The vast majority of pallets in use today conform to industry standards. But those standard sizes don’t take into account specialized needs. The use of computer aided pallet design has made it possible for pallet manufacturers to make custom designed pallets which are just right for the customers’ needs. The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association’s Pallet Design System (PDS) was developed by Virginia Tech University’s Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design, in conjunction with the NWPCA and the U.S. Forest Service.
One Size Doesn’t Necessarily Fit All
Virginia Tech’s mission is to develop the information and technologies, which optimize the relationship between the design and performance of packaging systems and maximize the efficiency of packaging supply chain. Their current research includes topics such as modeling interactions between pallet and packaging materials to increase the efficiency of packaging systems and development of a life-cycle inventory for the repair process of wooden pallets.
Custom Designed Pallets
The Pallet Design System helps insure that there’s no guesswork in building custom pallets. It allows for just the right amount of lumber to fit the design, thereby reducing lumber waste. Using just the right amount of lumber means reduced cost for each pallet designed. And that can turn into a substantial savings for the customer.
PDS increases safety as well. It is capable of analyzing how well the pallet will perform in a rack system where pallets could be double or triple stacked. It will let you know how well a pallet will perform when a forklift is lifting it. The program is designed so exact dimensions are used in the design and construction of the pallet to insure that it can safely hold the weight it’s supposed to hold. The computer aided design system takes all of these factors into account.
PDS allows the user to compute all possible stacking patterns for a layer of containers on the pallet. It then calculates the footprint efficiency for each possible configuration. This insures that you don’t under utilize the space in your trucks and/or trailers.
This PDS software accommodates each customer’s unit load. And that affects the bottom line: costs are reduced significantly; product damage is reduced significantly; safety is increased significantly throughout the whole unit load handling process.
Minimize Expense With Our Pallet Consulting Services
Greenway Products and Services, LLC, provides its customers with pallet consulting services to make custom designed pallets. Our pallet specialists work jointly with your packaging, pallet and material handling vendors to create the perfect pallet for your needs which in turn saves you money.
We can also help you optimize the use and longevity of your pallets by developing formulas based on cost per trip. Contact us to set up an appointment because not having the right pallet can make the difference between a good shipping day and a bad one. Avoid damage to your product and under utilization of much needed space on your trucks and/or trailers.
We can also help you optimize the use and longevity of your pallets by developing and employing formulas based on cost per trip, and that can result in additional savings.
Leave A Comment