Care of Packaging Materials and Equipment

TM 746-10

appropriate stockage levels of each. Such a practice

shall be designated to maintain a realistic stockage level

can result in considerable monetary savings.

of dunnage, materials, and containers.

(1) End item disposal.

An item that is

d. Use of fast-pack containers.

Containers

scheduled for disposal and is packed in a reusable

specified in PPP-B-1672 are commonly known as fast

container may be disposed of with or without the

packs and will be used as often as possible for depot

container.

The alternative providing the highest

shipments of reparable components to using activities.

estimated return shall be selected and implemented.

Items that should be shipped in fast packs include

delicate and fragile items that are susceptible to

(2) Container

repair.

Nonexpandable

damage in shipment, especially electronic items and

containers will continue to be used until they become

circuit cards that are vulnerable to electrostatic

unserviceable.

They will then be withdrawn from

discharge (ESD) damage. Any item compatible in size

service for repair or overhaul. Repairs will not be

may be shipped in a fast pack. Field activities including

accomplished with the intent to return the container to a

overseas activities and continental United States

"like-new" condition. Only minimum repairs are required

(CONUS) installations will use the containers as often as

to make reusable containers suitable for return to

possible for the return shipment of items to depots or

service.

other repair/ rebuild facilities. Although fast packs are

(3) Painting. Painting will be required on

identified as reusable containers, they are not

refurbished areas only when the repaired surfaces that

accountable items. Each receiving activity should reuse

require painting exceed 75 percent of the entire

the containers for the return of reparables and should

container area.

not return empty containers to shippers. See paragraph

(4) Marking.

Original

identification,

5-170 and figure 5-9 for fast-pack packaging instructions

precautionary, and special handling markings will be

for electrostatic discharge sensitive (ESDS) items.

perpetuated on the repaired containers.

All other

e. Reuse of foam-in-place (FIP) containers. Many

marking requirements will comply with the requirements

serviceable items, including engines and transmissions,

in paragraph 3-5 and MIL-STD-129.

are shipped to field units in total encapsulated FIP

packs. When packs are properly opened per the

b. Conditional reusable containers. When reusable

accompanying instructions, they can be reused by field

containers which are prescribed for specific items are

activities for returning unserviceable items to repair

not available and substitute containers are used, newly

depots (para 3-6j(5)).

designed cushioning materials and special cradling or

holddown devices must be identical in performance to

1-10. Care of Packaging Materials and Equipment

those retaining devices originally engineered for the

a. General. Although the conservation of packaging

item and its reusable container.

materials is necessary, the whole program must be well

c. Reusable metal drums. Metal drums, although

planned from the beginning.

Much effort can be

not subject to accountability, should be reused until

expended on the requisitioning of materials, but that

distorted beyond practical repair.

Drums having

effort will be wasted if the supplied are allowed to

extensively dented or otherwise damaged sealing lips

accumulate without being used. This situation usually

are unfit for further use and should be disposed of.

results when material is stored in a place or in a manner

that makes finding the desired material difficult or

impossible.

Such a situation should definitely be

(1) Small military drums. Small standard

avoided.

military drums are identified by a part number and

should be reused for small subassemblies that are of

b. Materials.

Containers that hold preservatives,

complex construction and are highly susceptible to

cleaning solvents, paint, and adhesives should be tightly

damage or deterioration during shipment or storage.

sealed and stored in an area where open flames will not

Split-ring closure-type, reusable, metal containers

occur.

Barrier materials, bags, fiberboard and

require cushioning and wrapping of the projections of

paperboard boxes, tapes, and labels should be stored in

the split-ring and exposed end of the protruding screws

an area that protects them from the elements.

for parcel post shipments.

(2) Metal inserts and dunnage.

When

c. Equipment. All packaging equipment should be

materiel is received packed in reusable metal drums

cleaned and placed in its normal storage area when not

and braced and cushioned with specially designed metal

in use. All power equipment should be lubricated per

inserts and dunnage, consideration should be given to

the applicable lubrication order. Moisture separators

salvaging the inserts and dunnage and maintaining

installed on compressed air supply lines should be

drained frequently. Clean

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