Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

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wayneft
 
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Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:32 pm

Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by wayneft »

I was wondering how people package their Arduino shields before shipping? Up until now I've only sold small circuit boards that I was able to put in bubble envelopes to ship, however, I'm going to be selling a GPS shield http://www.dsscircuits.com/articles/i2c-gps-shield.html soon that has the stackable headers soldered to the board. As most people know the pins on the stackable headers are a tad flimsy and significantly longer than standard headers so I'd be concerned about putting it in a bubble mailer. I thought about maybe using foam or something and I'm guessing small card board boxes can get a little pricey. I'm trying to keep the price as low as possible. Any ideas?

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mitpatterson
 
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Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by mitpatterson »

I would thing cover the pins complety with foam, and mabey just put a scrap piece of cardboard under the foam(so its PCB, Foam, cardboard sandwich) might work, then you could try that in a bubble mailer, but a small cardboard box would be best, is there anyway you could have the end user solder in the stacky headers? less thickness then, or even use regular headers already soldered?(as regular ones tend be sturdier IMHO)

wayneft
 
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Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:32 pm

Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by wayneft »

Thanks. I was thinking of the sandwich idea also but the more I search I'm starting to see that cardboard boxes aren't all that expensive. It's looks like I can get them for about 25 cents a box.

I'd like stay away from having the end user solder the headers on because I'm trying to make the shield as easy as possible "out of the box". If I come across a site with cheap boxes for shields I'll post a link for anyone that's interested.

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mitpatterson
 
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Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by mitpatterson »

yes, please do, i don't know if its the cheapest, but Uline has a lot of boxes, its where adafruit gets a lot of their shipping/packaging supplies. they have a box in about any size you could want(its like the first 50 pages in the paper catalog)

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nootropicdesign
 
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Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by nootropicdesign »

I ship lots of Arduino shields. I do not put the pins in foam. I slip the shield into an anti-static bag, and pack in a small box with some bubble wrap for extra padding. I use these boxes for USPS first class mail:
http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-4 ... ated-Boxes

and use USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes for domestic Priority Mail or Priority Mail International.

wayneft
 
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Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:32 pm

Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by wayneft »

Thanks all. I think I'm going to go with the Uline boxes after all. Hopefully this is the last piece to the "logistics puzzle" so I can get my shield on the market!

kevvenl
 
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Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by kevvenl »

In a product with a high perceived value what % of the wholesale cost do you think the creation of the packaging should be? :roll:

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macegr
 
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Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by macegr »

I don't ship shields with headers installed, due to the risk of bent pins. However, you need to communicate clearly that the headers need to be soldered...I have had a pretty good number of customers complain that a shield doesn't work, and all they had done was skewer the shield to an Arduino with the unsoldered headers.

wayneft
 
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Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:32 pm

Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by wayneft »

I thought about shipping without the headers but I wanted to make the GPS shield as easy as possible for people. Besides the boxes I got are a perfect fit for the shield and they're pretty durable so I don't forsee too many bent pin problems.
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wayneft
 
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Re: Ideas for packaging Arduino shields

Post by wayneft »

@macegr, so after my last post you got me thinking about the bent pins and I remembered these boxes I ordered from Uline are called Indestructo or something and they show a guy standing on the box in the picture. I decided to take one of the beta shields I had laying around and decided to put that to the test. I stood on the box for 30 seconds (I weigh 175 lbs) with the shield in it and what do you know...no bent pins! Not bad for 26 cents a piece!

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