Specialized Packaging

Case Study

Handling Tote & Tray

We recently partnered with a defense industry client to develop a custom material handling solution tailored to their automated production process—engineered to meet the demanding needs of high-mix, high-precision part storage and transport. The project called for a universal process tray that could seamlessly integrate into the client’s automated system—capable of holding multiple part diameters, maintaining consistent cavity locations for pick-and-place automation, and withstanding heavy stacking loads.

Case Study

ESD Safe Process Tray With Handles

We developed a custom process tray for a commercial electronics manufacturer, designed to move products safely and efficiently throughout the facility. To prevent finger entrapment when placed on low carts, the tray featured extended handles formed by bending a custom wire rim. The structure combined sonic-welded conductive fluted plastic (CFP) with the wire frame, providing exceptional durability and ergonomic handling.

The tray was engineered to fit precisely within its intended footprint, eliminating the need for anti-slip features. A Kleanstat Flex™ pad was added to accommodate smaller assemblies. While a Faraday cage was not required for this ESD-safe environment, a simple cover could have provided that functionality, if needed.

Case Study

Custom Thermoformed Trays

This solution employed conductive thermoformed trays designed to fit seamlessly with customer-owned injection molded totes, typically sized at either 9″ × 15″ or 15″ × 20″. Each tray featured multiple cavities to securely hold circuit boards, enabling efficient stacking and transport both within the facility and to external locations.

The new custom handling method eliminated the need for bags, foam inserts, multiple totes, and pizza-style boxes—streamlining logistics while reducing the risk of foreign object debris (FOD). For added protection, Kleanstat Flex™ pads were incorporated into the bottom of each tray, providing cushioning and ESD-safe contact surfaces.

To ensure audit readiness and compliance, each tray included an embossed ESD symbol, clearly indicating its electrostatic discharge safety rating.

Case Study

ESD Safe Thermoformed Insert For Industrial Totes

A custom thermoformed insert was designed to fit within an existing tote used in the manufacturer’s process, replacing standard dividers that failed to properly secure the product and had led to damage of high-value components.

The tailored tray securely held each unit in place, eliminated prior handling challenges and significantly enhanced protection. The thermoformed design provided improved physical and ESD protection, maximized tote capacity, and reduced the risk of FOD throughout the production process.

Case Study

Durastat Ribbed Adjustable Totes

An automotive electronics subcontractor required a universal packaging solution to transport four different PCBA designs between Mexico and the U.S.

This custom-engineered Durastat ribbed adjustable tote provided the answer—its CFP construction, card guide slots, and adjustable dividers securely accommodated all board sizes while preventing contact with sensitive components.

By implementing a single, adaptable tote design, the customer streamlined operations, simplified logistics, and reduced material handling variation across the program. This innovation delivered substantial cost savings upfront and even greater efficiencies over the life of the project.

Case Study

Conductive Fluted Plastic Tray With Custom Contours

This solution featured a precision-cut, multi-layer conductive fluted plastic insert engineered to securely house the customer’s circuit boards. It integrated seamlessly with their existing tray system and automated conveyor line, enhancing protection without requiring any system modifications.

While thermoformed trays were identified as the ideal long-term format, the custom insert provided an agile, immediately deployable alternative suited to current production volumes. It also replaced discontinued foam trays, eliminating FOD risks and ensuring reliable protection in high-precision handling environments.

Case Study

Custom ESD-Safe Mailer for Printed Circuit Board Assemblies

An OEM partnered with a contract manufacturer to produce high-value printed circuit board assemblies and needed a reliable way to transport them safely from the contract manufacturer to their facility. The solution: a custom-designed mailer with an engineered thermoformed plastic tray and lid that delivers both physical protection and ESD safety—while seamlessly integrating into the OEM’s ESD-protected area (EPA). Our design featured a convenient drop-front panel, allowing operators to easily access and remove the thermoformed enclosure without compromising protection. The result is a streamlined, safe, and efficient handling process from shipment through production.

Case Study

Custom Thermoformed ESD-Safe Cavity Tray

Our customer required a static dissipative plastic tray to transport parts that are not ESD sensitive but will later be combined with ESD-sensitive components at a secondary facility. The tray helps maintain an ESD-safe environment throughout the supply chain while protecting parts during handling and transport. The tray was designed to support efficient production and logistics, featuring cavities for two different parts, finger access for easy handling, and twelve cavities aligned with production batch quantities. The design is also nestable when empty to save space and stackable when full by rotating 180°, improving storage and shipping efficiency.

Case Study

Vertical Tray & Cover Protection for High-Value Optics in Cleanroom Manufacturing

An aerospace and defense manufacturer needed to protect extremely sensitive, thin, coated optics — each valued at $300–$400 and sensitive to any contact on the clear aperture — throughout the work-in-process, handling, and storage in the cleanroom. Each tray/cover set holds 100 parts, so a single tolerance failure could put thousands of dollars of product at risk. The customer also wanted to store WIP optics vertically to reduce footprint in already-constrained cleanroom work areas, while eliminating FOD, and physical damage during in-plant handling and rack storage.
We engineered a custom thermoformed tray and cover set from .03″ clear RPETG, selected primarily for its low outgassing properties in a cleanroom environment. The design features extremely tight-tolerance cavities that isolate each optic without contacting the clear aperture, nesting lugs that let trays stack precisely on top of one another for compact storage and rack use, and engraved cavity numbers so operators can visually confirm at a glance which cavities are loaded or empty. The result is a set that protects optics from damage during handling, supports vertical storage on cleanroom racks, and nests or stacks cleanly to minimize space — all without altering the customer’s WIP workflow.

Case Study

ESD-Safe Handling Solution for Heavy Assemblies

An OEM required a safer way to transport and service a large painted assembly weighing over 50 pounds. Our solution addressed both safety and product protection, incorporating lift straps for secure two-person handling, surface protection to prevent scratching, and full ESD protection for use inside and outside the ESD-protected area (EPA). A “top hat” cover design allows engineers to perform testing and service work directly in the tray, eliminating the need to remove the unit from a deep box. By minimizing handling, the risk of physical and functional damage is significantly reduced. The tray features KleanStat Flex™ bubble liner for FOD-free cushioning within the tray.

Case Study

Work-In-Progress Trays & Totes

Automotive electronics subcontractors operate under strict standards for quality, reliability, and process efficiency. One of our long-standing partners requested a “work-in-progress” solution to streamline their production environment.

Their goals were clear: remove non-essential components from the work area, improve line efficiency, and reduce the risk of physical and ESD damage. We delivered a custom-engineered system that met all three objectives.

These stackable conductive fluted plastic totes with aluminum rails provided a rugged tote that would hold up to the daily wear and tear of handling on a production line, while shielding the contents inside from ESD damage. A die cut, permanently dissipative foam insert created the optimum form and fit for each part.