emailed http://www.pactec.at/kontakt/

Polystyren is not eco friendly. Might be interesting to dig the recycled paper solutions?

my ideas:

• PU foam in plastic bag formed in wooden model
• vacuum forming with (biocompatible) foil. Video

we could be more inovative and provide something that can be used also for longer term transportation. Using a standard (simple) box and some foam pads to protect, ship, and transport the tools.

Pelican case for the rest of us.

this looks interesting also : http://www.geami.com/geami-products/greenwrap-ready-roll/

Or in the other direction of a throw away solution we could shred old newspaper, mix it with water and build our own papier mâché press that just pushes the material into a CNC milled mold form and squeezes the water out. Leave it a day to dry and we have a 100% paper packaging form that can be recycled again.

Update: this is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molded_pulp

Met a very nice representative from pactec.at

Notes here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nOHyvl54Gs1N9zbxmv7_F4qhKNmGBY8EMN0hZKJAud4/edit

pactec has nice things! So what we should find out or decide is what we should use.
Cheap and single use or a more expensive case.

My stupid idea of reusability is to invest the money for the packaging into "AXIOM - towels" (or a beanie for our snowboarders..) and wrap the camera in.
We could offer different cases in our shop anyways for them who wants to pay extra costs.

quicksearch: 5€ towel

quicksearch: 5€ towel

Interesting idea! I am a bit concerned about protection as the towel would need to fill out the entire packaging box otherwise it will together with the camera be thrown around inside the package when it travels the world. Also we will have a few more accessories in the package that could scratch each other... Also it might look weird when you open the package and there is everything piles together in a towel inside :)

My preferences are offering two options:

1. cheap cardboard box with PU foam (the organic material option) shaped to match the Beta
2. a bit more expensive small aluminum suitcase with PU foam (the organic material option) shaped to match the Beta

The PU foam shape can maybe be the same for both options

Agreed on providing the two boxes options.

I would however work only with "standard" pieces of pu foam we can assemble however we like.

• a single piece at the bottom
• several rectangles in the middle to hold the various parts / or a single piece with proper rectangular holes in it
• a single piece at the top

This is imho the most reusable solution. People can even make additional holes in the medium layer to add more accessories. The medium part could be water cutted or something similar.

Instead of pu foam for he middle part, some very thick cardboard could be used as well : http://www.improvisedlife.com/2012/11/08/cool-sturdy-cardboard-furniture-to-diy-or-buy/

What do you mean with "standard piece"?

I am afraid I don't really follow with the top/middle/bottom assembly idea...

Like this :

But the cardboard is stiff and provides no protection to the camera...

I would test this, since it's not so stiff on the edges.

But else, we can use pu for everything, it will just be a bit more expensive (but more durable).

I think the price would be in a similar area, pactec though does not offer this cardboard solid form pressing service.

My laptop came from service packed like this:

https://www.atzinger.de/laptop-und-notebookverpackung.html

I like the idea of the Beta shipping in some sort of foam that can be reused in a case. You could, perhaps, offer backers the option of paying a bit extra to get a solid case rather than a cardboard box.

as colinelves and philippej mentioned a solid box would be better. you can count me in a solid box cost some bucks more but to the volume you get some discount and anyway you need a case to carry your camera.

example there also other good manufactures:
peli oem service

make the case as default like that the volume goes up and the price will drop and handling will get easy-er.

Dimensions: W11" x L10" x H7"

Comes with two 1.8" layers hexagonally sectioned and a 1cm base layer foam.

Looks good!

Is the foam ESD safe?
Is it conductive?

Thanks,
Herbert

Added those to the doc. Any other questions let me know and I'll ask all together during next contact.

I can see what ESD safe would mean but what does being conductive/non-conductive entail in the camera's context?