Road cases refers to a certain kind of shipping container that is designed specifically for protecting lighting and audio production equipment, motion picture equipment, and musical instruments. There are many other pieces of equipment and instruments that are shipped using road cases. The instruments are usually sensitive and need extra protection to prevent damage. The protection is necessary when the equipment is being moved from one place to another or mishandled.
These containers have many other names they are referred by. ATA case, flight case, and roadie case are among common names that are in use. Different types of professionals in the entertainment industry are the ones who commonly use these containers. A person can have these containers in numerous numbers based on the quantity of the equipment one needs to transport.
A large number of these containers are manufactured by joining together molded plastic, metal extrusions or plastic to make panels. Each panel making up a container is made of two layers. Fiberglass laminate or ABS makes up the outer layer which is in turn attached to the middle layer made from plywood of cabinet grade. The thickness of the middle layer may vary from 3/16 to 1/2 of an inch.
The cabinet-grade plywood commonly in use includes birch, maple or poplar. The laminate panel is made up by this two layers. Where the case is of a high grade, composite material is used to make the laminate layer. The interior is lined with filler. Fillers available are of different types including polyurethane and polyethylene foam. Fillers take a similar shape as the instrument intended to be placed in the case.
Also, the case can be mounted with panels or racks instead of shock-absorbing filler. These panels or racks hold the instrument in position inside the container. Besides being fitted with shock iinsulators, racks or panels are attached to the walls of the case. Stamped sheet steel cases corners are applied in reinforcing the corners of cases. Nickel, chrome, or zinc finishing is applied on the corners.
These containers are required to be tested before they are produced or made available for purchase to buyers. Some of the tests conducted include stackability, impact or drop, vibration, water resistance, and penetration. Vibration, stackability, and drop tests are the most severe tests conducted on these products. For cases that weight 50 pounds when loaded, drop test involves 160 face drops from a height of 30 inches.
Also, drop test comprises of 40 corner drops performed from 36 inches high while 80 edge drops are done from 36 inches. There is a reduction in height to 21 inches where cases are 100 pounds. The distant is adjusted to 18 inches for the cases that weigh 150 pounds. As the case weighs more, the distance reduces.
The stackability test involves placing a weight of 135 kg on each face of the container for 24 hours. The penetration test involves dropping a 6 kg weight on the weakest point on the case from a specific height. Each test is meant to achieve a given result and for every test, no damage is allowed. For ease of transit, casters are incorporated into the containers.
These containers have many other names they are referred by. ATA case, flight case, and roadie case are among common names that are in use. Different types of professionals in the entertainment industry are the ones who commonly use these containers. A person can have these containers in numerous numbers based on the quantity of the equipment one needs to transport.
A large number of these containers are manufactured by joining together molded plastic, metal extrusions or plastic to make panels. Each panel making up a container is made of two layers. Fiberglass laminate or ABS makes up the outer layer which is in turn attached to the middle layer made from plywood of cabinet grade. The thickness of the middle layer may vary from 3/16 to 1/2 of an inch.
The cabinet-grade plywood commonly in use includes birch, maple or poplar. The laminate panel is made up by this two layers. Where the case is of a high grade, composite material is used to make the laminate layer. The interior is lined with filler. Fillers available are of different types including polyurethane and polyethylene foam. Fillers take a similar shape as the instrument intended to be placed in the case.
Also, the case can be mounted with panels or racks instead of shock-absorbing filler. These panels or racks hold the instrument in position inside the container. Besides being fitted with shock iinsulators, racks or panels are attached to the walls of the case. Stamped sheet steel cases corners are applied in reinforcing the corners of cases. Nickel, chrome, or zinc finishing is applied on the corners.
These containers are required to be tested before they are produced or made available for purchase to buyers. Some of the tests conducted include stackability, impact or drop, vibration, water resistance, and penetration. Vibration, stackability, and drop tests are the most severe tests conducted on these products. For cases that weight 50 pounds when loaded, drop test involves 160 face drops from a height of 30 inches.
Also, drop test comprises of 40 corner drops performed from 36 inches high while 80 edge drops are done from 36 inches. There is a reduction in height to 21 inches where cases are 100 pounds. The distant is adjusted to 18 inches for the cases that weigh 150 pounds. As the case weighs more, the distance reduces.
The stackability test involves placing a weight of 135 kg on each face of the container for 24 hours. The penetration test involves dropping a 6 kg weight on the weakest point on the case from a specific height. Each test is meant to achieve a given result and for every test, no damage is allowed. For ease of transit, casters are incorporated into the containers.
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You can get a summary of the things to keep in mind when ordering custom road cases at http://www.encorecases.com right now.