Metal parts corrode – in the warehouse, during transport, in the export crate. Those who have relied on oiling or greasing know the cost: cleaning before use, contaminated workplaces, additional process steps. The VCI depot takes a fundamentally different approach. BRANOrost Chips from BRANOpac are simply placed alongside the metal parts inside a closed packaging unit – where they create a protective VCI atmosphere. No oil, no grease, and in practice no cleaning required. The parts are ready for use immediately after removal.
The most important facts about the VCI depot at a glance
- A VCI depot is a carrier material equipped with VCI active substances that builds up a protective corrosion-inhibiting atmosphere inside a closed packaging unit.
- As a guideline: approximately 0.5 m² of cellulose material is sufficient to protect one cubic metre of packaging space effectively – depending on the components, packaging and protection period.
- In practice, metal parts are ready for use directly after removal without additional cleaning steps – oiling or greasing is entirely unnecessary.
- BRANOrost Chips can be combined with BRANOrost Paper and BRANOfol – for a coordinated system solution for storage, transport and export.
What is a VCI depot? Definition, structure and operating principle
A VCI depot is a carrier material – typically cellulose-based – coated or impregnated with VCI active substances. VCI stands for Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor: volatile corrosion inhibitors that slowly evaporate from the carrier material at room temperature, distribute themselves throughout the air space of the packaging and adsorb onto the metal surfaces. There, they form a molecular protective film that inhibits the corrosion-promoting electrochemical processes.
What makes the system particularly effective in practice is its efficiency: as a guideline, approximately 0.5 m² of cellulose material is sufficient to supply one cubic metre of packaging space with an effective VCI atmosphere. The precise dosage depends on the components, the packaging and the required protection period. The depot is simply placed alongside the metal parts inside the closed packaging – no additional tools, no training time, no effort.
Once the packaging is opened, the VCI active substance evaporates from the metal surface. In practice, the parts can be used directly without additional cleaning steps – a decisive advantage over conventional protection methods such as oiling.
For more on the technology behind the operating principle, see the BRANOpedia article on VCI corrosion protection.
Corrosion during storage and transport: why conventional protection often falls short
Oiling and greasing provide protection – that is beyond dispute. In industrial practice, however, the limitations of these methods quickly become apparent. For parts with complex geometries, bores or cavities, oil is difficult to apply evenly. Any protective layer that is not applied without gaps is a potential corrosion point.
There is also the process overhead: greased parts must be cleaned before further processing or assembly. This costs time, cleaning agents and personnel – and merely shifts the problem to a later process step.
Aluminium composite bags or hermetically sealed packaging are a further option. However, their protective effect depends strongly on the integrity of the seal and how the packaging is handled. Even minor damage to the packaging can significantly impair the protection.
Plain wrapping paper, on the other hand, generally provides no active corrosion protection and does not specifically prevent corrosion-promoting influences. For storage and transport, it is therefore insufficient.
The VCI depot works differently: actively, and without any post-processing. It protects even hard-to-reach areas without requiring even application. An overview of the different approaches can be found in the BRANOpedia articles on the variants of temporary corrosion protection and on temporary corrosion protection in general.
BRANOrost Chips: the VCI depot from BRANOpac in detail
BRANOrost Chips are the VCI depot from BRANOpac. The cellulose carrier is equipped with VCI active substances and is placed as loose chips directly alongside the metal parts inside the closed packaging. The chips build up a VCI atmosphere that provides protection against corrosion for ferrous metals and numerous other metal materials – subject to application-specific verification – during storage and transport.
The protective effect sets in shortly after the packaging is sealed. Oiling or greasing is not required. In practice, metal parts are ready for further processing or direct use after removal without additional cleaning steps – an advantage that translates directly into shorter throughput times in production.
BRANOrost Chips work in closed packaging units of various types: cardboard boxes, crates, film pouches or film packaging. The key requirement is that the packaging is sufficiently sealed so that the VCI atmosphere can build up and be maintained throughout the entire protection period.
Using the VCI depot correctly: dosage, application and combination with BRANOfol
Applying BRANOrost Chips is straightforward. A few basic guidelines help to ensure the full protective effect is reliably achieved.
Dosage: As a guideline: approximately 0.5 m² of cellulose material is sufficient to protect one cubic metre of packaging space. The precise quantity depends on the components, the packaging and the required protection period.
Placement: The chips are placed or scattered directly alongside the metal parts inside the packaging. Direct contact with the metal parts is not necessary – the VCI active substance distributes itself in gaseous form throughout the entire packaging space, including hard-to-reach areas.
Packaging integrity: The more tightly sealed the packaging, the more long-lasting and stable the protection. For particularly demanding applications, combining the chips with BRANOfol, BRANOpac's VCI corrosion protection film, is recommended. The film retains the VCI atmosphere inside the packaging and significantly extends the protective effect – ideal for export packaging and long-term storage.
Combination with BRANOrost Paper: Where metal parts also need to be individually wrapped or separated from one another, BRANOrost Chips can be combined with VCI paper without any difficulty. The paper protects contact surfaces directly, while the depot maintains the protective atmosphere throughout the entire packaging space. Both products complement each other as a system – in keeping with the BRANOpac philosophy: solutions with a system.
VCI depot in practice: areas of application and typical examples
BRANOrost Chips are used wherever metal parts need to be stored or transported for a defined period – and where oiling and subsequent degreasing is neither practical nor desirable.
Warehouse storage: Metal parts, semi-finished products and spare parts made from iron, steel or other metals can be stored with BRANOrost Chips in standard cardboard boxes or crates – without prior oiling. The protection remains effective for the entire storage period, as long as the packaging stays closed.
Transport and dispatch: When shipping metal parts to customers or for further processing, BRANOrost Chips ensure that the parts arrive at their destination without tarnishing or rust. This is particularly relevant for longer transport routes or varying climatic conditions – such as those encountered in national and international shipping.
Export packaging: For export to more humid climates or during long sea transports, a particularly stable protective atmosphere is required. In combination with suitable export packaging and BRANOfol, BRANOrost Chips can be configured for these demanding conditions as well.
Precision parts and oil-free processes: For sensitive parts that cannot tolerate oil or grease residues – such as those used in precision mechanics, optics or the electrical industry – the VCI depot is the right choice. The active substance evaporates, and in practice the parts can be processed directly after removal.
Looking for the right VCI depot for your application, or would you like to combine BRANOrost Chips with other BRANOpac products? Florian Wirth and the BRANOpac team are happy to advise you – from the initial enquiry through to a tailored packaging solution.
Get in touch nowA VCI depot is a carrier material – usually cellulose-based – equipped with volatile corrosion inhibitors (VCI). It is placed inside a closed packaging unit and builds up a protective atmosphere that shields metal parts from corrosion during storage and transport. Oiling or greasing the metal parts is not required.
As a guideline: approximately 0.5 m² of cellulose material is sufficient to effectively supply one cubic metre of packaging space with a VCI atmosphere. However, the precise dosage depends on the components being packaged, the type of packaging and the required protection period. If in doubt, we recommend consulting the BRANOpac applications team.
In practice, metal parts are ready for further processing or direct use after removal from VCI packaging without additional cleaning steps. The VCI active substance evaporates from the metal surface once the packaging is opened. This sets the VCI depot apart from conventional protection methods such as oiling, which require time-consuming cleaning before the parts can be used.
VCI paper and VCI film serve primarily as packaging materials – metal parts are wrapped or bagged in them. The VCI depot, by contrast, is a complementary protective element: it is placed loosely inside the packaging and supplies the entire packaging space with VCI active substance – including areas not directly in contact with the paper or film. In practice, VCI depots, VCI paper and VCI film are often combined to achieve optimum system protection.
BRANOrost Chips can be ideally combined with BRANOrost Paper and BRANOfol. BRANOrost Paper protects metal parts directly at the contact surface, while BRANOfol as the outer packaging layer retains the VCI atmosphere inside and extends the protective effect. This combination is particularly suited to demanding applications such as export packaging or long-term storage.