE RENCE S .................................................................................................................. 8

CHAPTE R 1 - P ACKINGGENE RAL .........................................................................................................................1-1

SEQUENCE OF PACKING OPERATION......................................................................1-1

DETE RMINATION OF PACKING REQU IREME NTS .................................................1-3

ITE M CHARACTERIS TICS .............................................................................................1-3

LOAD CHARACTERIS TICS ............................................................................................1-7

MODE S OF TRANSP ORTATION ...................................................................................1-7STORAGE CONSIDERATIONS ......................................................................................1-8

DESTIN ATION AND FI ELD CONDITI ONS .................................................................1-9

FU NCTION S AND SE LECTION OF SH IPP ING CONTAINE RS ................................1-9

ARRANGEMEN T OF CON TENTS .................................................................................1-9

BLOCKING AND BRACING ...........................................................................................1-11

APPLICATION OF BLOCKING AND BRACING..........................................................1-12

STRAPPIN G REIN FORCE MEN T FOR CONTAINE RS................................................1-33

CUS HI ONI NG ..................................................................................................................1-35

PACKI NG PROBLE MS ....................................................................................................1-51

PACKI NG SMALL, LIGH TWEI GHT ITEMS .................................................................1-53

CLEARANCE BETWEEN ITEM AND CONTAINER....................................................1-54

WEATH ERP ROOF ING THE PACK ................................................................................1-55

TESTIN G OF PACKS .......................................................................................................1-59MARKING OF PACKS .....................................................................................................1-68

ECONOMY IN PACKI NG ................................................................................................1-68

PARCE L POST REQU IRE MEN TS .................................................................................1-72

*This field m an ua l sup ersed es DLAM 4145.2, Vol II/TM 38-230-2/NAVSUP PU B 503, Vol

II/AFP 71-16/MCO P4030.21C, Pa ckaging of Mat eriel Pa cking (Volum e II), J un e1977


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CHAPTE R 2 - FIBE RBOARD AND PAP ER BOARD CONTAINERS

FI BERBOARD BOXES .....................................................................................................2-1

TRIPLE -WALL CORRUGATED FIBE RBOARD BOXES (ASTM D 5168) ...................2-31

CHAPTE R 3 - WOODEN CANTAINERS AND PALLETS

CONTAINE R MATERI ALS .............................................................................................3-1

NAILED AND LOCK-CORNER WOOD BOXES (PPP-B-621)......................................3-7

NAILIN G REQUI REMEN TS ...........................................................................................3-20CLE ATED-PANEL BOXES (GEN ERAL)........................................................................3-30

CLE ATED PLYWOOD BOXES (PP P-B-601).................................................................3-34

BOXES,, WOOD-CLE ATED P ANELBOARD .................................................................3-42

WOOD-CLEATED, SKIDDE D, LOAD-BEARING BASE BOXES (MIL-B-26195).......3-42

WIREBOUND WOOD BOXES (PPP-B-585)...................................................................3-50

CLASS 3 MILITARY OVERS EA......................................................................................3-53

PALLE TS (GENERAL).....................................................................................................3-59

FOUR-WAY POST CONSTRUCTION PALLETS (MIL-P-15011).................................3-62

FOU R-WAY (PARTIAL) STRINGE R CONSTRU CTION P ALLETS (NN-P-71) ..........3-62

MAINTE NANCE OF PALLE TS ......................................................................................3-62

CHAP TER 4 - BAGS AND SACKS

NE ED FO R BAGS AND SACKS ......................................................................................4-1

BAGS DEFI NE D...............................................................................................................4-1

SACKS DEFI NE D ............................................................................................................4-1

SH IP PI NG BAGS AND SACKS .......................................................................................4-1

COTTON MAILING BAGS (A-A-2714) ...........................................................................4-1

PROCUREMEN T..............................................................................................................4-3

CUSHIONED PAPER SHIPPING SACKS (A-A-160, A-A-1588)...................................4-3

A-A-160 (CUSHION ED WITH POS T CONSU MER RE COVERED MATERIAL)........4-3

A-A-1588 (CUSH IONE D WITH CLOSE D CE LL P LASTIC F ILM) ..............................4-5

BURLAP SH IP PI NG BAGS (A-A-881)............................................................................4-7

CHAPTE R 5 - PAILS AND DRUMS

DESCRI PTION , CLASSIF ICATIONS, AND SELE CTION F ACTORS ........................5-1METAL SHIPPING AND STORAGE DRUMS (MIL-D-6054).......................................5-3

METAL DRUMS (STANDARD) (MISCELLANEOUS)..................................................5-9

FI BER DRUMS .................................................................................................................5-12

CHAPTE R 6 - CRATES

INTRODU CTION TO CRATES .......................................................................................6-1

CRATE MATERIALS........................................................................................................6-18

WOOD CRE ATES, OP EN AND COVERE D, MIL-C-52950 (GEN ERAL).....................6-29

TYPE I, STYLE A --HE AVY DUTY CRATE (MIL-C-52950)..........................................6-34

TYPE I, STYLE B--LIGHT DU TY CRATE (MIL-C-52950)............................................6-35

TYPE II, STYLE A--HEAVY DUTY CRATE (MIL-C-52950) .........................................6-37

TYPE III , STYLE B--LIGH T DUTY CRATE (MIL-C-52950).........................................6-40

TYPE IV, STYLE A--HEAVY DUTY CRATE (MIL-C-52950) ........................................6-43TYPE V, STYLE A--HE AVY DU TY (MIL-C-52950) .......................................................6-43

TYPE V, STYLE B--LIGH T DU TY CRATE (MIL-C-529502).........................................6-48

ASSEMBLY INSTRU CTION S (MIL-C-52950) ...............................................................6-58

OPE N WOOD CRATE S, MIL-C-3774 (GE NE RAL)........................................................6-60

OPEN BOLTE D CRATE S (MIL-C-3774) ........................................................................6-60

OPEN NAILE D CRATES (MIL-C-3774) .........................................................................6-72

SHEATHED WOOD CRATES, MIL-C-104 (GENERAL)...............................................6-84

ASSEMBLY (CLASS 1 CRATES ) ....................................................................................6-115

CRATE, SLOTTE D ANGLE, STEE L O R ALUMIN UM (MIL-C-9897) .........................6-141


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CHAPTE R 7 - CONSOLIDATION AND UNITIZATION FO R SH IP MENT

AND USE OF CARGO CONTAINERS

CONSOLID ATION AND UN ITIZATION FOR SHI PME NT .........................................7-1

PALLE TIZING UNI T LOADS (MIL-HD BK-774) ...........................................................7-2

SHRI NK FILM AND S TRETCH FILM PALLETIZATION ...........................................7-6

CONSOLIDATION CONTAINERS (GENERAL)...........................................................7-6

BOXES, SHIPPING INSERT CONSOLIDATION, MIL-B-43666 (GENERAL)...........7-6

TYPE I, WOOD CLEATED PLYWOOD CONSOLIDATION INSERT BOX(MIL-B-43666)................................................................................................................7-8

TYPE II, PLYWOOD WIREBOUND CONSOLIDATION INSE RT BOX

(MIL-B-43666)................................................................................................................7-11

TYPE III, F IBERBOARD CON SOLIDATION INSE RT BOX (MIL-B-43666)..............7-11

PACKING CONSOLIDATION CONTAINER.................................................................7-13

PACKING SE MI-PERISH ABLE S UBSIS TEN CE ITEMS ............................................7-14

CARGO CONTAINE RS (GEN ERAL)..............................................................................7-16

USE OF MILVANS AND SE AVANS ...............................................................................7-18

SHIPMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.................................................................7-21


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F M 38-701/MCO P 4030.21D/NAVSUP P UB 503/AF J P AM(I) 24-209/DLAI 4145.2

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INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE AND SCOPEP U R P O S E

This publication contains information on the fundamental principles and

appr oved meth ods and t echn iques used in t he pr otection of militar y supplies

and equipment against deterioration and damage during shipment and

stora ge. It is publish ed as an officialdocument for use in operations and in

the training of military and civilian personnel from all segments of the

Department of Defense (DOD) and supporting agencies, as well as for

interested indust rial personnel. It conta ins inform ation based on

specifications, standards, and other pertinent documents, current as of the

date of prepar ation a nd coordination of the pu blication.

NOTE

For Air Force use, the pu blicat ion is n on-directive in na tur e.

S C OP EThis manual emphasizes the importance of packing of military supplies and

equipment. It contains detailed informa tion concerning the requirement s to

accomplish packing operat ions. The requirem ent s include use of exter ior

shipping containers; the assembling of items or packs into the container;

anchoring, blocking, bracing, and cushioning of items or packages within the

container; weatherproofing; strapping of containers; the testing of exterior

packs; palletization and unitization of loads; parcel post; and related subject

mat ter. Genera l exterior mar king in accordance with MIL-STD-129 is

discussed.

C HANGES AND P ROVISIONS

Changes or revisions to this manual are due to major changes in packing

concepts, policies and doctrine, and revision of specifications and other

official publications, will be made on a continuing basis, as required.

Informa tion contained h erein is curr ent a s of J un e 1996.

Users are encouraged to submit recommended changes or comments to

improve th is man ua l. Commen ts should be keyed to the specific page,

paragraph, and line of the text in which the change is recommended.

Reasons should be provided for each comment to insure understanding and

complete evaluation. Commen ts should be prepared using DA Form 2028

(Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) or appropriate

service form and forwarded direct to Dean, U.S. Army Ordnance School of

Military Packaging Technology, ATTN: ATSL-MPT, 360 Lanyard Road,

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5003.

OBJ ECTIVES OF M ILITARY P ACKAGING

The objectives for a chieving un iform pa cking of items of militar y sup plyare

to--

Insure optimum life, utility and performance of materiel through

prevention of deterioration or dam age.

Support t he ma teriel readiness posture of DOD.


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Provide for efficient receipt, storage, inventory, transfer and issue of

materiel.

Assure that marking requirements are kept at the minimum

necessary for effective identification, handling, shipment and storage.

Effect economies by requiring the use of packs which yield lowest

overall cost to the total DOD distribution system consistent with

known or anticipated shipment handling and storage conditions.Considera tions will include--

Minimization of mater ials, methods of preservation, a nd

documentation.

Accomplishm ent with optimum a mount of au tomated

operations.

Minimum weight an d cube.

Use of modular conta iners.

Ha ndling by u nitized load configur ation.

Use of containerization.

Exploitation of new ma terials, meth ods, an d techniques.

Disposability of packaging materials.

H AZARDS E NCOUNTERED IN TRANSPORTATION, H ANDLING, AN D STORAGE

Military supplies and equipment must be protected against pilferage and

damage due to force and exposure, not only until they reach their ultimate

destinat ion, but un til the items are placed int o actual use or service. Force

an d exposur e will reduce the u seful lifespan of the item or cause th e item to be

dam aged beyond rep air. The objective of packing is to exten d the lifespa n of

the item so that depreciation starts, not when it leaves the manufacturing

plant , but wh en it is placed into service.

F o r c e

Damage may result from hazardous forces encountered in transportation,

ha ndling, an d stora ge (figur e 1). Tran sportat ion ha zards involve forces

encoun tered thr ough rail, tru ck, boat, or air shipments. The dama ge caused

can result from abru pt st art s, stops, vibrat ion, an d jolting.

Ha ndling ha zards involve th ose dama ging forces received th rough loading,

un loading, and han dling dur ing stora ge opera tions. Exam ples of ha ndling

where dama ge often occurs ar e--

Manual handling--dropping and puncture.

Forklift truck handhng--dropping and puncture.

Cargo nets--dropping, cru shing, an d wr acking.

Grab h ooks--cru shing an d pun ctu re.

Slings--cru shing, dr opping, a nd wracking.

Conveyers--jarring, sm ash ing, and dropping.Storage hazards involve those forces resulting from the crushing effect of

superimposed loads th rough sta cking.

E x p o s u r e

Exposure to the different climatic conditions and weather hazards, such as

high hu midity, rain, salt spra y, extreme cold, dry inten se heat , and t he cycling

of these weather conditions, will tend to accelerate the breakdown or

deterioration of unprotected items.


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Figure 1. Ha zardous forces encountered in tra nsporta tion handling, an d storage.

Pi l f e r age

Theft of military supplies and equipment while in transit or storage is a significant

problem for the military. Small items of high value are especially vulnerable to pilferage

and should be protected as much as possible through packing techniques.


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C o u n t e r m e a s u r e s To H a z a r d s O f P a c k

Items which are packed properly will resist the damaging effects of force and

exposure. Force is coun ter acted by--

Using r igid shipping conta iners.

Immobilizing the item with in the conta iner th rough an choring,

blocking, and bracing. Damping forces th rough t he u se of cushioning m ater ials an d devices.

Reinforcing shipping containers with metal and nonmetallic

stra pping or reinforcement ta pe as appropriate.

Exposure is coun tera cted by the use of--

Weather-resistant shipping containers.

Waterpr oof bar rier ma terials in various applications.

NECESSITY FOR A P ACKAGING P OLICY

To attain economy, efficiency, and uniformity in packing, and to provide a

un iform pr ocedure in conn ection with procur ement , the services an d a gencies

of th e Depart men t of Defense must h ave a common packing policy. This isprovided by the Department of Defense (DOD) 4140.1-R, Materiel

Management Regulation.

M ILITARY R EGULATIONS

The Joint Regulation AR 700-15/NAVSUPINST 4030.28C/AFJMAN 24-204/

MCO 4030.33D/DLAD4145.7, applies to all Department of Defense compo-

nents (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and the Defense Logistics

Agency) respons ible for packa ging an item t hr oughout it s life cycle.

This regulation on th e packaging of ma teriel implements DOD 4140. 1-R an d

covers packaging requirements, American Society for Testing and Materials

Standards (ASTM) specifications, levels of protection along with policies and

procedures for Performan ce Oriented Pa ckaging (POP) an d th e protection of

electrostatic discharge sensitive items.

M ILITARY P ACKAGING LEVELS OF P ROTECTION

Concep t o f Mi li t a r y Leve l s o f P r o t ec t i on

In regard to requirements for packing, the military services for many years

relied heavily on the term s "domestic" an d "overseas". Exper ience proved

that for military purposes, these words were vague generalities with no

clear-cut mean ing to them. Suppliers were often per plexed when confronted

with overseas r equirement s for items destined for domestic installations. It

was not apparent to them that the domestic destinations were merely initialreceiving points for projected overseas shipments, or that storage and

handling conditions were severe enough to justify an overseas type of

packing regardless of destinat ion. To permit th e military services to state

their requirements more objectively, the concept of levels of protection was

adopt ed. As defined in MIL-STD-2073-1C, levels of protection are a means

of specifying the level of military p reservat ion an d pa cking th at a given item

requires to assure that it is not degraded during shipment and storage (see

figur e 2). Specific levels of pr otection a re a s follows:


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Figure 2. Examples of protection.

M i l i t a r y l eve l o f p r e s e r va t i on . Preservation designed to protect

an item during shipment, handling, indeterminate storage, and

distribution to consignees worldwide.

Mili t a r y leve l s of pa ckin g .

o Leve l A. Protection required to meet the most severe worldwide

shipment , handling, and storage conditions. Level A pack mu st,

in ta ndem with t he a pplied preservation, be capable of protecting

material from the effects of direct exposure to extremes of

climate, terrain, operational and transportation environments.

Examples of situations which indicate a need for use of a Level A

pack are: War Reserve Material, mobilization, strategic and

theater deployment and employment, open storage, and deck

loadin g. Exa mples of cont ain ers used for Level A packin g


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requirements include, but are not limited to, overseas type wood

boxes and plast ic and meta l reusable containers.

o Leve l B. Protection required to meet moderate worldwide

shipment , ha ndling, an d storage conditions. Level B pack must,

in ta ndem with t he a pplied preser vation, be capable of protecting

mat erial not directly exposed to extremes of climate, t erra in, an d

opera tiona l tra nsporta tion environm ents. Exam ples of situat ionswhich indicate a need for use of a Level B pack are: security

assistance (e.g., Foreign Military Sales (FMS)) and containerized

overseas shipmen ts. Exam ples of conta iners used for Level B

packing requirements include, but are not limited to, domestic

wood crates, weather-resistant fiberboard containers, fast pack

containers, weather-resistant fiber drums, and weather-resistant

paper a nd m ulti-wall shipping sacks.

C o m m e r c i a l P a c k a g i n g . Commer cial packaging is defined as t he m ater ials

and methods used by the supplier to meet the requirements of the

distribution systems serving both DOD and commer cial consumers. The

requirements of MIL-STD-2073-1C shall only be applied to the packaging of

items that are expected to enter the military distribution system.Commercial packaging is to be used to the maximum extent possible for all

other items. Items n ot going into stock shall be packaged inaccordance with

ASTM D 3951, Stan dar d P ractice for Commer cial Pa ckaging.

Commercial packaging will be acceptable for any level of protection when the

technical design of the package meets all conditions of the level of protection

specified. It will be ma rk ed to th e level it meet s. Use of comm ercial

packaging is contingent u pon no increase in packaging changes, size, weight,

or delay in delivery.

Bulk practices used in interplant a nd intr aplant movements or shipments t o

jobbers are not acceptable unless they are the usual trade practices for

individual commodities such as coal, textiles. petroleum, and subsistence.

The packaging details will be incorporated into standardization and

acquisition documen ts when applicable.

NATO S TANAG 4280, LEVELS OF R EQUIREMENTS FOR P ACKAGING

Participating nations agree to adopt the NATO levels of requirements -

defined in this STANAG as the basis for negotiation for the procurement of

packaged mater iel between nat ions. In defining levels of requiremen ts it is

necessary to take into account: The characteristics of the environment and

constraints imposed by the environment; the technical considerations to

define package tests; the four levels of packaging used in NATO; and, it also

shows comparison of these NATO levels against the nearest nationalpackaging requirement.

Type o f Load . The term "type of load" refers to the physical characteristics

of the item, including the nature of the item as it contributes to the support

of, or dam age to the conta iner. The sam e kind of conta iner can be designed

to provide adequate protection to various items by adjusting the

constru ctional requiremen ts. This may result in a light, medium, or

heavydut y container, as necessary. The design of th e shipping container t o

be used is influen ced by the typ e of load. Ther e ar e thr ee types of loads : Type

1, Type 2 an d Type 3. The t ypes of loads will be ment ioned un der the various

shipping containers and in section I (figure 3).


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Figur e 3. Types of loads

Type 1 - easy load . The load is a single item or single interior container

which provides complete and uniform support to all faces of the shippingcontainer. Bulk practices used in interplan t and intra plant movements or

shipments to jobbers are not acceptable unless they are the usual trade

practices for individual commodities such as coal, textiles, petroleum, and

subsistence.

Type 2 - ave r age l oad . The load is composed of more than one item or

interior container which give some support to all faces of the shipping

container . The contents ar e of moderate density and relatively stur dy. Some

examples are goods in metal cans which are not packed in an interior

container, bottles individua lly cushioned, an d ha rdwa re in cart ons.

Type 3 -Diff icu l t load . The load gives little or n o support t o the sh ipping

conta iner. The cont ents can be extremely heavy, very fragile, very irregularin sh ape, bulk m ater ials which a re free to shift. and flow, or a combinat ion of

several of these factors. Some exam ples are rivets, bolts, and n uts, delicate

instruments and machined part s and assemblies.

E CONO MY IN P ACKING

The military concept of economy in packing is to obtain maximum output of

adequa tely protected items at a minimum cost. Economy measu res,

consistent, with the degree of protection required by an item or package

should be of prime concern to individuals engaged in the establishment of

packing requirements, an d to personnel in cha rge of, or performing packing


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operat ions. Significant savings can be accomplished by reducing the ta re

weight, cubage, and packing cost of a commodity through proper

reengineering of the unit and exterior containers, use of newly developed

mat erials, an d employment of altern ate met hods and techniques.

R E F E R E N C E S

Throughout this manual, packing materials, equipment, processes, methods,etc., are referred to by their common names together with the appropriate

specificat ion, sta nda rd, or other p ublication symbols. Copies of specificat ions

and other documents required by activities of the Defense Logistics Agency,

the Depar tmen t of th e Army, Navy, and Air Force, and t he Mar ine Corps a re

obtained from supply sources thr ough established chann els. Copies of

specifications, standards, and drawings required by contractors connection

with specific procurement functions should be obtained from the procuring

activity or as directed by th e cont ra cting officer. Milita ry and Feder al

Specifications and Standards are available from: Standardization Document

Order Desk, 700 Robbins Avenue, Building #4, Section D, Philadelphia PA

19111-5094. Informa tion pamphlet titled "A Guide for th e Private In dustr y"

provides more detailed informa tion a nd is ava ilable upon requ est.


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1-1

CHAPTER 1

PACKING

GENERAL

P ACKING OF GENERAL SU P P L I E S

Some commodity items require preservation by procedures and materials

described in FM 38-700/MCO P4030.31D/NAVSUP PUB 502/AFJPAM 24-

237/DLAI 4145.14, Packaging of Materiel Preservation, which provide unit

containers suita ble for shipment without fur th er packing. Other items may

require fur ther packing in containers suitable for shipment . This cha pter

relates to the packing of commodity items directly in shipping containers

with whatever protection is required to prevent damage in shipment,

han dling and storage. The container alone can not always provide full

protection for military items. Items must be properly anchored, braced,

blocked, or cushioned in th e cont ainer t o provide adequ at e protection. A

container is often blamed for damage to its contents when the cushioning,

blocking, or bra cing ar e at fault (fig. 1-1). Ever y packing operat ion, including

the final closure, strapping, and marking of the container, must be carefully

planned and executed to ensure that the contents will arrive at its

destinat ion in a u sable condition.

P ACKAGING OF H AZARDOUS ARTICLES

Commodities classified as hazardous materials come within the scope of

TITLE 49 Code of Federal Regulations which incorporates Department of

Transportation Regulation for the Transportation of Explosives and other

Hazar dous Articles by all modes. Inter na tiona l Shipments mu st be packaged

in accordance with the International Air Transport Associations DangerousGoods Regulation (IATA) and the International Maritime Organization

Dan gerous Goods Code (IMDG) codes. In addition, ha zar dous mate rials

which a re to be shipped via milita ry aircraft mu st be packaged in a ccorda nce

with the joint service manual AFJMAN 24-204/TM 38-250/NAVSUP PUB

505/MCO P4030.19/DLAM 4145.3, Preparing Hazardous Materials for

Military Air Shipmen ts.

SEQUENCE OF PACKI NG OPE RATION

The general sequence of military packing is divided into a series of basic

operations which may include some or all of the following steps, not

necessarily in the order given below:

D e t er m i n e t h e P a c k in g R e q u i r e m e n t sKnowing the item characteristics helps to determine the protection required

and the best way to provide it through the use of an adequate container,

suitable blocks, braces, and cushions, and a ppropriate bar rier m ater ials. This

study will include consideration of the characteristics of the item, its size,

shape, fragility, etc.; the types of loads (easy, average or difficult); the mode

of transportation (rail, ship, truck, or aircraft); the storage facilities (covered

or un covered); the dest ination (domestic or overseas in t he ar ctic, temperat e,

or tr opic zones); an d th e levels of protection r equir ed.


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Se l ect t h e Con t a i ner

Select and use an exterior container that will comply with the requirements

outlined in applicable cha pter s of th is ma nu al. This selection should consider

all factors pertinent to giving adequate protection at the minimum cost such

as the characteristics and limitations of the container; its initial cost and

upkeep expenses; its weight and cube; its availability or obtainability in

appr opriate quant ities; an d its reusability.

Prepa re protec t i ve barr iers

Prepare an appropriate barrier to give weatherproofing protection not

obtaina ble from th e conta iner a lone.

I n s e r t an d S ecur e t h e I t em t o t he Con t a i ner

Insert the item a nd secure it to the conta iner to contr ol or prevent m ovement

by mea ns of adequ at e cushioning, blocking, an d bra cing. The distinction

between cushioning and blocking is that cushioning permits controlled

movement of the item within the container, while blocking and bracing

usu ally is designed to prevent m ovement of the item within th e container .

Figure 1-1. Dama ged items as a r esult of improper/inadequa te packing.


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S eal the Ba rr ier i f Used

Seal the bar rier mat erial by mean s of adh esives, heat seals, pressur e seals, or

sealing tape to provide weatherproofness of the seams, joints, and closures

equal to tha t of the ba rr ier mat erial itself.

C lo s e t h e C o n t a i n e r

Close the container following the detailed requirements outlined in the

section of this m an ual which describes th e cont ainer selected.

R e i n f o r c e t h e C o n t a i n e r . Reinforce the container with metal or plastic

strapping or reinforced tape as appropriate and as required for the container

selected.

M a r k t h e S h i p p i n g C o n t a i n e r . Mark the container as appropriate to

identify the cont ents a nd to ensur e movement to its destinat ion.

DETERMINATION OF P ACKING REQUIREMENTSThe different types of items procured by the Depart ment of Defense r equire awide var iety of packing operat ions. Items var y from str ong, ru gged ones tha t

fit the container well and require no cushioning, blocking or bracing, to

others that are irregular in shape, delicate, or fragile, and require special

cushioning, blocking or bra cing.

B ASIC F ACTORS

To determ ine packing requirem ents, several ba sic factors mu st be considered,

namely, the item characteristics, the load characteristics, the mode of

transportation, the storage and handling facilities, the destination and field

conditions.

B ASIC R E F E R E N C EThe basic reference for blocking, bracing, and cushioning is MIL-STD-1186,

Cushioning, Anchoring, Bracing, Blocking, and Waterproofing, with

Appropriat e Test Methods. This stan dar d, appr oved by th e Depart ment of

Defense and mandatory for use by the Armed Forces, provides general

requirements and procedures concerning the arrangement of the contents

within th e shipping cont ainer for t he pr evention of physical damage.

SC O P E O F MIL-STD-1186

The standard covers common packing requirements which may be omitted

from detail specifications for items or categories of items when this standard

is referen ced in the deta il specificat ion. It does not cont ain requ iremen ts for

shipping containers, themselves or for unit packing, both of which also

provide physical protection.

ITEM CHARACTER ISTICSThe first step in any packaging operation is a careful study of the item to be

packed. It is necessary to consider the shape, size, weight, strength, and

degree of fragility of th e item in all directions. The ava ilability of moun tin g

provisions, the degree of disassembly permissible for shipment, corrosion

prevention requirements and special use requirements which affect the

packing opera tions mu st a lso be considered.


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1-4

SH A P E

The shape of the item to be packed is an important factor to consider in

designing blocking and bracing. A regular-shap ed item with rectan gular

surfaces requires a minimum of blocking, while an irregular-shaped item

with uneven surfaces, including projections, often require an elaborate

blocking system. Cur ved surfaces requir e car efully fitt ed blocking to preven t

damage caused by concentrated stresses at contact points, and to distributeinternal forces over a greater area of the faces of the container (fig 1-2).

Long, slender items, particularly if heavy, exert a tremendous concentrated

force on th e ends of th e container du ring ha ndling. This force may be

counteracted by securely blocking the item to the sides, top, or bottom of the

container, and by increasing the thickness of the ends of the container (fig

1-3). Relatively heavy, irregular -sha ped small items pr esent a pa rticularly

difficult pr oblem when t hey mu st be cush ioned a s well as blocked. Gener ally,

in solving this problem, it is desirable to even out the surfaces by means of

pads an d blocking to increase the bearing area. This in tu rn decreases the

load p er u nit a rea of bear ing on th e cushion (fig 1-4).

S IZE AND WE I G H T

A large item may require more extensive blocking and larger amounts of

cush ioning th an a smaller one. The blocking ma y be necessary to bridge the

relatively wide spans of the container faces, or it may be required to

distribute the cushioning over larger area s of the item. Since the impact

force developed by the abrupt stopping of a moving object is directly

proportional to its weight, the weight of an item is very important in

considering the blocking an d cushioning. In stu dying the item, consider th e

distribution of the weight with respect to the size and bearing ar eas. Where

the weight is concentrated, it may be necessary to distribute it over a larger

area . This may be done by tran sferring some of it from one conta iner face to

the edges or corners of the container by the use of end blocks.

Figure 1-2. Inter ior blocking for an irregular sh aped item.


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1-5

Fi gu r e 1-3 . Us e o f co r r uga t ed fi be r boa r d pa ds and l i ne r .

F i g u r e 1 -4 . I n t e r i o r b l o ck i n g t o p r o t e c t c on t a i n e r a g a i n s t e n d t h r u s t .


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1-6

STRENGTH AND F RAGILITY

Some items are rugged enough to withstand greater stacking loads and

ha ndling forces tha n th eir container s. Various components of vehicles and

tanks, in particular, require little protection against shipping hazards, but

are placed in conta iners for ease of ha ndling, stowage, and storage. On th e

other h and, there a re nu merous items th at require the maximum protection

afforded by packing mat erials. Equipmen t is considered ru gged or highlyresistant to shock when bracing and blocking within the container is all that

is needed for protection. Items th at r equire cush ioning for pr otection ar e

considered to be fragile. The degree of fragility of an item determines the

amount and type of cushioning required to protect it from damage during

han dling and shipment . Some items are inh erent ly strong and ru gged except

for one or more fra gile compon ent s. When t he fragile componen ts cann ot be

removed for separat e packing the entire item m ust be treat ed as fragile, even

though t his may resu lt in an u na voidably large, cumber some pack.

AVAILABILI TY OF MOUNTING P ROVISIONS

An importa nt factor to consider in packing is the availability of brackets a nd

holddowns on the item that can be used to mount it within the container.

Frequently, it is possible to mount an item within the container by using the

same bra ckets and h olddowns tha t ar e used for positioning an d securing it in

place when it is permanently installed. Mounting facilities should be

examined to determine if they are adequate, especially if the container is

likely to be tipped on end (fig 1-5). Compr essors, en gines, engin e componen ts,

generators, starters, an d carburetors are often secured in this ma nner.

Figure 1-5. Moun ting facilities of item m ust be adequat e.


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1-7

D ISASSEMBLING OF AN ITEM

Items should be thoroughly investigated to determine if disassembly of

simple parts can reduce the size of the conta iner r equired an d/or simplify the

packaging. Proper au th orization must be obtained before disassembling any

portion of an item that would require technical skills or special tools to

rea ssemble, rea lign, or recalibra te. The disassem bly of simple-to-rem ove

component s with stan dard tools (i.e.., han dles, wheels) does n ot require priorauthorization.

D i sa s s e m b l e d P a r t s

When practicable, items should be disassembled to afford protection of

components, attachments, and accessories against damage and pilferage and

to reduce cubage. Disassembled par ts should be wrapp ed, packaged,

anchored, braced, blocked, or cushioned within t he sh ipping container so tha t

parts or protective devices within the shipping container cannot be damaged

by mutu al cont act. Disassembled par ts sh ould be clearly and legibly mar ked

as to identity an d proper location on the assembled item. All fasten ers

removed dur ing disassembly should be secur ed in one of th e mating par ts. A

part should not be removed from an assembly unless it can be reassembled

rea dily in t he field with out special tools.

CAUTION

Proper authorization must be obtained before disassembling any

portion of an item that would require technical skills or special

tools to reassemble, realign or recalibrate. Disassembly of simple-

to-remove components such as handles, wheels, etc., requiring

stan dar d tools, does not n eed aut horization.

SPECIAL P ACKING R EQUIREMENTS

Reusable and other special purpose containers usually require special

consideration of the packing of the conten ts in th e container . For instan ce, inreusable containers, the blocking and cushioning must be arranged so that it

may be easily removed, and when replaced, it will adequately protect the

contents. However, reusable and special purpose containers should be

considered for use, especially if their use results in reduced weight, cube, or

cost. For examp le, th e reusa ble cont ain er for a missile nose cone, shown in

figure 1-6 while expensive to procure, may more than pay for itself through

its reusa bility and its designed protection featu res.

LOAD CHARACTER ISTICSThe proper selection of the shipping container for a given load is of the

utm ost importa nce. The kind of conta iner mu st be determined by the weight,

size, sha pe, and fra gility of th e load. To aid in th is selection, th e various

loads have been classified as Type 1-Easy Load, Type 2-Average Load, andType 3-Difficult Load. (See fig. 3 of the I nt roduction.)

MODES OF TRANSP ORTATIONThe mode of tra nsporta tion is an importan t factor in deter mining th e packing

requiremen ts. The hazar ds of ha ndling an d shipping vary greatly between

motor, ra il, ship, or aircra ft. As an exam ple, th ere could be consider able

difference in the amount of handling that an item being transshipped from

truck to rail to ship would receive, and the amount of handling an item

delivered by air freight would receive. Likewise, an item


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1-8

Figure 1-6. Protection featu res of a r eusable missile container.

to be delivered by airdr op would require m uch more pr otection t ha n one to be

delivered by tr uck.

STORAGE CONSIDERATIONSTo assure serviceability of the contents after prolonged exposure to

deteriorating elements, not only the supplies, but the packing materials

which enclose them m ust be protected. There ma y be a considera ble periodfrom the time the material leaves the man ufacturer u ntil it is used. It may

be stored outd oors in domestic depots, then shipped to staging ar eas or ports

of embark ation to await tr an sportation overseas. Fina lly arr iving, it may

again be st ored in depots or su pply areas wh ich could be improvised shacks,

nat ive hut s, tents, caves, or even in th e open. At oversea supply points, the

packs are often broken open and smaller intermediate packs distributed to

forward ar eas. On the other ha nd, items may be shipped directly from the

supplier to th e user with a minimu m of delay. In th is insta nce, th e protection

provided by the pack could be considerably reduced from the amount

required for t he oversea pack.


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1-9

DESTINATION AND FIE LD CONDITIONSThe ultimate destination of items is generally unknown when they leave a

packing facility. Some item s may be used domest ically while the rest will

eventua lly go overseas. They may be shipped to the a rctic regions, the

island s of th e seas, or th e tropical jungles. They ma y be subjected to the cold,

heat, humidity, aridity, or the extreme temperature changes of the various

regions, all of which must be considered in planning the pack to assure

adequate protection through the time of delivery and after arrival at

destinat ion when they m ay be su bjected t o unfavorable field conditions.

FUNCTIONS AND SELECTION OF SH IP P ING CONTAINERS

F UNCTIONS

A shipping container is an y exterior box, cra te, dru m, etc., which is required

to enclose one or more items d ur ing tr an sit or storage. The ba sic functions of

a shipping container are to protect the contents and to provide for ease of

han dling. Shipping containers a ssist in th e han dling of a nu mber of items by

consolidation, and of a single item which is difficult to handle. The degree of

protection derived from the shipping container depends upon its type, thematerials used in its fabrication, its construction features, its final

destination, the nature of the contents, and the anticipated hazards.

Chapters 2 through 7 of this manual contain information on approved

containers for military shipments and should be consulted when making

selection of th e app ropriate containers.

SELECTION

The shipping container is usually established by specifications, directives,

technical orders, or oth er aut horized publications. Where a group of

containers is authorized, or when the proper container is not specified, the

packing supervisor is responsible for the selection of the appropriate

container. They must ba se their selection u pon the ph ysical cha ra cteristics of

the item; its destination; whether domestic or overseas; the level of protectionrequired; the type of load; the initial cost of the container; the weight and

cube of the container; the simplicity, economy and ease of assembly and

closure; the availability; and need for reusability of the container (fig 1-7).

Nailed wood boxes or similar heavy wooden containers will not be used

unless fully justified by past experience or environmental, geographical, or

security considerations.

ARRANGEMENT OF CONTENTSThe contents of a pack should be arranged within the shipping container so

as to provide maximum pr otection to its contents an d the cont ainer. Where

applicable, the arrangement should permit a container fabricated of

materials that will result in low tare weight, smallest practical cube,

convenient ha ndling, an d suitability for palletization. Conten ts should

completely fill the container or be secured therein with suitable clearance.

Packs of like items should contain like quantities and should be uniform in

size, shape, an d weight.

MOVABLE P ARTS AND P R O J E C T I N G P ARTS

Articles with moving external parts or projecting parts that might become

damaged by shock or vibration encountered in shipment should have these

part s ma de secure against movement by mea ns of blocking, bracing, tiedown,

or other adequate provisions, or should be disassembled, if practicable.


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1-10

Figur e 1-7. Conta iner selection factors.

SEGREGATION OF P ACKED C ONTENTS

So far as p racticable, contents of shipping conta iners sh ould be segregated in

th e following order: (a) th e ord er on th e packing list; (b) items of th e sam e

contract; (c) items of the same National Stock Numbers; and (d) items of the

same Feder al Supply Class.

C ONVERSION OF TYP E 3 LOADS

Where practicable, type 3 loads should be converted to type 1 or type 2 loads.


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1-11

BLOCKING AND BR ACING

B LOCKING AND BRACING DE F I N E D

Blocking and bracing is the process of providing physical and mechanical

protection t o an item by mean s of mat erials, oth er th an cushioning ma terials,

intended to prevent any free movement of the item within the container, and

distribute or transfer concentrated loads of the item to larger areas of other

faces of the cont ain er.

F UNCTIONS OF BLOCKING AND B RACING

Items which do not completely fill the shipping container should be blocked,

bra ced, an chored, or other wise immobilized with in the conta iner . Blocking

and bracing should be used to secure items or components so that they will

not shift within a container; to make irregular shaped items fit a regular

container; to distribute th e weight of irr egular items over all edges and faces

of the container; to protect projections from injury; to prevent projections

from damaging the barrier or container; to provide space for spare parts or

make room for desiccant; and to reinforce weak portions or mountings.

Blocking and bracing modifies the original shape of an item so that it isprotected adequa tely an d so th at it fits the cont ainer. The mat erials used for

this purpose differ from cushioning in that they are not intended to absorb

shocks. Item s having legs or oth er projectin g portions which may become

loose or broken, or which m ight pun cture th e conta iner, must be supported by

adequa te blocking and bra cing. The blocks an d braces should be applied

against portions of the container that are strong enough to resist forces

tending to distort them. Likewise, th e bracing should be arr an ged to

distribute forces to several reinforced sections of the surface of the item (fig

1-8). Items with movable par ts, items mounted sprin gs or other flexible

supports sh ould be braced secur ely to prevent m ovement , except wh ere su ch

mounting is part of the package cushioning or is designed to protect against

shock an d vibrat ion dur ing shipment.

Figure 1-8. Blocking an d bracing to prevent movement.


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ABRASION P ROTECTION

Protection should be provided when the surface of the item in contact with

the blocking an bracing can be damaged by relative motion between the

contacting surfaces or could become corroded as a result of such continuous

cont act. Pr otection aga inst a bra sion should be provided for highly finish ed or

easily marred surfaces by wrapping or covering with cushioning material.

Surfaces that might be damaged by contact with cushioning material shouldbe sepa ra ted by a covering of noncorr osive pa per conforming t o MIL-P-130 or

greaseproof barrier material conforming to MIL-B-121, grade A.

AP P LICATION OF BLOCKING AND BRACING MATER IALSThe materials selected for all blocking and bracing, the design and

application of the blocking and bracing should be compatible with the load to

be supported and the size, shape, and strength of bearing areas of the item.

The heavier the load needing support, the stiffer and stronger the materials

for blocks an d braces must be. Hen ce, th e choice of ma ter ials depend s upon

the size and sh ape of th e area s against which t he blocking an d bracing will be

placed, as well as the size and weight of the item being secur ed. Since a

shipping container may be dropped on any of its faces or corners, blocks andbraces must be designed to withstand the thrust and impact applied on any

direction. The choice of ma ter ials used for blocking a nd br acing vary widely.

The chief materials used are corrugated fiberboard in cells, trays, pleated

pads, and flat pads, for relatively lightweight items or for supplementary

prim ar y blocking of hea vy item s. Wood, plywood, rigid plast ic foam s, an d

meta l are used as t he prima ry blocking ma terials for lar ge and hea vy items.

F i b e r b o a r d

Open -end cells an d tra ys of corr uga ted fiberboar d. When used a s blocking,

corrugated fiberboard must be designed to fit the bearing area of the item to

support an d evenly distribute the load. Common forms of corr ugat ed

fiberboard blocking are die-cuts, open end cells, trays, pleated pads, and flat

pad s (fig 1-9). Fr equen tly, var ious combina tions of th ese forms ar e employed.They can be used to provide spaces for, and restrain the movement of,

disassembled parts, as well as provide openings for bags of desiccant.

Genera lly, cells an d tr ays should be held in shape with tape or sta ples.

Figure 1-9. Cells an d tra ys made of corru gated fiberboard.


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1-13

Figur e 1-10. Incorrect an d correct direction of corr uga tion.

Those surfaces of the cell or tray which are perpendicular to the contacting

surface of the item are called bracing supports and are the load bearing

members. No bracing support allowances should be ma de for the other

surfaces. To utilize all of the str ength of th ese bracing sup ports, they should

bear directly on th e item. The weight of the item mu st be exerted in th e

same direction a s the corr ugat ions. If not, the item is ina dequat ely supported

and d ama ge may result (fig 1-10). Open-end cells and t rays should be used

for blocking and bracing deep recesses; bridging long projections; providing

spaces for disassembling parts, accessories, and dessicants; and providing

clearan ce between item and conta iner. Bracing supports sh ould bear directly

on the a rt icle. Allowable loads for bra cing su pport s of open-end cells loadedin th e flut e direction sh ould be in accorda nce with ta ble 1-1. If flut e direction

is at right a ngles to the direction of th e load, t he a llowable loads should be 50

percent of th e valu es of ta ble 1-1. Tra ys should be scored a nd folded par allel

to the flute direction an d should n ot exceed 4 inches in h eight .

C ORRUGATED F IBERBOARD F ORMS

Corrugated fiberboard used for blocking and bracing should conform to

ASTM D 4727. Blocking and br acing forms sh ould be loaded in th e direction

parallel to the flutes wherever possible. The cutting, slotting, scoring, and

folding of fiberboard blanks to make blocking and bracing supports or forms

shall be such as to assur e proper fitting a nd distr ibution.

F OLDED P AD S

Folded pads of corrugated fiberboard may be used for blocking greater loads

tha n are feasible to support with cells and tra ys. The pads should be

designed to fit against a flat surface (flat pads) or along an edge (corner

pads). Conn ecting webs between flat pads should always contact the

container a nd not the item. All scores and folds should be made at right

angles to th e flute direction. Flat pa ds should be a minimu m of 2 inches

wide. Portions of folded pads in direct conta ct with t he item ar e bearing

area s. The maximum loads for these bearing areas should be in accordance


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1-14

Table 1-1. Allowable loads for corru gat ed fiberboard . Colum ns loaded in the

flute direction.

Material

Allowable loads p er linea l inch

of bra cing su pport or column

Height u p to

4 inches

Height over

4 inches

Pounds Pounds

Double-faced fiberboard :

200-pound burst ing strength



2

2.5

3

1

1.5

2

Double-wall fiberboard :




2.5

3

4

1.5

2

2.5

Triple-wall fiberboard :

1,100-pound burst ing st rength 5 4

Note. When a greater load is imposed than that permitted by the table, use wood

blocking and bracing

with ta ble 1-2. Accordion folded pads ha ve grea ter r esista nce to brea kdown

than open end cells because the load is spread over a large area rather than

on bra cing support s. Accordion folded pads with tight folds distr ibute th e

load more evenly to th e conta iner . The conn ecting web between t he folded

pleats should be placed in contact with the container rather than the item.

Creases for accordion folded pads should be made across the corrugations,

and t he pleat should be at least 2 inches in width. If necessary, a pleat 1 1/2

inches wide may be made, but extreme care must be exercised when folding

the pad to prevent cru shing the corru gations. Tape should be used to keep

accordion folded pad s in shap e. The load bea rin g capa city of a pa d is based

on the initial compressibility of th e corrugat ed mater ial. Increasing the

number of pleats does not increase the safe load limit; numerous pleats

increase the cushioning value only. Wide or long items a re better supported

by several accordion folded pads, placed side by side, than by one pad having

extremely wide folded pleats.

F LAT P AD S

Flat pads of corrugated fiberboard may be used to block very shallowprojections, su ch as hin ges or slight offsets on su rfaces; to level off projectin g

screw heads; to fill in the space between ends of inner flaps of slotted

fiberboard boxes to provide additional protection to contents at top and

bottom of boxes; an d to sepa ra te items with in a conta iner . Allowable load s

should be in a ccorda nce with table 1-2. Maximum a llowable loads per squar e

inch of bearing area on a flat pad are the same as those for a pleated pad.

Flat pa ds can be slotted t o form par titions, or th ey may be die cut or pun ched

to fit items or irregular sh ape. Figure 1-11 shows the assem bling of slotted

fiberboard par titions.


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Table 1-2. Allowable loads for folded corn er a nd flat p ads of corru gat ed fiberboar d

Flu te design Maximum a llowable load for bear ing

areas

Pounds per squa re inch

A-flut e (36"3 corru gat ions per foot)

B-flut e (50"3 corr uga tions per foot)

C-flut e (42"3 corr uga tions per foot)

2.0

3.0

2.5

Note. The flat crush resistance of the corrugations shall determine the load that may be carried

in flat loading of corr ugat ed fiberboar d. This shall not be constru ed to meet the bur sting

strength of the mat erial.

Figur e 1-11. Assembling of slotted fiberboard pa rt itions.

C O R N E R P AD S

The use of corner pa ds m ade of multiple layers of corru gated fiberboar d sh all

comply with t he load requirem ents of table 1-2. The pads sh all provide

required clearances and support for rectangular shaped items or for an inner

box in wh ich items ar e packed.

TUBES

Fiberboard tubes should be used as blocking when items mounted on an

auxiliary base ar e packed on fiberboard boxes. The bottom of the tu be shall

contact th e top of the au xiliary base an d th e top of the tu be sha ll contact th e

top inside surface of th e conta iner. The flutes sh all be oriented in th e top-to-

bottom direction of the t ube. The weight of th e item plus au xiliary base, in

pounds, divided by the perimeter of the tube, in inches, sha ll not exceed th e

appr opriate values given in table 1-2 for column heights over 4 inches.

C ORRUGATED F IBERBOARD L I N E R S

A liner is a continuous pad, bent to fully contact two or more inner faces of a

container . Liners ar e used to reinforce a conta iner a gainst crush ing by forces

imposed during stacking, or to take the place of two or more flat pads. A liner

may also be used as a holddown for base mounted items weighing not more

tha n 20 pounds. The creases in a liner should be made par allel to th e


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1-16

direction of the corru gations of th e fiberboard, in order t ha t t he r esistance to

forces ordinarily encounter ed in sta cking be th e greatest .

C O R N E R P OSTS

Fiberboard corner posts should be used to reinforce the shipping container

an d provide blocking for plat form -mount ed equipmen t. The flutes shou ld be

oriented in th e top-to-bott om direction. The bottom end of th e corner postshall bear u niformly on the plat form, a nd t he t op end of the corner post sha ll

bear on the inner flap of the conta iner or top member of a crate. Corn er

posts, when installed, must so interlock with the contents and other inner

padding pieces in order not to become displaced du ring tr an sportation.

WOOD OR P LYWOOD

Wood or plywood may be used alone or in combination for blocking and

bra cing. Wood or plywood blocking an d bra cing mem bers should bear

against only those parts of th e packed item capable of withsta nding the

applied dyna mic forces or should bear a gainst blocking pads or pressur e

str ips tha t adequ at ely distr ibute th ese forces. Wood or plywood blocking an d

bracing should be designed to permit easy removal without damage to the

item. Both wood and plywood are u sed for blocking an d bracing becau se of

their h igh stren gth-weight r atio, genera l availability, and ea se of cut ting an d

fasten ing. Lumber ha s certa in weaknesses, such as low splitting resistan ce

parallel with the grain, and a tendency to shrink or swell with change in

moistur e content.

Plywood has h igh resistan ce to splitting an d h igh dimensional st ability with

cha nges in moistu re content . Because they are more resistan t to splitting

than solid wood, plywood panels are more often used in thinner dimensions

than lumber, and are readily nailed or fastened with screws near the edges.

Plywood is more apt to have a lower moisture content tha n lum ber because of

the manner in which it is manufactured and stored. Plywood, being

constructed of alternate plies at right angles to each other possesses moreuniformly distributed strength properties than lumber. When considering

lumber a nd plywood of compara ble sizes and quality, it is generally tru e th at

the strength properties of lumber parallel to the grain are greater than the

respective strength properties of plywood parallel to the grain of the face ply.

It is also true that the strength properties of lumber perpendicular to the

grain are generally less than the respective strength properties of plywood

perpendicular t o the gra in of th e face ply.

WOOD

Wood members of each size an d type u sed in t he blocking an d bra cing sh ould

be tested for moisture conten t. Stru ctura l members (those subject to critical

bendin g stresses) sha ll conform to class 1. All other blocking an d bracing

mem bers sh all conform to class 3. When ever possible, wood blocks or br acesshall be placed so that the load is applied against the end grain of the

member. En ds of braces shall be socketed or fitted an d secur ed into

appr opriate notches in load-bearing members.

P LYWOOD

Plywood u sed for blocking an d br acing sh ould conform t o A-A-55057.


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1-17

WOOD B LOCKING AND BRACING

The species of woods differ greatly in strength and related properties and,

accordingly, have been separated into four groups. Certain species, such as

those of Group IV, excel in toughn ess and shock r esistance, but care m ust be

exercised in n ailing th em to avoid splitting. Other species, such as south ern

yellow pine and Douglas fir of Group II, are high in bending strength and

stiffness ; an d na iling is a lesser problem. The char acter istics of th e groups ofwood may be used to advantage in various forms of blocking and bracing (fig.

1-12). Thin pieces of lumber split more easily than thick pieces; hence, thin

pieces for blocking should be avoided if possible. If the dim ensiona l limits of

the item require t ha t t he blocking be th in, it is preferable to use plywood.

MOISTURE C ONTENT

The moisture content of lumber employed as blocking and bracing material

should not exceed 19 percent nor be less than 12 percent of its oven dry

weight at t he time of fabrication. Shr inka ge is objectiona ble because it allows

movement of the item and the item may actually break loose. Moisture in

lumber is objectionable because it is apt to evaporate into the pack, thus

raising th e hu midity of the pa ck and causing corr osion of meta ls or d ecay of

organ ic mat erials.

CAUTION

Lumber, plywood, or other hygroscopic materials should never be placed in direct

contact with critical metal surfaces since such materials tend to absorb and

reta in moisture n ext to the sur faces, finally cau sing corrosion. Pr ovide always a

water-vaporproof barrier between any critical metal surfaces and hygroscopic

packing materials, and a waterproof or moisture-resistant barrier between all

meta l sur faces an d h ygroscopic mat erials.

DE F E C T S I N BLOCKS AND B RACES

Wooden members used for blocking a nd bracing ar e often subjected to greatstress a nd careful consideration must be given to any weaken ing defects. If

the member functions as a beam or column, defects such as divergence of

gra in, kn ots, splits and decay should be avoided. This is especially import an t

if the defect is located near the center of the piece, because of the great

reduction in shock resistan ce. If a piece with a kn ot is used, the load is

placed so that the k not is in compr ession a s shown in y, Figure 1-12. Lumber

having kn ots of a diamet er exceeding one-fourth th e width of the piece should

not be used (fig 1-12). The slope of gra in in each piece should n ot exceed 1

inch in 10 inches of length , or splitt ing is likely to occur . Decayed wood is

avoided un der a ll circumstan ces because ther e is not way of determining h ow

much th e decay may ha ve weaken ed the wood. For additional inform ation on

wood knots, see chapter 3 an d figure 3-3.

Si ze o f Wood Br aces o f Ho l ddown s

Braces or holddowns must be of sufficient size to withstand the shocks

encoun tered. The size of a brace varies with t he weight of the item, th e

length of th e brace, an d th e type of loadin g. Table 1-3 used with figure 1-13

gives the recommended allowable load in pounds for the various sizes of

braces an d the various types of loading. For example, assume tha t the

weight of the item is 60 poun ds, the length of the brace is 24 inches, and th e

type of loading is the third type illustrated in figure 1-13 (loading in the


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Figur e 1-12. Applicat ion of wooden blocks an d bra ces.


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Table 1-3


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Figur e 1-13. Types of loadin g (use with ta ble 1-3).

center 4/5 to 1/3 of the u nsu pported length of th e brace). For th is type of

loading, multiply the weight of the item by the factor 3/4, as shown in figure

1-13. Three-fourth s times 60 equa ls 45. In the column h eaded "Length of

brace in inches", of table 1-3, find 24 inches and read to the right until a

value near 45 is found. The heading for th is colum n shows that t he proper

size of member and direction of loading is a 1 x 2-inch member used on edge,

or a 1 x 4 inch member used flatwise.

P OSITIONING LOADS ON BLOCKS AND BRACES

When wood blocking and bracing is used to secure heavy items, place the

block so that the load r ests on th e end grain of the piece, whenever possible.

If this cannot be done, the load should bear on the edge gra in. When so

placed, the ma ximum str engt h of th e brace is used (fig 1-14). Since wood is

relatively stable in dimension along the grain, there is little effect from

shrink age or swelling with a cha nge in moistu re cont ent. The brace should, if

possible, have its na rrow face against the item so that its maximum stiffness

is utilized. If a larger bear ing area is required, an d it becomes necessary to

have the flat face of the brace against the item, the size of the brace against


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th e item, must be increa sed (ta ble 1-3). Lum ber which is relat ively wide for

its thickness must be reinforced throughout its length to prevent twisting or

buckling.

USING LUMBER AS A MOUNTING BAS E

If an item is to be secured to a base, and plywood is not available, use

dimensiona l lumber. Bases of dimensiona l lumber sh ould be constru ctedwith sufficient cleats at right angles to the grain of the baseboards, and

fastened with clinched nails to prevent the boards from splitting at the bolt

holes. Stren gth of th e bases must be adequa te to withsta nd any rough

han dling the p ack ma y be likely to receive.

SECURING LUMBER B LOCKING

Securing lumber blocking properly is the most essential factor in blocking

an d bracing. Wooden braces positioned between two faces of a cont ain er

should never be secured with end grain nailing, toenailing, or similar

meth ods, nor should th ey ever be insert ed into notches cut into the container

faceboard s. Instea d, the braces should be secur ed by cleats fastened to the

faces of th e conta iner with a sufficient nu mber of clinched na ils. When

pressures are great or an increased nailing area is required, backup blocks

are used to reinforce the cleats and give increased n ailing area . When

pressur e is from more th an one direction, a pocket cleat ar ra ngement is used

to hold the braces in position z fig 1-12. The backu p blocks are positioned

with their end grain in contact with the brace in order to make use of the

high stren gth property of wood in compression par allel to the grain. The

cleats and backup cleats | fig 1-12 are secured with clinched nails properly

staggered at intervals along their length. Sometimes, however, bolts are

used to fasten these mem bers in place. This is especially desira ble when the

entire weight of the item thrusts against the block, or when the cleat

supports a framework at tached t o one or more faces of the cont ainer.

Figur e 1-14. Positioning load accordin g to grain of wood


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Fi gu r e 1-15. P r o t ec t i on fo r ba r r i e r an d it em s u r face s .


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1-23

P LYWOOD BLOCKING AND B RACING

Plywood is used to distribute the load when the face of an item is flat but

structurally weak and the weakness prevents that face from being used as a

bear ing area . By covering the face of th e item with a sh eet of plywood, so

tha t t he plywood bears on str onger portions of the face, the load of the item is

distributed uniformly against the container and injury to the weak face is

prevented. The edges of the p lywood sh eet a re pa dded with felt, if necessary,to prevent the plywood from marring the surface of the item (fig 1-15).

Plywood can be used for making pressure strips to distribute the load of an

item on th e gaskets when a floating water-vaporpr oof barr ier is used. This

meth od, which minimized th e possibility of barrier da mage du ring sh ipment,

is illust ra ted in figure 1-15. When it is not pra ctical to block an ir regu lar

item to transfer the load evenly to all faces of the container, it is wise to

secur e the item to a solid base which ma y in tu rn be blocked to evenly

distr ibute th e load. If th e conta iner is of fiberboar d, plywood serves as a good

pallet to which the item ma y be bolted or stra pped. The plywood, in tur n, is

securely blocked int o th e conta iner by a holddown or top pad . Thin plywood

is used to advantage where the blocking must be flexible to conform to a

cur ved su rface.

Plywood is used where th in mat erial is required as a br ace in ten sion. When

an item is to be bolted to a base or auxiliary base, plywood is used for the

base because of its resist an ce to splitting (fig 1-16). Since plywood is

obtaina ble in wide pa nels, it is especially useful in base constr uction. For

light item s, 1/2-or 3/4-inch plywood should be used. For mediu m an d hea vy

items, two or more pieces of plywood can be fastened together, or a series of

stren gthening cleats can be added to th e panel. The cleats also may be of

plywood to redu ce the possibility of splitt ing.

C OMBINED P LYWOOD AND L UMBER BLOCKING AND B RACING

Plywood and lumber, combined into a blocking and bracing assembly, unite

the advantages of a strong, lightweight sheet material with a material that is

easily cut an d na iled. Plywood is used a s a sh eet with wooden blocks nailed

to the sheet. The nu mber, dimensions, and p lacement of the wooden blocks

depend u pon th e sha pe of the item, its depth , the position of an y projections,

and th e loads to be supported at th e various bearing area s. The required

thickness of the plywood depends upon the span between the blocks and the

load to be distr ibuted . The sheet of plywood mu st be stiff enough t o resist

bending so as to evenly distribute th e weight of the item . Position the blocks

upon the plywood sheet at places where the item can withstand concentrated

loads. Wherever possible, locate the blocks and braces against the stronger

portions of the item. Choose nails that are long enough to permit clinching

after being driven thr ough the wooden blocks and th e plywood sheets. If

clinching is impr actical, drive the na ils th rough t he t hinn er piece first. Cover

all surfaces of wood blocks contacting the item with felt and glue in place.Where the felt-covered blocks normally contact critical surfaces of the item,

use greaseproof or water-vaporproof barrier material between the felt and

the item. Eliminate time consu ming constru ction of a framework at th e time

of packing by us ing prefabr icat ed blocking.


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Figur e 1-16. Uses of plywood for blocking an d br acing.

NAILS AND NAILING

Nails shall conform to the requirements of ASTM F 1667-95. All nails that

are not clinched shall be cement coated, etched or mechanically deformed

(helically or annu larly thread ed). Unclinched nails shall be as long as

practicable without splitting the material, but not shorter than three times

the thickness of the member holding the nailhead for tenpenny nails and

smaller, or not shorter than the thickness of the same member plus 1 1/2

inches for twelvepenny nails and larger. Nails loaded tr an sversely to their

length (later al) in blocking and bra cing joints need not be clinched. En d


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grain nailing in solid wood or edge nailing in plywood shall not be permitted.

Nails shall be driven through the thinner member into the thicker member

wherever possible. Nails shall not be subject to withdra wal stresses. Nails

shall be driven not closer to th e end of a piece of lumber t ha n t he t hickness of

the piece and not closer to its side than one-ha lf its thickness. There sh all be

at least t wo na ils in each joint. Lat era l loading of na ils for blocking and

bra cing sha ll be in accorda nce with t able 1-4. En ds of blocks and bra ces sha llnot be fasten ed to a wood conta iner by end-grain na iling met hods. Blocking

and bracing shall be applied against areas of item(s) that are of sufficient

stren gth a nd r igidity to resist dama ge. A description of the various types of

nails and general requirements for their use are given in chapter 3.

Standard sinker and cooler nails are particularly well suited for use in

blocking and bracing and should be coated or chemically etched etched

especially if th e nails can not be clinched. If na ils fail when s ubjected to

forces of direct withdrawal, apply nails so that they are subjected to forces of

lateral displacement rather than direct withdrawal, that is, the direction of

the n ails is perpend icular to the direction of the load, rath er th an in line with

the direction of the load.

B OLTS AND BOLTINGCarriage or step bolts shall be used as fastenings for wood or plywood

blocking and bracing where necessary to facilitate disassembly for removal of

cont aine r conten ts. Bolts sha ll also be used for fast enin g blocking an d

bracing members th at ar e too thick for proper fastening with nails. Bolt

holes in wood or plywood sha ll be of th e same dia met er as t he bolts. Bolts

commonly used for blocking and bracing are machine bolts, carriage bolts,

and step bolts.

Step bolts are preferred for th is use because of th eir larger head diam eter. J -

or U-bolts are used for special conditions where regular bolts cannot be

app lied (fig 1-17). Tie rods and J -bolts ar e actua lly exten ded bolts, applied in

pairs either vertically (fig 1-18) or diagonally (fig 1-19), and are used where

stan dar d length bolts would not apply. See table 1-5 for the suggested

allowable load for th e various sizes of bolts. The following pr ecaut ions sh ould

be observed in th e use of bolts:

Items su ch as ma chines or su bassemblies having bolt h oles in part s which a re

stur dy enough to resist break age when rough h and ling should, if pra ctical, be

bolted t o one face of th e conta iner . If nonprecision bolt holes ar e involved,

the diameter of the bolt should be the nearest standard size consistent with

the diam eter of the h ole.

Table 1-4. Allowable later al loads for unclinched cemen t-coat ed or etched comm on wire nails

when used for blocking or bra cing.

Spe cies of wood Load, pounds per na il

4d 6d 8d 10d 12d 16d 20d 30d 40d

White pine, ponder osa pine, spruce and

other group I woods

14 17 21 25 26 29 38 42 48

Souther n yellow pine, Douglas fir,

western larch, an d other group II woods

21 26 32 39 40 45 58 65 73

Oak, ma ple, birch, beech, ash , and oth er

group III an d IV woods

26 32 40 48 49 55 71 80 90


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Figur e 1-17 Bolts for blocking and bra cing.

Figur e 1-18. Vertical use of tie rods.


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Figur e 1-19. Diagonal use of tie rods.

Table 1-5. Suggest ed allowable lat era l loads for bolts-impa ct loading

Diameter of bolt (inch ) Allowable load

(pounds)

3/8............................... 35

1/2............................... 90

5/8............................... 150

3/4............................... 200


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1-28

If precision bolt holes are involved, precautions should be taken to insure

that precision fitting bolts of the proper fit and characteristics are used to

prevent m ar ring or elongation.

Lag bolts should not be used for blocking and bracing.

Holes bored through containers or mounting bases must be the same size asthe diam eter of the bolts to be used. When mount ing items to cont ainer bases

equipped with skids, extend the bolts through the skids, whenever practical,

and in such insta nces counter sink th e bolt in th e outer sur face of the ru bbing

strip. Use standard cut washers under the nuts to decrease the possibility of

the bolt pulling through th e wood. Make sur e tha t th e nut s do not come loose

intransit by turning the nut securely on the bolt, and either upsetting or

nicking the t hrea ds of th e bolt beyond th e nu t; applying asph altum , paint, or

lacquer on t he t hr eads; using lock nut s; or u sing cotter pins with the nu ts; or

lock washer s. Metal plates or flat washer s are used between lock washers

and wood to pr event direct conta ct.

Bolts and nuts that are not corrosion-resistant must be completely covered

with corr osion preventa tive compounds. The compoun d must be thoroughlyset before th e bolts a re u sed.

Where the item has strong frame members fairly close to the face of the

conta iner, consider u sing U- or J -bolts. Whenever feasible, the n ut end of the

U- or J-bolt should be on th e out side of th e conta iner . In su ch cases, it is

especially important to upset the threads or otherwise prevent the nuts from

loosening.

Use tie rods as extended bolts to secure items when J- or U-bolts are

un suitable. Place tie rods in pairs, either diagonally or vert ically as may be

necessary. Attach the tie rods to a reinforced point of the cont ainer a nd u se

them with washer s bearing against the wood. Be sur e the tie rods pass

through the base at an angle which will not cause bending or kinking of the

rod. Any kinking will weaken t he r ods and increase t he possibility of failure.

ANCHORING

Anchoring of heavy items should be accomplished by securing the item to a

base by tension devices, either by bolts through mounting bolt holes on the

item (bolting down); or by metal strapping, cables, tie rods, chains, wire, or

other tension devices attached to, or applied over, the item (tiedown or

holddown); or by both. The sam e washe r requ irem ent a s specified for bolts of

equal diameter should apply to tie rods.

ANCHOR BOLTS

Carr iage or step bolts should be used. Articles having moun ting holes in

areas that can withstand rough handling without breakage shall be bolted toeither th e base of th e container or an a uxiliar y base. The bolt heads of

anchor bolts (those holding the item to the container base or the auxiliary

base) should be on t he outside of the cont ainer, other wise on t he u nder side of

the au xiliary base. The heads of all an chor bolts sha ll bear against a wide

washer conforming to FF-W-92, type A or B, grade I, class A, medium size,

except that the minimum diameter or minimum size of square bolts shall be

as specified in table 1-6 when th e member adjacent to th e bolt hea d is wood.

Bolts th rough m ounting bolt holes sha ll form a snu g fit, except t ha t p recision

holes shall be bushed to prevent dam age by an chor bolts. In a crate wher e

the item is bolted to a skid-type base, the an chor bolts shall pass th rough th e


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skids or th rough loadbear ing members that a re bolted to th e skids. Bolt

holes in wood should be of th e same diameter as th e bolts. The ma ximum

allowable load for anchor bolts required and the mi

fm 38-701 packaging of materiel - packing

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