Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1540958
20 Pallet C e nt ral • No vem be r-D e cem be r 2 0 25 green (high-moisture) lumber, where moisture content, joint geometry, fastener selection, and board dimensions all interact in complex ways. PDS 6.11 brings new algorithms that incorporate these variables, resulting in much more realistic long-term deflection forecasts. e result: fewer surprises in storage, lower risk of product damage, and more confidence in design decisions. Says DeLack, "Customers want confidence that the pallets they put into storage today will hold their shape after a month in storage. PDS now delivers a much closer approximation to what will happen." 3. ISO 8611 Nominal Load Simulation: Virtualize The Lab Pallet testing to international standards is often a bottleneck: lab tests cost money, time, and risk failed runs. ISO 8611 is especially significant in Europe. PDS 6.11 now lets you simulate ISO 8611 Nominal Load tests, enabling users to: • compare ISO-based ratings to PDS's internal Safe Load ratings, • validate designs before paying for lab time, and • catch design issues early and reduce the risk that lab-tested pallet samples don't meet desired performance levels. "International customers often ask how the PDS Safe Load ratings relates to ISO Nominal Load test results," notes DeLack. "is new feature provides a way to quickly gauge this relationship. It is possible that in many cases, this comparison and explanation will be enough for most clients to gain confidence in using PDS predictions without additional testing." For companies competing globally or working with clients who demand compliance, this feature can shorten design cycles and control costs. Looking Forward: Crate Design System (Coming Spring 2026) While PDS continues to deepen its pallet capabilities, NWPCA is expanding its wood packaging software suite to keep pace. NWPCA's new crate design software platform is coming mid-2026. While the NWPCA has long been known for its PDS software, the go-to for all things wooden pallets, its software offerings will soon encompass wood packaging design overall. Imagine a future where the same technology that models pallet deflection and fastener behavior as well as evaluates pallet performance can also handle structural crate, bracing, panel strength, and top load analysis. at unification would let designers move more fluidly between pallets, skids, and crates with consistent data, methods, and insights. DeLack gives a sense of how development teams think about growth: "Every release of PDS is about evolution. Sometimes that means introducing bold new capabilities . . . Other times, it's refining the engine behind the scenes so users get smoother, faster results. Both are essential." e Crate Design System (CDS) feels like the next bold leap. It's an acknowledgment that many customers have packaging needs beyond pallets—such as export crates, packing crates, and industrial enclosures— and they deserve engineering tools tailored to those challenges. e new platform is built using the latest cutting-edge technology that takes full advantage of modern computing power. It promises to reduce development cycle time and costs for new features, and it greatly expands what we can add to it. e sky is the limit, and someday, we could include PDS CONT. BY JERICA KINGSBURY