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The Importance of Pallet Patterns

This article addresses the subject from the perspective of homogenous loads comprised of goods in corrugated cases.

Palletizing Patterns

Palletization provides efficiencies and economies by treating multiple boxes of product as a unit load rather than individually. Those benefits are inherent and self-presenting. Optimizing palletization, however, requires knowledge-based decision making. Optimization must include considering how many boxes are put onto a pallet and how they are arranged on the pallet. Such is the essence of pallet patterns.

Optimization differs from maximization. The latter seeks to achieve the most from a given variable. The former seeks to achieve the best trade-offs among multiple variables. Optimized pallet patterns balance requirements for density, stability, and strength. Those requirements must be consistent with product characteristics, but also with the limitations imposed by material handling equipment, transportation conveyances, and storage conditions.

Citing transportation as an example, pallet patterns influence cube utilization, and therefore, impact the number of conveyances needed and their fuel and emissions. So as with everything related to packaging, pallet patterns have a sustainability component.

By its nature, a palletized load is of a size and weight that makes it a hazard to nearby personnel, if the load were structurally compromised. A load should remain intact until disassembled. Any prior event in which it comes apart can result in injury. Even in the absence of injury, there is the potential for damage to the goods. When damage renders goods unsellable, all the expended labor, time, and resources will have been squandered. But pallet patterns should not be the sole means for achieving load integrity. Auxiliary means, such as slip sheets, corner boards, straps, and stretch wrap play a role.

Knowing what’s at stake does not make the choice of pallet pattern any easier. The choices are numerous, but they all fall under two aptly named categories: columnar and interlocking. A columnar pattern resembles stacked blocks. An interlocking resembles laid bricks. As might be suspected, each has its strengths and weaknesses, making the choice application-specific.

A columnar pattern provides strength, particularly against compression. That’s because the corners (the strongest part) of a stacked box is aligned with the corners of the box below. On the debit side, columnar patterns are more subject to toppling, a vulnerability that increases as stack height increases.

Annual Outlook Report: Sustainability
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