Pallets are the primary interface between the finished goods and the material handling equipment. The pallet’s integral role is often overlooked or minimized.

·      Pallets provide a safe, effective shipping and storing platform         throughout demanding and diverse situations in the unit load          process.

 

·      A proper pallet specification should take into consideration not only the unit load weight requirements, but all of the material handling situations the load will encounter including: free span racking, conveyor travel, forklift handling, and AGV systems.

·      Pallet specifications can be designed to accommodate any unique automated equipment performance requirements.

·      Pallet specifications involve among other things the product, its configuration and packaging type.

·      If you are over-packaging your product to compensate for non-uniform pallets, it is costing you money. 

Summing up, an appropriately designed pallet can reduce product damage rates by eliminating or lessening the consequences of impacts, protruding objects and heavy loads.  Correct specifications can increase material handling efficiency in all phases of the unit load process.

 2 Main Pallet Designs:

Stringer Pallets
The stringer pallet is the most commonly used pallet in the United States. It is called that because it uses "stringers", which support the unit load. The stringers are the boards, typically 2x4's or 3x4's, sandwiched between the top and bottom deck boards.

Block Pallets
 Block pallets are true 4-way entry pallets. They use blocks of solid wood to support the unit load.