Form-in-Place (FIP) Packaging

TM 746-10

equipment log book shall be completed for major

When mixed and dispensed together, the

equipment utilizing, as applicable, either of the

resulting material expands and forms around the item

following:

inside the container to provide cushioning or blocking

(1) DA Form 2258.

and bracing.

(2) DD Form 1397. The log book shall be

c. Recycled foam. Recycled or scrap foam may

packaged per the provisions of submethod IC-4 and

be used if the foam is of the same approximate density

shall be securely attached in or on the equipment. For

as that of freshly dispensed foam. Scrap foam may be

each major item that is preserved and processed, the

used for blocking or filler but should not exceed 50

appropriate form, as described above, will be prepared

percent of the total foam volume. Its use should be

in duplicate according to the preparation instructions for

minimal, and it should never be used as a filler for

each, and all applicable entries will be made. One copy

technique VII packs of MIL-STD-1191. It is most

of the completed form will be placed in a waterproof

appropriately used for positioning an item.

envelope

marked

"Depreservation

Guide"

d. Unit protection.

Unit protection such as

"Deprocessing Record" and will be attached to the

preservatives, wraps, and barriers shall be that which is

steering wheel or other operator control on the

required for the individual items as specified in

equipment. When packing spare engines, it shall be

packaging instructions for reparables (para 3-3f) and per

placed on top of the engines. The second copy will be

MIL-P-116.

placed in the package containing the equipment log

e. Dispensing equipment. Any equipment may be

book and will be marked to show that the copy is inside.

used to mix and dispense the foam chemicals provided

the quality of the finished foam meets MIL-F-83671

q. Other marking requirements.

General and

requirements and the dispensing equipment conforms to

specific marking requirements provided herein have

MIL-F-87075.

been given to assist support units in performing the

f Foaming conditions. All of a component's

most often used, routine marking procedures when

surfaces and wraps and the void areas to be foamed

shipping and handling retrograde and recyclable

shall be conditioned and maintained at a constant

materiel. However, these requirements do not cover

temperature range of 60 to 100 . Chemical ingredients

every marking instance. When further direction is

shall not be exposed to temperatures other than those

needed to correctly mark containers, refer to MIL-STD-

recommended by the equipment supplier. Foamed

129.

surfaces shall be free of grease, oil, loose particles,

moisture, and all other foreign matter.

3-6. Form-in-Place (FIP) Packaging

g. Platens. Platens or load-bearing supports shall

be used as cushioning for sharp-ended items in order to

a. General.

FIP may be used to package

prevent these type items from penetrating the foam and

economically reparable materiel when it has been

to prevent the items from shifting (fig 3-21).

determined that FIP can afford adequate protection

h. Techniques. MIL-STD-1191 lists the following

during shipment and for 180 days maximum storage

eight FIP techniques:

after considering the item(s) size, weight, and degree of

(1) Split pack, standard.

fragility. All three classes of foams (flexible, rigid, and

(2) Split pack, alternate.

semirigid) that are used for FIP are excellent materials

(3) Split pack, inverted.

for cushioning or blocking and bracing. They should be

(4) Foam in bag.

considered when-

(5) Special technique, modified.

(1) The original container is damaged or

missing.

(6) Preformed molding.

(2) The original blocking, bracing, cushioning,

(7) Foamed container.

or any other dunnage is damaged or missing.

(8) Encapsulated pack.

(3) The use of FIP would be more cost

effective than the use of other cushioning materials. It

The most common techniques for field level application

shall never be used for items that are susceptible to

are the split pack alternate, the split pack standard or

damage from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) because

inverted, and the encapsulated pack. The split pack

urethane foams are a generator of ESD. Additionally,

standard technique is the same as the split pack

items that are susceptible to damage or deterioration

inverted technique except that the blocking is not

from exotherm temperatures of 150 or above shall

removed and the item is not inverted in the standard

never be packaged using FIP techniques.

technique (fig 3-22).

b. Polyurethane foam. Polyurethane dispensing

foam is a two-part (designated A and B) chemical.

3-28