Crate spec ticket
| Base | Skid with isolators under the cabinet feet |
|---|---|
| Hold-down | Lag bolts or brackets through the rack base plate |
| Equipment | Drives and cards secured, rails locked |
| Wrap | ESD-safe barrier bag with desiccant |
| Walls | Sheathed, with a tall box for the rack height |
| Quote needs | Rack height, footprint, populated weight, destination |
Bolt down, then isolate
A server rack is tall and top-heavy. We bolt the cabinet's base plate to the skid with lag bolts, so it cannot slide or topple, and fit brackets at the top to the crate frame. Between the skid and the cabinet feet go isolator pads, or wire-rope mounts for a heavy populated load, so shock from a forklift or a rough road is damped before it reaches the equipment.
The rack must stay upright. We never lay a populated cabinet on its side, because rails and chassis are built for gravity in one direction.
What stays in and what comes out
Shipping a rack fully populated saves rebuild time but risks drives and cards. For heavy, fragile pieces, such as disk arrays, we pull the drives and pack them in their carriers in a separate foam-lined box, keyed to the slot they came from. Rails are locked, cable arms are secured, and blanking panels are fixed.
Batteries in uninterruptible power supplies are regulated as hazardous materials under 49 CFR and the IATA rules. Lithium and lead-acid units are disconnected or shipped separately according to the carrier's requirements.
- Cables labelled, coiled and strapped inside the rack
- Rack doors closed and locked, or removed and crated alongside
- Fans and heavy PSUs secured with tape and foam
- Spare screws and rails in a labelled bag
Static and moisture
Electronics suffer from static discharge and condensation. We wrap the cabinet in an ESD-safe barrier bag, heat-sealed or taped, and put desiccant inside sized to the bag volume. A humidity indicator card is placed where it can be seen before the bag is opened.
Condensation is the quiet risk. A cabinet that moves from a warm hall to a cold container can sweat on arrival. Tell the receiver to let the sealed bag come to temperature before opening, and put that instruction on the crate lid.
Cabinets with liquid cooling or sealed enclosures
Some racks carry cooling loops, rear-door heat exchangers or sealed enclosures. These are drained and capped according to the manufacturer's transport instructions, and the connection points are protected from impact. Tell us what the equipment manual says and we follow it.
Sealed outdoor cabinets with gaskets and filters are wrapped like machinery, with VCI film where bare metal is present, and the vent openings are taped to keep dust out. The doors are secured so they cannot swing against the hinges in transit.
Tall crates and stability
A full-height rack makes a tall crate. We widen the skid footprint beyond the cabinet to lower the tipping tendency, add diagonal bracing between corner posts, and keep the lid clear of the cabinet top with a cushion.
A sheathed plywood crate keeps tare low, which matters when the rack goes by air and the carrier charges by dimensional weight. For rack groups going on a single pallet position, we build one crate for the row and brace between cabinets.
Marks, sensors and receiving
ISO 780 symbols go on the sides, with a centre-of-gravity mark on two faces. A tip indicator and a shock indicator are fixed on the front, and a temperature or humidity logger can be placed inside by request. The receiver reads the indicators before accepting the delivery.
A packing list taped to the lid lists the rack, the loose parts and the drive serial numbers, so an inventory check is possible without opening the bag.
Data centre moves and export
Relocations often involve many identical racks. We write one crate spec and keep it on file, so each rack in the move is packed the same way. For export the skid and framing are heat-treated lumber with an IPPC stamp, and the plywood sheathing is exempt from ISPM 15. Check the destination country's plant-protection authority for the exact rule.
Network gear, cabling and spares
Switches, patch panels and cable managers that stay in the rack are strapped to their rails, and the front is covered with a rigid board so a bump on the door does not drive a connector into a port. Loose cables are coiled, bagged and labelled by run.
Spare drives, power cords and rail kits ride in a separate box fixed to the skid, with a list taped outside. If the receiver is rebuilding the rack, our packing list records the slot positions for each item, so the rebuild follows the original layout.
Questions buyers ask
Can a rack ship fully populated?
Often yes, on isolators. Heavy or delicate items such as drives may be pulled and crated alongside.
Do UPS batteries go in the same crate?
Usually not. Batteries are hazardous materials under 49 CFR and IATA rules and travel separately under the carrier's requirements.
How do you stop condensation?
A sealed ESD barrier bag with desiccant and a humidity indicator, plus an instruction to open the bag after it reaches room temperature.
What do you need to quote?
Rack height in rack units, footprint in inches, populated weight in pounds, the destination country and quantity.