Saving money is part of running any business, but when it comes to your supply chain, things get much more complicated than that. If it isn’t potential damage, it’s theft or mishandling.
Poor management of your freight, poor packaging, tampering, and leaving items unattended can all be major problems. Over the past few years, supply chain bottlenecks and myriad other supply chain issues have wrapped the entire industry, often affecting the end user as a result. And it happens everywhere (although some states fare worse than others).
This is not good for anyone’s business. That’s why it’s so vital to ensure that you find ways to save money and cut costs while also maintaining the Integrity of your equipment on a general scale. That’s where shock lockers, vibration sensors, and impact indicators come in handy. In this article, we’ll explore impact indicators specifically and how they can help your organization thrive.
What Are Impact Recorders?
Impact recorders—alternatively known as shock loggers or impact indicators—are simple devices that monitor and track costs associated with impact damage. This happens in shipping, transit, storage, and even delivery. These devices are often used by companies to make sure they’re not losing money due to accidents or intentional product damage. That’s pretty much it.
They are usually small device that goes inside of a crate or shipment when it gets packed. When the shipment sustains damage, the device will create a visual indication that managers can then use to assess the damage and make future plans. Including them in your shipping procedures is critical to ensuring the high quality of your products as they arrive at their various destinations.
Visual Damage Notifications
There are many costs associated with impacts and impact damage in the supply chain. That’s why having a visual monitor and deterrent is so important. The beauty of using a good shock and impact indicator is that it provides a visual deterrent and allows managers to visually notice any potential impact. Sometimes, it’s accomplished via a device inside the indicator that breaks upon the impact of a certain force. Others turn a bright red, indicating an impact has occurred. Combined with the fact that there are variables in the field makes them a wonderful tool for monitoring your shipments.
High Impact Thresholds
Certain types of cargo can withstand high impacts and plenty of moving around throughout a ship. Although some items are more resilient than others, there can be times when a particularly fragile or easily damaged component can get hurt during shipping. Your shock lockers and impact indicators are going to be able to inform you immediately of whether or not your cargo has hit a certain G-Force threshold.
Gravity forces, AKA g forces, are the measurement of the force exerted on items while they’re traveling. A good impact indicator usually covers a range between around 5G and 75g. Being able to monitor for impacts within a large range is invaluable and can help inform future decisions, reinforce packing, and save money in the long term.
Cost Savings
Speaking of saving money, one of the foremost reasons to use impact indicators and shock-logging technology is simply to reduce costs. These costs might be associated with repairs, replacements, lost time due to delays, and other things. Using impact indicators instead of just relying on visual inspection is essential for saving money throughout your supply chain, especially when unexpected damage takes its heavy toll on your cargo.
Deter Mishandling
Whether you’re talking about warehouses, trucks, ships, or other parts of the supply chain, mishandling it can be a major concern. Companies lose a lot of money due to mishandling in the supply chain every year. Subsequently, supply chain issues cause even bigger problems for everyone. It’s like a big domino effect that cascades across multiple sectors. Finding ways to deter mishandling is incredibly important in your supply chain.
By doing so, you’re less likely to lose money or deal with the aftermath of damaged goods. it all comes down to proper supply chain management, proper packing, and, of course, monitoring your shipments with technology. Mishandling and theft generate ripple effects that can cause major problems, so implementing the use of impact monitors can mean the difference between a seamless shipment and a massive mess for your company.
