Direct answer: specify pneumatic rock drill export packing as a controlled system, not as “one drill in a wooden case.” The supplier should clean and dry the drill, protect exposed ferrous surfaces, cap air and water openings, immobilize the drill and air leg without loading delicate fittings, isolate loose accessories, use destination-compliant wood packaging, mark the package for handling, and provide photo evidence before closure. The exact preservation method and protection period must match the route, storage exposure and drill manufacturer’s instructions.
This guide applies to new pneumatic air-leg and handheld rock drills shipped through normal industrial export channels. It does not replace dangerous-goods rules, carrier requirements, a lifting plan or destination customs controls. Oil, aerosols, batteries or other regulated contents require separate classification and documentation.
What should the packing specification control?
| Control point | Buyer requirement | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Drill model, air-leg model, serial or batch reference, quantity and accessories | Nameplate photos matched to crate and packing list |
| Condition | Accepted unit is clean, dry and visibly undamaged before preservation | Dated pre-packing photographs |
| Corrosion protection | Approved temporary protection for the route and stated storage basis | Material name, application record and removal instruction |
| Openings | Air and water ports and hose ends protected from dirt and moisture | Close photographs of fitted caps or plugs |
| Restraint | Drill and air leg supported at robust points and prevented from shifting | Open-crate photographs of blocks and restraints |
| Outer package | Case designed for gross mass, handling, stacking and route | Packing drawing, mass and dimensions |
| Wood controls | Destination-compliant packaging; ISPM 15 treatment and marks where applicable | Legible marks and wood-condition photos |
| Marking | Consignee, PO, crate number, mass, dimensions and necessary handling marks | Photos of every exterior face |
Define the route before selecting preservation
A packing clause is incomplete until the buyer states the route. A short truck movement to an indoor warehouse is different from ocean transport followed by open-yard storage in a humid mining region. Give the supplier the mode, destination country, expected transit time, planned storage period, covered or outdoor storage, likely humidity and temperature exposure, and whether customs or a distributor may open the package.
Do not turn those assumptions into an unsupported “rust-free for 24 months” promise. Protective oils, barrier films, volatile corrosion inhibitor systems and desiccants depend on surface preparation, compatible materials, enclosure quality and exposure. Require the packer to identify the method and its protection basis. If a specific duration is contractual, define the evidence and acceptance method.
Prepare the drill before preservation
- Confirm identity and completeness. Match nameplate, model, serial or batch, air leg, lubricator, hoses, fittings, manuals and spares to the purchase order.
- Finish acceptance first. Packing must not conceal cracks, missing hardware, impact damage or corrosion. Resolve nonconformities before preservation.
- Clean by an approved method. Remove drilling dust, fingerprints, water and debris without damaging seals, paint or markings.
- Dry external and internal surfaces as instructed. Water left in flushing paths can defeat the outer package. Do not apply improvised heat.
- Use the manufacturer’s transport condition. Do not free-run the drill dry or fill cavities with an unapproved oil.
Use the published pneumatic rock drill pre-shipment inspection checklist to control the unit before the packing record begins.
Protect metal surfaces without creating a new fault
Temporary corrosion protection should cover exposed steel while remaining compatible with seals, coatings and commissioning. The exact compound must come from the equipment or preservation specification. Excess product can collect grit, migrate into passages or create removal work.
- Record material name, application date and treated surfaces.
- Protect machined interfaces and the chuck area without hiding damage that should have been rejected.
- Keep identification plates readable.
- Bag small steel fittings and spares separately so they cannot abrade the drill.
- If VCI film, barrier film or desiccant is specified, define enclosure and sealing; loose desiccant in an open crate is not controlled moisture protection.
- Include removal and recommissioning instructions in the document pouch.
Cap every contamination path
Air and water connections are direct paths for moisture and debris. Use fitted caps or plugs that resist vibration but can be removed without damaging threads or sealing faces. Tape alone can lift, leave adhesive or trap dirt. The cap must be compatible with the preservative and identifiable at unpacking.
Dry hoses should be coiled without damaging bends and capped at both ends. Couplings, clamps, lubricators, water tubes and service tools need labelled bags or compartments. A loose wrench or coupling beside a drill body becomes a repeated impact source during transport.
Support and restrain the assembly correctly
The crate should carry the drill through robust body regions, not through a throttle, air inlet, water fitting, handle grip, retainer or hose connection. Separate the drill and air leg when permitted by the manufacturer and purchase order. Use shaped blocks, resilient contact material or brackets that prevent rolling and sliding without point-loading castings.
The IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code treats safe packing and securing as part of the intermodal chain. Internal crate blocking is only one level. The packed crate must also be secured in the container by competent personnel using its actual mass, centre of gravity and loading arrangement.
- State net mass, gross mass and dimensions.
- Mark the centre of gravity when materially offset or not obvious.
- Provide forklift or lifting points only if the case is designed for them.
- Prevent unit-to-unit contact in multi-drill cases.
- Keep sling and restraint forces away from caps and controls.
- Remove or guard projections that could puncture a barrier.
Select the outer case and control wood compliance
Choose the outer package from verified gross load, handling environment, stacking need and exposure. A sheathed case gives better contamination protection than an open frame, but enclosure alone does not manage condensation. State whether the package is one-way, reusable or returnable.
When raw-wood packaging or dunnage moves internationally, destination rules may require ISPM 15 treatment and marking. The IPPC states that ISPM 15 covers wood packaging made from raw wood, including dunnage, while certain processed wood materials are excluded. Do not assume that plywood panels make all timber supports exempt. Confirm the importing-country rule and require legible marks on regulated components.
Inspect timber for splits, contamination, protruding fasteners and damage. Internal screw or nail points must not contact the drill, film or accessory bags. Structural sizing belongs to the competent packer and the actual load; a generic blog value cannot define case strength.
Marking and documents
ISO 780 provides graphical symbols for handling and storage instructions on distribution packages. Use only necessary symbols that reflect the real design. A “keep dry” mark does not make an unsuitable case weatherproof, and a lifting-point symbol must not be added unless that point is engineered for lifting.
Normally record consignee and destination, purchase order, item description, case sequence, gross and net mass, dimensions, origin information where required, and handling marks. Put manuals, packing list and preservation-removal instructions in a sealed, clearly located pouch; retain a digital duplicate.
Photo evidence before closure
- Overall condition and nameplate of each drill and air leg.
- Accessories laid out against the packing list.
- Surfaces after approved preservation.
- Air and water ports with caps fitted.
- Units placed on supports before restraint.
- Blocks, brackets, cushioning and accessory compartments after restraint.
- Barrier enclosure before sealing, if used.
- Case interior immediately before closure.
- Exterior faces, marks, dimensions and case number.
- Container securing and seal number when within supplier scope.
Evidence must be dated and traceable to the purchase order, unit and case. A generic photograph from another shipment is not acceptance evidence.
Common packing failures
| Failure | Risk | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Uncapped port | Direct dirt and moisture entry | Clean as approved, inspect and cap |
| Preservative over wet or dirty metal | Contamination becomes trapped | Remove, clean, dry and reapply |
| Restraint through a fitting or handle | Transport load can distort a vulnerable part | Move contact to structural points |
| Loose accessories | Impact and abrasion damage | Bag, label and immobilize |
| Missing required wood mark | Delay, treatment or rejection | Verify destination rules and repack |
| Only closed-case photos | Internal protection cannot be verified | Provide traceable pre-closure evidence |
| No recommissioning instruction | Caps or preservative may remain in place | Add model-specific unpacking controls |
Purchase-order clause
A practical clause is: “Pack each accepted pneumatic rock drill and air-leg assembly for the declared route and storage condition. Document cleaning, drying, temporary corrosion protection, capped air and water openings, separately identified accessories, structural support and restraint, destination-compliant wood packaging, necessary ISO 780 handling marks, gross/net mass and dimensions, and photo evidence before closure. Identify preservation method, intended protection basis, case type, packing quantity, document set and exclusions.”
For a current commercial starting point, review the active YT28 air-leg pneumatic rock drill. The final quotation and controlled data sheet must identify the supplied drill, air leg, accessories and packing scope. The air-leg rock drill RFQ checklist controls the machine specification before packing is negotiated.
Frequently asked questions
Does every wooden export case need ISPM 15 marking?
No. ISPM 15 applies to regulated packaging made from raw wood, while some processed products are outside its scope. The importing country and actual components control the requirement. Confirm it rather than relying on the word “plywood.”
Should a pneumatic rock drill be shipped with oil inside?
Follow the exact manufacturer and preservation instruction. Do not fill cavities or operate the drill with improvised oil. Record any protective material and its removal or commissioning procedure.
Can VCI film and desiccant be used together?
They can be elements of a designed system, but compatibility, quantity, enclosure volume, sealing and exposure must follow the preservation supplier’s method. Uncalculated additions are not evidence of control.
Can several drills share one case?
Yes, if the case is designed for the total mass and every unit is supported, separated, identified and restrained. The arrangement must prevent contact and keep accessories traceable.
What evidence should arrive before shipment?
Request unit identity, acceptance status, preservation material, capped-port photos, accessory layout, open-case supports and restraints, exterior marks, mass and dimensions, wood-compliance evidence where applicable, packing list and final loading evidence when included.
Technical references
- ASTM D3951-18(2023): Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging
- ISO 780:2015: Graphical symbols for handling and storage of packages
- International Plant Protection Convention: ISPM 15
- IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units
Need a controlled packing clause with your rock drill quotation? Send PerfoMax the model, quantity, destination, route, storage exposure, accessories, case limits and evidence requirements. The quotation can then define the supplied configuration and packing scope without relying on a generic “export standard” statement.