PDS Reference Documents

PDS 6.8 represents a milestone in the development of system-level unit load design tools provided by PDS. Research sponsored by the Pallet Foundation and jointly conducted by NWPCA staff engineers and VA Tech has led to a breakthrough in the understanding of how plastic pails buckle when subjected to stacking loads on flexible wooden pallets. Plastic pails can now be analyzed in conjunction with the pallet to determine how highly the loads are concentrated on individual pails and the resulting safety factor against buckling failure. This provides an important check to ensure that plastic pails are adequately supported by the pallet and facilitates an opportunity to optimize the pail grade specification along with the pallet design.

Newsletter intended to keep Users informed about FastenerSync™ and its integration with the Pallet Design System™ and the Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets.

Newsletter intended to keep Users informed about issued related to LoadSync™ and its integration with The Pallet Design System™.

Article by John McLeod, Director of The Pallet Design System™, providing background on the development of the PDS software program and future developments.

The PDS Pallet Specification Sheet provides complete details on pallet design, dimensions of all components, and specs for all materials used in construction.

The PDS Pallet Specification Sheet provides complete details on pallet design, dimensions of all components, and specs for all materials used in construction. Metric.

A major improvement provided in Version 5.2 is the enhanced user interface. All pallet component dimensions, component locations, and spacing between components are shown in real-time as the pallet is being designed. For enhanced clarity, the component group currently being edited (for example the top deckboards, or the stringers) are shown in color – while all other components are drawn in gray-scale. PDS still works the same way, so there is no learning curve for Users. PDS just works even better, and is even more user-friendly and professional.

NWPCA’s Pallet Design System™ (Version 5.3) contains major changes and advancements including: - Safe maximum loads in all support conditions now consider strength of connections - Safe maximum loads now consider compression strength - Remanufactured pallets with recycled notched stringers can now be analyzed (all except RAL and 4 Corner) - Pallets with strapping slots can now be analyzed - An advanced quantitative analysis for lateral collapse resistance during transit is available - Automated calculation of stacking patterns or custom positioning of individual containers by user.

The release of Pallet Design System™ V5.4© provides pallet specifications and analysis results in multiple languages: Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish or Swedish.

"ACHIEVING THE PERFECT PRODUCTION BALANCE" Reducing Manufacturing Costs While Building A Better Pallet. 12-page white paper highlight how the use of PDS can reduce manufacturing costs.

Version 5.5 provides a new and more advanced analysis for panel-deck stringer-class pallets. Panel-deck block-class pallets can also be analyzed. Limitations on connection withdrawal resistance have been modified in the analysis of stringer-class and block-class pallets. The stacked support analysis for overlap-base block-class pallets has also been improved.

PDS v5.6 has the following features: - Operates in multiple languages, allowing businesses with a growing diverse workforce to operate more efficiently in their native or preferred language. Language options include: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. - Twenty new international wood species for lumber specification enables manufacturers to design pallets with regional wood species from around the world. - Forklift support analysis for entering and lifting from a pallet's side, particularly useful for analyzing extra-long stringer pallets.

The new structural analysis in the Pallet Design System™ V5.7© is the most advanced in its 34-year history. Improvements in the accuracy and reliability of block-class pallet structural analysis; Block dimensions are now drawn in order of width, length and height in the Pallet Specification and Production Order.

PDS 6.0 Unit Load for Boxes is the most advanced tool in the world that considers the interaction between wooden pallets and corrugated boxes. The tool takes technology normally associated with space flight, race cars, and jet engines, and uses it to gain insight into wooden pallets and corrugated boxes.

PDS release V6.1 features increased performance for panel deck pallets. Example schematic included

Version 6.2 makes it possible to design overlap-base block pallets with recessed bottom decks. PDS v6.2 also contains an important extension to our unit load for boxes analysis capabilities. Some of the additional improvements and new features included in the release allow interlock stacked boxes be analyzed for unit loads; forklifting from the end of stringer pallets can be analyzed when there is no stringer between the fork tines. There are also improved properties for air dried softwood pallets that are assembled green and dried prior to use.

PDS 6.3 introduces the design and analysis of unit loads of sheet goods. This version will allow custom pallets to be designed and analyzed to transport large and/or heavy products and equipment. Improvements and new features included in PDS 6.3 are: • Longer pallets can now be designed and analyzed up to 30 feet. (stringers and deckboards must still be continuous pieces of lumber) • 4-way stringer pallets be analyzed for forklifting from the side with no need for a forklift notch, provided the bottom deckboards are tall enough for fork tine clearance. • The stiffness and strength of long products can be included in the analysis in all support conditions.

Recessed decks on overlap base block pallets have been a popular design feature in PDS. This ability has been matched and expanded for stringer pallets in PDS 6.5.

PDS v6.6 takes the power of pallet design to a new level with three significant additions: unit load for drums and pails, more robust ERP integration, and a carbon impact assessment for wooden pallets.

PDS v6.6 takes the power of pallet design to a new level with three significant additions: unit load for drums and pails, more robust ERP integration, and a carbon impact assessment for wooden pallets.

PDS newest release includes new species: new wood species addition (Durango pine): enhanced ERP integration, and ability to calibrate the predicted pallet weight to actual weights measured from production pallets.