Method of producing a fragile substrate container

A method of producing a container for holding a fragile substrate in a cylindrical housing with a shock absorbent member wrapped around the substrate, comprising:

• inserting the substrate with the shock absorbent member wrapped around the substrate, into the cylindrical housing loosely;
• reducing a diameter of at least a part of the cylindrical housing with the substrate held therein along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing, with the shock absorbent member being compressed, to such an extent that the diameter is reduced by a first predetermined amount;
• applying a first axial load to the substrate so as to move the substrate along a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing by a first predetermined distance, monitoring the first axial load applied to the substrate;
• reducing the diameter of the cylindrical housing with the substrate held therein along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing, with the shock absorbent member being compressed, to such an extent that the diameter is reduced by a second predetermined amount;
• applying a second axial load to the substrate so as to move the substrate along a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing by a second predetermined distance, monitoring the second axial load applied to the substrate;
• estimating a target reduced amount for reducing the diameter of the cylindrical housing to hold the substrate in the cylindrical housing through the shock absorbent member with a desired holding force, on the basis of a correlation property between the first and second axial loads and the first and second predetermined amounts, respectively;
• and
• reducing the diameter of the cylindrical housing with the substrate held therein along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing, with the shock absorbent member being compressed, to such an extent that the diameter is reduced by the target reduced amount.