Flight Case Foam Inserts: Protect Your Equipment in Transit

When you’re checking fragile or expensive equipment like musical instruments or camera kit into the hold of an aircraft, it’s important to ensure you’ve taken precautions to protect your items from damage in transit.

That’s where flight case foam inserts come in. Custom made to mirror the exact proportions of your equipment and flight case, these transportation foam solutions offer you the most comprehensive levels of equipment protection during travel.

What Are Custom Foam Inserts?

Custom foam inserts are layers of high-quality foam that sit within a travel case to help protect the items inside. The foam is cut to the exact proportions of the case it needs to line, and ‘inserts’ (or impressions) are created within the foam core for the equipment to slot into. This is achieved by laser scanning each item to generate a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) of its dimensions.

The protective foam inserts are then custom cut to size, using this CAD ‘blueprint’ to produce a perfect mould to your equipment. This ensures that when the case is fastened for travel, your items are held securely in place, safely cushioning them from impact damage, as well as moisture changes in the aircraft’s hold.

How Do Foam Inserts Enhance Equipment Protection in Flight Cases?

Flight case foam inserts are one of the most effective ways of protecting equipment in transit for a number of reasons:

Shock Absorption

The foam absorbs shock and vibration – this means that even if your flight case was to be roughly handled or move around in the hold – perhaps due to turbulence – the items inside would be protected from impact.

The foam’s dense structure cushions each item, absorbing and dispersing energy from sudden movements or jolts to ensure your equipment remains protected throughout transit.

Tools Secured

Foam inserts for equipment hold each item in place – a common cause of equipment damage on flights is items not being secured sufficiently. This can lead to items becoming loose during the flight and potentially knocking into one another.

Custom foam inserts envelop each item in a dense pocket of foam, which prevents the item from moving and colliding with other equipment in transit.

Water-resistant

The foam is resistant to water – Condensation is common in aeroplane cargo holds because of the altitudes at which aircraft fly. The temperature in the sky is always far cooler than on the ground and condensation will appear almost immediately once a plane is airborne.

This increased moisture can pose a risk to sensitive electronic equipment. Fortunately, custom foam for flight cases is naturally water-resistant, helping to keep your items dry and protected from moisture contamination.

Who Benefits Most from Using Custom Foam Inserts in Flight Cases?

Whether you’re part of a travelling orchestra, a camera crew filming a wildlife documentary, or even an aviation engineer attending to an emergency, custom foam inserts for transport safety will ensure your equipment arrives at its destination in perfect working order. They’re a common travel solution for transporting high value and fragile items by air, including musical instruments, camera, sound, lighting, and recording equipment, and even tools.

Sectors such as entertainment and media rely heavily on shock-absorbent foam inserts to get their equipment securely to overseas filming or performing locations. Many musicians’ will invest in a custom flightcase to protect their guitars and amplifiers in transit. These types of cases are often referred to as ‘road cases’.

By contrast, aerospace technicians depend on flight case protection to keep their tools organised and accountable, in addition to transporting them from job to job safely. Similarly, the military make use of custom foam inserts as a means of securely transporting essential hardware, such as weaponry, computers, and machine components.

What Should You Consider When Choosing Foam Inserts for Your Flight Cases?

Foam density, environmental conditions, and the fragility of your equipment are important factors to consider when choosing foam inserts for your flight cases.

Flight cases require a moisture-resistant, high-density, foam that is capable of gripping your equipment in place while providing a shock-absorbent layer around it. An LD33 Polyethylene closed cell – cross linked – foam would be an ideal choice for this purpose. It offers all the essential qualities you need in a flight case foam, at a slightly lower price point than foams designed for display packaging.

This type of foam is also perfect for shadow foaming (when two different foams are layered to create a colour contrast between the surface foam and the insert). As well as looking more aesthetically pleasing, shadow foaming also makes it easier to spot when an item in your flight case is missing, resulting in fewer lost items on the road.

At Red Box Foam, we offer flight case foams in a choice of 14 unique colours, giving you the option to customise the look and feel of your flight case insert to your preferences or your company branding. We can additionally laser etch foams to add bespoke details such as equipment serial numbers and logos.

How to Get Started with Custom Foam Inserts for Your Flight Cases?

Custom foam inserts for flight cases are different to off-the-shelf foam solutions because the foam is purpose-cut to the dimensions of your equipment using CNC cutting machinery.

To achieve this, a CAD file is needed that maps the proportions of your equipment. This is easily generated by taking a 3D scan of each item. Presently we hold over 10,000 different CADs on file, which covers most tool types and manufacturers. For anything additional, we can either come to you or you can visit us on site.

Once we know the specifications of your job, including the type of foam you want, we can give you a price. If you’re happy to proceed, our team will then move on to creating a sample layout for you to approve before we take the design to machining. Once approved, your new custom foam insert should be with you in around 7-10 days.

To get started, give us a call on +44 (0) 2380 254285 or email us at [email protected].

Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers

• What are flight case foam inserts?

Flight case foam inserts are a layer of protective foam that lines the inside of your flight case. The foam features custom cut spaces for your equipment to slot into, which hold each item securely in place during transit. The foam absorbs shock while also preventing equipment from moving, which keeps your items secure and protects them from damage.

How much do flight case inserts cost?

Flight case foam inserts start from £150, but their exact price is calculated on the complexity of the design and the size of insert needed.

Can I add my logo or branding to the foam insert?

Typically, it takes 7 to 10 working days after design approval to receive your custom foam insert, however rush orders can be accommodated on request.

Can foam inserts be retrofitted into existing flight cases I already own?

Yes, the custom nature of our Red Box Foam inserts means we can retrofit to flight cases you already own or replace old foam inserts for new. We can even custom create a new layout for your foam inserts, if your equipment has changed since your original flight case was purchased.

How do I order a custom flight case foam insert?

For custom foam orders you’ll need to contact us directly. This allows us to talk through your requirements and give you an accurate quote for your job.