Typically the pallet industry calls out the dimension of pallets by the length (shorter dimension) X width (length of the stringers or blocks which is longer dimension). This is opposite of how crates are called out and has caused much confusion for companies who primarily design crates but may also design pallets. In 2011, Crate Pro changed its policy so customers to enter the dimensions of the pallet just like they are familiar with in crates. This helps ensure that the pallet design is using 'good construction' standards. Users should consider the length of the stringer as the first dimensions (Length) when entering the dimensions in Crate Pro.
In Preferences module > Construction > Pallets you can enter many preferences on how you want Crate Pro to initially design your pallets. These values are your common preference setting and in every individual pallet design can be changed for each design. (If you find you are always making changes when you create a design, you may want to adust your company preference settings or schedule additional training to ensure you have set the best settings based on your needs)
Pallet Dimensions - When specifying pallet size, the stringer or stringer board (block pallet) length is always expressed first; for example, a 48" x 40" pallet has a 48" stringer and 40" deck boards.
Banding Notch - See Strap Slot.
Bin - Four-sided superstructure to be mounted on a pallet base, with or without a cover; also known as a box or container bin pallet
Block - Rectangular, square or cylindrical deck spacer, often identified by its location within the pallet as corner block, end block, edge block, inner block, center or middle blocked.
Block Pallet - A type of pallet with blocks between the pallet decks or beneath the top deck.
Butted Deck Board - An inner deck board placed tightly against an adjacent lead deck board during pallet assembly
Bottom Deck - Assembly of deck boards comprising the lower, load bearing surface of the pallet.
Chamfered Deck Boards - Deck boards with edges of one or two faces beveled, either along the full or specified length of board or between the stringers of blocks, allowing easier entry of pallet jack wheels.
Collar - Collapsible wooden container or bin that transforms a pallet into a box.
Deck - One or more boards or panels comprising the top or bottom surface of the pallet.
Deck Mat - Assembly of deck boards and stringer boards, forming the deck of a block pallet.
Deck Board - Element or component of a pallet deck, oriented perpendicular to the stringer or stringer board.
Deck board Spacing - Distance between adjacent deck boards.
Deck board Span - Distance between deck board supports (stringers, stringer boards or blocks).
Double-Face Pallet - A pallet with top and bottom decks.
Double-Wing Pallet - A pallet with top and bottom deck boards extending beyond the edges of the stringers or stringer boards.
EURO Pallet - a block style pallet measuring 1200 mm x 800 mm built to European Pallet Association (EPA) specifications. Only pallets built with an EPA branded logo are considered authentic EURO pallets.
Flush Pallet - A pallet with deck boards flush with the stringers, stringer-boards or blocks along the sides of the pallet.
Fork Entry - Opening between decks, beneath the top deck or beneath the stringer notch to admit forks.
Four-way Block Pallet - A pallet with openings at both pallet ends and along pallet sides sufficient to admit hand-pallet jacks; full four-way entry pallet.
Hand (Wheel) Jack Opening - Space provided in the bottom deck to allow pallet jack wheels to bear on the floor.
Hardwood - Wood from broad-leaved species of trees (not necessarily hard or dense).
Inner Deck board - Any deck board located between the end deck boards.
Joint - Intersection and connection of components, often identified by location within the pallet as the end joint, center joint and corner joint.
Line Load - The weight of a unit load concentrated along a narrow area across the full length or width of the pallet.
Load Bearing Surface - Actual area of material in contact with and supporting a unit load.
Non-Reversible Pallet - A pallet with bottom deck board configuration different from top deck.
Notch - Cutout in the lower portion of the stringer to allow entry for the fork tine, usually 9" in length, 1 1/2" in depth.
Notched Stringer - A stringer with two notches spaced for fork-tine entry, (partial four-way entry).
Opening Height - The vertical distance measured between decks, from the floor to the underside of the top deck, or from the floor to the top of the stringer notch.
Overhang - The distance the deck extends from the outer edge of the stringer or stringer board; wing; lip; distance the unit load extends beyond the deck.
Pallet - A portable, horizontal, rigid platform used as a base for assembling, storing, stacking, handling and transporting goods as a unit load, often equipped with a superstructure.
Pallet Jack - Hand-propelled wheeled platform, equipped with a lifting device for moving palletized unit loads.
Panel Deck Pallet - Pallet constructed with composite or structural panel top deck.
Partial Four-Way Stringer Pallet - A pallet with notched stringers.
Post Pallet - A pallet fitted with posts or blocks between the decks or beneath the top deck; see block pallet.
Reversible Pallet - A pallet with identical top and bottom decks.
Shook - Cut-to-size pallet parts to be assembled into pallets.
Shook Grade - The classification of the quality of pallet parts relative to performance characteristics based on size and distribution of defects, independent of wood species.
Single-Wing Pallet - A pallet with the top deck boards extending beyond the edges of the stringers or stringer-boards with the bottom deck boards flush (if present).
Skid - A pallet having no bottom deck.
Softwood - Wood from coniferous or needle-bearing trees (not necessarily soft or low density) .
Solid Deck Pallet - A pallet constructed with no spacing between deck boards.
Span - The distance between stringer or block supports.
Strap Slot - Recess or cutout on the upper edge of the stringer or the bottom of the top deck board to allow tie-down of a unit load to the pallet deck with strapping/banding, also called the banding notch.
Strapping - Thin flat bands used to secure load to pallet.
Stringer - Continuous, longitudinal, solid or notched beam-component of the pallet used to support deck components, often identified by location as the outside or center stringer »Quick View.
Stringer board - In block pallets, continuous, solid board member extending for the full length of the pallet perpendicular to deck board members and placed between deck boards and blocks.
Top-Deck of the Pallet - The assembly of deck boards comprising the upper load-carrying surface of the pallet.
Trip - Consists of four to six handlings of a pallet.
Two-Way Entry Pallet - A pallet with un-notched solid stringers allowing entry only from the ends.
Unit Load - Assembly of goods on a pallet for handling, moving, storing and stacking as a single entity.
Wing - Overhang of deck board end from outside edge of stringer or stringer-board.