Is shipping gas springs via air freight safe?

[Madison]

This has been nagging at me a bit since yesterday. Our robot has four nitrogen-filled gas springs on board and we shipped several spares alongside it in our crate. My assumption has always been that the crates are shipped via ground transportation, but is there any chance that they may be moved by aircraft?

Some may recall my frustration a few weeks ago with McMaster-Carr when they shipped an entire order via ground instead of overnight as we specified because they said that the gas springs were unable to travel via air freight. I've some concern that it's unsafe for the gas springs in our crate to be moved by aircraft.

[zakk]

i would definately research all laws and such that the goverment has and try to contact a few shipping places. you may have to just put a marking on the crate. its untelling how it'll go with those weird people who do the shipping.

the best of luck to you guys on behalf of team 1539

[Matt H.]

Yes there are regulations on shipping gas springs via airmail. In an unpressurized compartment the springs might explode or weaken. We used several of these springs on our robot, and there was a debate about shipping them however it was decided that since the robot is being shipped ground there was no need to remove them.

I would recommend that you not worry about it, but if you feel obliged to do something I would recommend you check fed-ex regulations on compressed gasses. I can not find any mention of it on their website so a call to FedEx might be in order.

[MrForbes]

You might contact Shepard and ask if there is any possibility of the crate being shipped by air, or maybe get or make some of these labels that McMaster uses and put them on the crate.

If you find more info, please let us know...we drove our crate to the first drayage company, but it will be shipped to the next event or two.