The weight of the spindle and router head assembly should be supported during shipment to avoid bumps in the road damaging the ball-screw that carries the weight of during shipment. This is accomplished by lowering the router head onto a block of CNC Router foam or wood and immobilizing it. Essentially the wood or foam carries the weight of the assembly.
Whenever possible a controller should remain connected to the machine. NEVER CUT WIRES!!! I can't emphasize that enough. The controller should be wrapped in bubble wrap and banded to the table in a manner prescribed by the manufacturer. Some manufacturers prefer the control tower to remain upright. Most of the time laying it on its back on the laser cutting machine table is sufficient. Make sure the control is secured with straps or banding. This is the most valuable component of the machine and also the most fragile!
Once the axes and control are secured the final step is weatherizing the machine. All exposed and unpainted steel should be greased or oiled. This includes the ball screws and rails. The oil or grease should protect those areas from Signage machine surface rust that may form if the machine is exposed to rain. In addition as an added precaution we recommend wrapping as much of the machine as possible in plastic wrap. One roll purchased at the local hardware store should suffice. If the machine is too large to wrap completely the plastic wrap should still be used to cover all of the electrical components of the machine. I also like to use the plastic wrap to work as a second layer of security in all the areas that were mechanically stabilized to give further immobilization of any moving parts.