Industrial packaging for washing machine oscillating groups: a single tray, zero PUR and 1.5 m drop test
The customer's challenge
A household appliance manufacturer needed to package the oscillating groups of its washing machines (the tub, drum and heating element assembly) for transport between plants. It is a bulky, heavy part with irregular geometry, which must arrive at destination without impacts or displacement.
Until then, the most exposed areas were protected with PUR (expanded polyurethane) and the rest of the assembly with EPS bars. The solution worked only partially: it was expensive, generated non-recyclable waste with every shipment and, even so, breakage still occurred in transport.
Critical factor: PUR is a single-use and non-recyclable material. Each oscillating group shipped left waste that the customer could not valorize.
CTE's solution
CTE designed a thermoformed tray that positions the tub unequivocally inside the box: it allows no movement in any direction nor contact with the walls, and cushions impacts, validated with a free-fall test from 1.5 meters height.
The design incorporates two innovations. The same tray, rotated 90°, fits both the top and the bottom of the tub: a single reference for the entire packaging, instead of two different parts. And the part comes out of thermoforming ready to use, with no post-processing.
The tray is manufactured with recycled material and is 100% recyclable, completely eliminating the use of PUR.
1,5 m
free-fall drop test passed
1 tray with the same design
covers upper and lower part (rotated 90°)
0 PUR
non-recyclable material eliminated
Advantages delivered
01
Unequivocal positioning: the tub does not move in any direction nor rub against the box.
02
Validated damping: passes the free-fall test from 1.5 m without damage to the assembly.
03
One part, two positions: the same tray rotated 90° works above and below; a single reference to manage.
04
No post-processing: the part comes out of thermoforming ready to use, reducing cost and lead time.
05
Recyclable and manufactured with recycled material: eliminates single-use PUR and closes the packaging waste cycle.
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