For quite some time, the Nichols Airborne division of Parker Aerospace had packaged its high-performance aircraft engine parts in barrier bags. But when the company prepared to move to a new plant, it needed to find a new packaging technique to cut costs and simplify the packaging process. At the same time, the new packaging needed to provide better protection for the corrosion-prone aircraft pumps.

Parker Aerospace decided on static intercept zipper bags because of cost, efficiency and safety benefits.

The bag delivers long-lasting protection from corrosion by repelling static, bacteria and fungus. It also eliminates time and costs previously required to heat seal the previous packaging after parts inspection at the plant. Inspectors can now view stored parts before shipment without opening pre-sealed packages. As a result, the easily opened and closed bag makes inspections faster and cleaner.

Buying pre-made packaging also benefits Parker Aerospace by eliminating the need for costly heat-sealing equipment, maintenance, ventilation ducts and filtering systems in the new plant. Reusability eliminates the expense and worry associated with constantly manufacturing disposable packaging.

The bag's static-dissipative properties are unaffected by temperature and humidity levels. Stringent testing in both independent laboratories and real environments prior to implementation proved the bags could hold up to the rigors. One test involved placing the part-containing packages in the gutter outside a building for seven days in the summer. More than 70,000 parts have been protected successfully with the new packaging without one field defect due to corrosion during transit or storage.

In addition, the bags do not produce harmful fumes or particles, which could harm workers. These qualities make the new packaging a stark improvement from the old barrier bags, which polluted the production environment during the manufacturing process. The new three-step packaging process makes workers happier and more productive in the safe environment.