When creating designs you are able to see the calculated amount of time for various parts of the design process. Depending on the process, tweaking your settings to more accurately reflect your shop will be done in different modules.


Assembly is primarily based on the fastener settings. Additional time for Assembly is when Packing materials are added which would typically be applied during the Assembly process, such as foam, padding and floater decks.


Packing can include fastener time based on the closure condition of the design. Wrapping materials are typically applied during the Packing process.


Fasteners may include both a Prep time and an Install time such as when a hole is pre-drilled for a bolt (prep time) then installed (install time)

  • Fasteners used as Assembly fasteners will have the prep time and install time calculated into the Assembly
  • If the closure condition includes panels not attached such as Top Off (TO); the prep time will be added to the Assembly  and the install time will be added to Packing. The assumption is that the packing department will be closing the crate so they are assigned the install time for those fasteners.
  • If a fastener doesn't have a prep time, then the install time will be applied to Assembly or Packing based on the closure condition. (What is Closure Condition?)


Think of Assembly and Packing shown in the design record as department at your shop who do different jobs. If your closure condition isn't SetUP (SU) then the assumption is that the Packing department will pack the crate and complete the install of the fasteners for the panels affected by the closure condition.


Settings for fasteners are located in the Preferences > Construction > style family > Rules tab ,  Preferences > Construction > Bases > style family > Rules tab and  in each individual fastener record located in Inventory > Fasteners. Changes in these locations will affect your Assembly  and Packing




1> Preferences > Construction > style family > Rules: for each crate style family set the default fastener to use when creating a new design. This section is for the cap panels:

  • As a cleat fastener: used to attach lumber cleats to plywood or attaches lumber battens to a lumber crate
  • As a Assembly fastener: used to connect the cleated panels together
  • As a Closure fastener: used for the panel(s) that based on the 'Closure Condition' you select when you create the design, will be used to attach those panels. If your closure condition is SetUp (SU) then no closure fasteners are used. If your closure condition is Knock-down (KD) then no assembly fasteners will be used.


  • This tab also allows you to set your baseline general Space for fasteners used as a 'cleat fastener' and as a 'assembly & closure fastener'. The values here are multiplied by a 'Spacing Factor' value in each fasteners record. In the design record the Space values are shown as "Spacing"
  • Since changes in the values in Preferences affect ALL fasteners used for that style family, you'll want to be cautious when changing theses values. A reason that you would want to change these values might be that you use nails for your default 'cleat fastener' in Preferences instead of staples. Nails are typically not spaced as close together as staples so you might find it better to change the "Spacing" value here.


2>  Preferences > Construction > Bases > style family > Rules: 

  • Just as shown in the previous section. You'll set your baseline default fasteners for your bases.


  • The right column allows you to set a default spacing for attaching the Base plywood or Lumber to the Skid (runners/stringers) and attaching Skids to Rub Strips


3> Inventory > Fasteners:  Each fastener has a Spacing Factor value

  • Based on the dimensions of the materials used, how that fastener is being applied, the dimensions of the crate and the 'closure condition' selected. The Spacing Factor for the selected fastener is multiplied by the Space value (set in Preferences) and the calculated fastener count is shown in the design record
  • If it appears too many or too few fasteners are being calculated, changing the Spacing Factor in the individual fastener in Inventory will increase or reduce the number of fasteners calculated.
  • You can enter a fraction in the Spacing Factor field


4> Inventory > Fasteners: Adjust the 'Prep Time' and or 'Install Time' 

  • Once you're more comfortable that an accurate quantity of fasteners are being calculated in the design record, adjusting the installation /prep times will give you a more accurate Assembly and Packing value
  • For each fastener used in that design, check the Inventory setting values entered for Prep and Install time. Increase or Lower those times as needed to more accurately reflect your shop. Return to the design record and unlock/lock the design to update the values.
  • You can also bulk refresh all or some of your design records once you've tweaked your settings Bulk Refresh