Highly fragile optical clock put to the ultimate test and arrives in perfect condition
26 February 2026
The Challenge
A customer needed a reliable method to ship a highly fragile optical clock used in telecommunications. The unit’s internal components are extremely vulnerable to shock and vibration. Historically, the clock was shipped in a hard plastic demonstration case with “pick-and-pluck” foam. While suitable for hand-carrying to sales meetings, this setup lacked the repeatable, engineered protection required for commercial freight.
Furthermore, the customer had two product configurations but wanted a single, universal foam insert to streamline inventory and remove the potential risk shock damage caused by swapping between foam insert configurations.
With low order quantities, custom box branding and a strict 10G drop-performance requirement, the project required a custom-engineered solution rather than an off-the-shelf box and standard pick-and-pluck foam insert solution.
The Solution
Larson Packaging Company developed a custom-printed corrugated shipping system featuring a precision-cut anti-static polyethylene (PE) foam insert .
The custom foam insert was engineered to securely house both product configurations, eliminating the need for multiple SKUs. Unlike manual “pick-and-pluck” foam, the new foam insert provides consistent, repeatable cushioning that does not degrade over multiple shipments.
The outer corrugated box was customized with the client’s branding, maintaining a professional look even at low production volumes.
The Result
The solution successfully standardized the customer’s packing process and provided verified protection. During a trial air-freight shipment of three units, the packaging was put to the ultimate test. All three boxes were fitted with 15G shock indicators on all axes to measure shock and vibration in a real-world setting.
Indicators showed that one unit arrived with its external “no-stack” indicator crushed, signalling heavy loading during transit.
Despite this mishandling, the 15G shock indicators mounted on all three units remained untriggered. The optical clocks arrived in perfect working order, proving the effectiveness of the Larson Packaging Company engineered system in real-world transit conditions.