How Using Impact Recorders Saves Time And Money

The challenges involved in shipping cargo across long distances are vast. Supply chain disruptions are caused when some external force creates logistical problems for moving cargo from one place to another. Many aspects of the supply chain are interdependent with each other. They all rely on several moving parts to work in harmony with one another and get everything where it needs to be in a timely fashion. Shortages in one industry might lead to disruptions in another. This creates a domino effect of deleterious consequences for multiple industries. It’s not a good thing.

So as a logistics manager or individual dealing with this type of fallout, it’s prudent to find tools and methods for preventing disruptions. One key area where prevention can really make a difference is impact monitoring. Sometimes, cargo can be mishandled, jostled, or otherwise damaged in transit. Using a simple device to monitor those impacts and assess damage can be a phenomenal tool for safeguarding your cargo and your reputation. In this article, we’ll tell you how using impact recorders can save your organization time and money.

Save Money

Part of running a business successfully is cutting costs and budgeting appropriately. If you’re spending a great deal of money on repairs or replacements due to impact damage, then you need a solution. Ultimately, impact recorders save money by helping you spot hidden damage. Hidden damage has the capacity to trigger random failures. These failures seemingly occur without any readily identifiable cause which leads to time-consuming (and costly) diagnostics. Then there are potential repairs. Take the case of transporting a vital piece of infrastructure equipment such as a power transformer.

Power transformers are hulking machines filled with wiring, sensitive electrical components, occasionally oil, and other highly fragile components. Shipping a transformer across the country requires careful monitoring and looking out for impacts. Just one high-force impact could completely damage one of these vital machines. That leads to costly repairs, expensive replacements, and a heavy financial burden on both the manufacturer and the shipper. No one wants that.

Protect Goods In Transit

Problems along the shipping route aren’t limited to impacts. There are other potential problems as well. Temperature abuse (where items requiring certain temperatures are exposed to improper temps over a certain period), poor packing, lack of securing cargo, raw materials shortages, and theft all represent significant problems in logistics. Shipping anything along supply lanes is a risky endeavor at best. Items and cargo can be easily damaged, lost, or stolen while in transit to their destinations. Using monitoring devices like impact recorders saves money here because it gives you a direct look into where things might go wrong so you can react appropriately.

Real-time Insight

There are some things you wouldn’t do in life without taking some precautions first. For instance, it wouldn’t be a good idea to leave your house without making sure you have your house key. Similarly, you wouldn’t want to take a cross-country road trip without ensuring your auto insurance is up to date. At work, you wouldn’t make a proposal without having all of your resources together first. So why not take some precautions with your shipments by using impact indicators? Impact recorders are great for being a visual deterrent to mishandling.

Some impacts have a tendency to cause physical damage like cracks or breaks. But sometimes damage isn’t so obvious. It can take several weeks or even months to start showing signs of a problem. Repairs are then required, which means not only is the product damaged and possibly malfunctioning, but the manufacturer takes a reputation hit due to the failure. Sensitive items need real-time protection, which using a few inexpensive shock loggers can provide.

High Impact Threshold

An impact recorder isn’t going to supply meaningful information if the threshold and parameters aren’t set up to record heavy/high impacts. Finding the right Impact indicator and shock logger is all about getting one that’s easy to use, affordable, and can withstand high impacts. Look for indicators with impact thresholds between 2Gs and 75Gs, with a duration of 0.5 and 0 MS. That’s going to register everything from light to very heavy shocks.

Shock indicators work between a wide temperature range as well, so they can pretty much guarantee results anywhere. They’re ideal for being placed on the cargo containers themselves but can be placed outside for a quick visual inspection.

Avoid Tampering

Tampering can occur at any point along the supply chain. It isn’t just a problem when a truck is stopped for any length of time. To prevent tampering, some companies use tamper-evident seals. But an impact recorder is able to track when tampering occurs. The force required to tamper with any items in a shipment will more than likely set off the impact indicator. So using them to prevent theft, act as a visual deterrent, and ultimately go great lengths to protecting—and securing—your valuable cargo.