Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/507696
38 PalletCentral • March-April 2015 palletcentral.com hen it comes to designing pallets for typical unit loads, PDS includes several different functionalities to help users produce a more efficient, better designed pallet. For this article, a pallet design for five gallon plastic pails was explored. Typically, five gallon pails have a maximum diameter of 12 inches for top lid and a height of 14.5 inches, which was assumed for this example. The conventional starting point for a pallet designer is the 48x40 inch footprint, as its widespread use leads to lower production costs. On the other hand, upfront cost savings can lead to potentially higher costs down the supply chain when one considers loading efficiencies. So how can PDS aid the pallet designer in this manner? By using the "Unit Load Specification Dialog," the user can explore different stacking patterns that display the footprint efficiency. One key stipulation in PDS is that it doesn't allow for overhang of the unit load when considering stacking patterns, as overhang can lead to product damage and unsafe working conditions. In the case of a 48x40 pallet with pails 12 inches in diameter, Pallet Design for Five Gallon Plastic Pails By Dr. Brad Gething Figure 1: Stacking arrangement of pails on a 48x40 pallet. Figure 2: Stacking arrangement of pails on a 48x48 pallet. W