Cargo transportation is an integral part of internal and external economic relations. The simpler and faster they are organized, there a greater turnover of money can be obtained. Therefore, pallets have become so widespread. It is noteworthy that in the world the size of the pallet has different standards. Every logistics firm needs to know these features in order not to get into trouble.
The concept of pallets
A pallet is a special device used to facilitate loading and unloading. In the people, they are often called pallets, because they have a characteristic structure and function.
Pallets were first used at the beginning of the 20th century. Their prototype was knocked down boards with two beams below. Over time, loading equipment has improved, and with it, pallets. They received their final look after the lower boards were nailed under the beams, creating the integrity of the structure.
Pallets gained popularityin the United States during the Second World War, when it was necessary to modernize the loading as much as possible without additional involvement of labor. A little later, American pallets spread to Europe.
See the pallets
By their design, pallets are divided into several types. Single deck pallets have only one layer of boards to load the cargo. Two-platform pallets allow you to turn over pallets and use them on both sides. But at the same time, they are slightly heavier, which can affect the total weight of the products carried.
According to the type of fastening of the upper and lower platforms, beam pallets are distinguished from each other, in which a long thick board passes through the entire length. But such pallets have only two sides to be picked up by a forklift. Block pallets are significantly lighter and have four sides to be gripped by a forklift. But they are not as durable as the first type.
According to the duration of use, disposable and reusable are distinguished. The production of reusable pallets places great demands on strength and cleanability.
By type of materials, you can find wooden, plastic and metal pallets. Their prevalence depends on the duration of service and the cost of the most auxiliary tool for loading.
But pallet sizes have several standards, which should be considered separately.
Europallets
In Europe, a standard pallet is used, the dimensions of which are regulated by normative documents ISO3676, ISPM 15, ISOTK/22, UIC norms 435-2/435-4. Their dimensions are 8001200145 mm. Compliance with quality standards is confirmed by the EUR stamp in an oval frame on the front support leg. Other information is burned on the rest of the legs: manufacturer, date, service life, availability of sanitization.
Structurally, euro pallets consist of 5 upper boards, which alternate: wide, narrow, wide, narrow, wide. Only 3 boards are attached to the lower part: two wide at the edges and one narrow in the middle.
A prerequisite for the design, which always fulfills the production of pallets according to the European standard, is the presence of chamfers at the corners.
Finpallets
The second type of pallet distribution in Europe is Finnish pallets. A standard pallet of this type has dimensions of 1001200145. The presence of the certificate is evidenced by the stamp on the side front legs. Its shape is the letters FIN in a rectangle. On the central legs, digital information about the manufacturer, series and production date is required.
Structurally, they also differ. The upper platform consists of seven narrow and wide boards. They alternate like this: wide, two narrow. The lower part consists of three boards - narrow side and wide central. Although the dimensions of the pallets are slightly larger, the presence of corner chamfers is also mandatory. This feature ensures compliance with safety regulations when performing material handling operations.
Other types of pallets
International shipping also uses non-disposable pallets. They have dimensions of 8001200 mm and10001200mm, which meets European and Finnish pallet standards. In this case, the height of the pallet must be 145 mm. The difference from disposables is in the thickness of the upper boards. They must be at least 22 mm. While the pallets themselves are highly standardized, they are not branded.
The last type is euroboxes. These are metal crates, which stand on the same metal base in the form of euro pallets. Eurobox size - 8001200800 mm. For this type of pallets, the presence of the EUR stamp in the oval is also required.
Other types of pallets are not intended for cargo transportation in Europe. Therefore, you need to be very careful, otherwise you may be denied the import of goods into European countries.
Inland Pallet Standards
In many CIS countries, GOST of the Soviet era still operates today. These pallets are not much different from Finnish or European ones, but they do not have quality certificates. For their manufacture, not screw, but ordinary nails can be used. The absence of chamfers is allowed. The thickness of the upper boards varies from 15 to 25 mm. In all other respects, the dimensions of the pallets do not differ from the standards accepted in the world.
Not the least important for the quality of pallets is their cleanliness. Reusable pallets for use in Europe must be clean, but for domestic transport, slight soiling and darkening of the wood from long-term use are allowed.
For domestic cargo transportation, the main thing is compliance with size standards. This requirement is dictatedconvenience of loading standard vans and containers for water transport.
Reusable pallet varieties
In accordance with European standards, wooden pallets, the price of which (varies from 50 rubles / piece to 180 rubles / piece, depending on the condition) - the most affordable for mass transportation, must be divided into quality grades. At the same time, it should be noted that the main indicators remain unchanged. Grade depends on appearance and duration of use.
Top grade includes new clean and white pallets. They should not show chips or cracks. The number of use of these pallets does not exceed 3 times.
Second grade - these are the same clean and white pallets, used, but not repaired and without other types of damage. The duration of their use is not limited if the state remains unchanged.
The third grade of pallets allows for slight contamination. It is also possible that the boards darken from prolonged use, the presence of small cracks. Their size is limited to 30 mm wide and 300 mm long. It is possible to use pallets after minor repairs. All other pallets are being written off because they no longer have the same strength and can cause accidents during loading and unloading operations.
Other pallet materials
Logically, wood is the cheapest material for pallet production. But in the world there are pallets from other materials. Metal pallets have the highest degree of strength andlong service life. At the same time, they are much heavier than others. Their use is not economically viable. The only exception is euroboxes, where the strength of the walls is more important than their large mass.
Plastic pallets have also proven themselves. They are lightweight and relatively durable. A significant disadvantage of this type of pallets is their high cost. Yes, and they lend themselves to repair much worse than other types.
The rest of the materials from which they tried to make pallets turned out to be completely unsuitable. They are either very expensive, brittle, or heavy.
Features of loading onto pallets
In cargo transportation, a standard pallet, the dimensions of which are designed for the dimensions of the transport, must be properly packed so that the transported cargo is not damaged. If you do not follow the basic rules, the consequences can be very sad.
For starters, it's worth remembering that each pallet has its own load limit. For euro pallets it is 600 kg, and for fin pallets it is 750 kg. Exceeding this indicator is fraught with the destruction of the integrity of the pallet and damage to the cargo.
For convenience and compact placement, boxes should not protrude beyond the edges of the loading platform. They are not recommended to be laid out in the form of a pyramid, since this method is the most unreliable. The entire structure must be firmly tied together, since the process of moving on a loader is associated with vibrations. A loose structure will fall apart quickly.
For barrels andother non-rectangular containers have their own special transportation rules. For ease of transportation, they should also be as fixed as possible. But in any case, they should not exceed the dimensions of the pallet along the perimeter.
Standard van accommodation
Not the last place in the standardization of the size of pallets is played by their way of loading into a van. It is logical that the cost of transporting one unit of cargo depends on how densely they can occupy the entire usable area. It is also necessary to take into account the weight of the pallet. On average, it is 15-20 kg, but some manufacturers indicate an indicator of 40 kg. This affects the capacity of the van, since the pallets themselves are part of the load in it.
It is generally accepted that a 20-foot van can hold up to 11 euro pallets and 9-10 standard pallets in one layer. Therefore, 40-foot trucks will easily transport up to 24 euro pallets and up to 22 standard ones.
In international vans that are used for the transport of goods, 30 pallets of 8001200 mm can be placed close to each other. This applies to 20-ton trucks, the volume of which is 82 cubic meters. Larger pallets are placed in smaller quantities in such vans, which indicates the inappropriate use of them for international transportation.
Safety
Today, warehouses rarely use manual labor to load goods into vehicles. Mostly for these purposes, loaders and pallets are used. Without them, the time of filling a truck or container increases several times.once. But without following the safety rules, you can get serious injuries, which are sometimes incompatible with life or cause disability.
When working with a loader, never be in close proximity to it. The operator may not notice the person who is hidden by the load. As a result, a collision is possible. Also, do not stand under the forks of the loader. Every pallet will break sooner or later, regardless of whether it is wooden, metal or plastic pallets.
Do not exceed the carrying capacity of the equipment. In warehouses, there are many cases when forklifts roll over and crush people or make a real havoc from scattered crates and boxes. It will take much longer to eliminate the consequences of such accidents than to once again go for cargo.
The use of pallets in warehouses is not a whim, but a vital necessity that increases productivity in any of them. And we all know that time is money. Pallets help them earn more efficiently.
