Technical Guidance
Characteristics of our pallets: everything you need to know
Depending on the design, there are a number of characteristics that differentiate some models from others by giving them additional properties or functionalities to consider.
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Metal Reinforcements
Some of our pallets of the Medium, Heavy Duty and Custom ranges are equipped with metallic reinforcements to increase their Rack Load, because this is the most restrictive of all loads and the one requiring more safety given the possible risks derived from an incident in these conditions.
Very often, reinforcing the plastic pallet for its use on the rack is not necessary. However, plastic pallets have a very long life cycle, and it is possible that the pallets are slightly weakened due to accidental handlings, producing alterations of the original design. For this reason, the metallic reinforcements increase the handling safety, especially in maximum load conditions.
Number of skates
Three different kinds of pallets exist in our catalogue, depending on the number of stands on the base. Depending on how they are placed, the pallets may have more or less characteristics, which have to be carefully analysed in order to choose the optimum pallet for an application.
- 9 skates: These pallets have a very small support surface and therefore are not recommended for stacking or rack applications. They also do not have the ability to be manipulated on roller paths. However, many of our 9-feet models have the option of placing stands giving them more functionality.
- 3 skates: 3 stands pallets have a lower support surface of at least 35% of the pallet´s area. This is the minimum configuration recommendable for stacking applications. Likewise, this is the minimum design for rack storing. They can be used on rollers, but only in the direction of their stands.
- 5 skates: These pallets feature a configuration of longitudinal and transverse stands that give them a greater inferior support surface improving the stack while at the same time improving their resistance in rack due to a better distribution of tensions. This skateboard configuration is also known as "Perimeter Frame", and is recommended for stacking and rack applications with high load requirements. Also, its skateboard layout gives it the ability to move in both directions along roller paths.
- 6 skates: 6 stands pallets are those where all their plugs are connected to each other by means of longitudinal and transverse stands, conferring to the equipment the maximum inferior surface. This configuration is also known as "Cross Perimeter Frame". It inherits all the characteristics of the models of 5 skateboards, increasing its resistance. Its use is ideal for applications with the maximum requirements of stacking and use on a rack.
Buffers
Buffer stops are small protrusions located on the surface of plastic pallets usually on the outer perimeter. While the pallets are not supporting any type of load, they are usually stored in towers with multiple units. Sometimes these empty pallet towers are manipulated without any retaining elements, such as strapping or film, and then the use of such buffer stops helps to retain the pallet stack.
Likewise, some designs have been conceived in such a manner that the stops help to retain the merchandise within the pallet´s perimeter. The most common use of this kind of stops is for transporting crates with all kinds of goods.
There are pallets, with buffer stops of many shapes, sizes and functionalities, as well as pallets without buffer stops, since sometimes buffer stops can mark the products so it is usually chosen to eliminate them. Usually, our plastic pallets have a standard buffer stop, but upon request of our customers we can make productions without buffer stops, or modify the existing buffer stops to adapt them to a specific need.
Open or closed surface
Among the different models of plastic pallets available in our catalogue there are designs with fully closed or open surfaces. In certain models, there is the possibility of having the possibility to choose between both versions.The standard pallet design is with gaps in its surface to reduce the weight and allow the air circulation in low temperature applications. Other pallet models have to be manufactured with gaps due to their manufacturing process. A pallet with gaps has less weight than a lose pallet. If no additional special requirement exists, this is the usual choice.
However, many of our clients prefer totally closes surfaces to allow optimum surface cleaning after their use, and also to prevent bulk products falling onto the ground as well as to reduce the pressure points suffered by the load during transportation. Pallets with close surface are different from hygienic pallets.
Handling tracks
When choosing a pallet, it is especially important knowing the different handling systems that will be used by the distribution chain by the different actors. It is very usual that as the pallet changes its owner, the handling is different and with different kinds of equipment.
Some 2-way pallets only allow handling through two of their laterals (large or short lateral), and 4-way pallets that can be handled through any of their laterals. 4-way pallets are more versatile, because they allow handling from any direction.
In addition to having holes, to be considered 2 or 4 entries pallets, they must have a dimension that allows their correct handling with different devices.
Customisation
Many of our plastic pallets allow different types of customizing depending on the customer's needs. Due to the time spent in customizing and their complexity, a minimum order exists for certain kinds of customizations.
- Colours: The standard colour in our catalogue is black (dark grey). However, we also produce on demand customized pallets in other colours. To accomplish a high degree of precision and continuity in the chosen colour, virging raw, premium materials are mandatory. Obtaining colours with recycled material is also possible, but they may have large variations of shade.
- Engraving: All our pallets allow the incorporation of customizable engravings. For the realization of an engraving it is necessary to have a "mock up" where the logo or the brand to be shown have previously been engraved.This "insert" is placed in the mold and each piece that is produced is already extracted from the machine with the engraving usually in low relief. The engraving does not have any cost, but it is a habitual procedure that the client pays the cost of the "false" only once.
- Serigraphy: Serigraphy is performed with a printing process with ink once the pallet has been manufactured. To this purpose, a “cliché” is prepared on which the brand or the logo is printed by a machine. This customization has an extra cost given the need of handling the product two times as well as the process cost itself.