Glossary of Terms
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
CAD
Computer-aided-design software that allows the design of the "right" pallet at the best value; see Pallet Design System (PDS)
Captive Pallet
A pallet intended for use within the confines of a single facility, system or ownership; not intended to be exchanged
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
Closed distribution system
Shipping system restricted to moving goods between specified plants and facilities
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)
Deflection
The amount of deformation or bending in a pallet or pallet component under load
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
Drive Screw Nail
Helically (continuous spiral) threaded pallet nail
Economic Life
Output from the PDS program that identifies the number of trips the pallet will make, provided it is properly repaired, which maximizes a return on investment
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.
Exchange Pallet
A pallet intended for use among a designated group of shippers and receivers where ownership of the pallet is transferred with the ownership of the unit load; also known as a common pool pallet
Expendable Pallet
A pallet intended for a series of handlings during a single trip from shipper to receiver; it is then disposed; see Shipping Pallet
Fastener
A mechanical device for joining pallet components such as nails, staples, bolts or screws
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.
Free Span
The distance between supports in a warehouse rack
GMA
Grocery Manufacturers of America
Hand (Wheel) Jack Opening
Space provided in the bottom deck to allow pallet jack wheels to bear on the floor
Handling
A single pick-up, movement and set-down of a loaded or empty pallet
Hardwood
Wood from broad-leaved species of trees (not necessarily hard or dense)
Helical Nail
Helically (continuous spiral) threaded pallet nail, see also Drive Screw Nail
Inner Deck board
Any deck board located between the end deck boards
Length
Refers to the stringer or stringer board (in block pallets) length; also refers to the first dimension given to describe a pallet i.e., 48" x 40", where 48" is the pallet's stringer length
Life To First Repair
Output from the PDS program that is equivalent to the number of trips the pallet will make before needing repair
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
Multiple Use Pallet
a pallet designed to make multiple trips under different unit load conditions
National Wooden Pallet and Container Association
A national association with the goal of promoting the design, manufacture, distribution, recycling, and sale of pallets, containers, and reels
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
Overall Height
The vertical distance measured from the floor to the top side of the top deck
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 Design System - (PDS)
Reliability-based computer-aided design (CAD) program for determining the safe load carrying capacity, performance, life and economy of wooden pallets
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
Pallet Jack
Hand-propelled wheeled platform, equipped with a lifting device for moving palletized unit loads
Pallet Life
The period during which the pallet remains useful, expressed in units of time or in the number of one-way trips
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
Quality
Consistent performance of a uniform product meeting the customer's needs for economy and function
Racked Across Deck boards
Output from PDS program describing the maximum load carrying capacity and deflection of a pallet where the rack frame supports the pallet only at the ends of the deck boards
Racked Across Stringers
Output from the PDS program describing the maximum load carrying capacity and deflection of a pallet where the rack frame supports the pallet only at the ends of the stringers or stringer boards
Recycled Pallet
pallet that has been repaired for reuse; also known as a refurbished pallet or reconditioned pallet
Repair
To remake in order to use again
Recycling
A pallet, container or reel that has been used, discarded, salvaged, repaired and which is then ready to make another trip
Remanufactured Pallet
pallet built from either all reclaimed (used) lumber or built from a combination of new and reclaimed lumber
Rental Pallet
A pallet owned by a third party, different from the actual pallet user
Returnable/Reusable Pallet
A pallet designed to be used for more than one trip
Reversible Pallet
A pallet with identical top and bottom decks
Shipping Pallet
Pallet designed to be used for a single one-way trip from shipper to receiver; it is then disposed; see Expendable Pallet
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
Slave Pallet
Pallet, platform or single, thick panel used as a support base for a palletized load in rack-storage facilities or production systems
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
Stevedore Pallet
A pallet designed for use on seaport shipping docks, normally of heavy-duty, double-wing construction
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
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
Take-It-Or-Leave-It Pallet
A pallet fitted with fixed cleats on the top deck boards to permit fork truck tines to pass beneath the unit load and remove it from the pallet
Top Cap
Panel to be placed on top of a unit load to allow for tight strapping without damaging the unit load
Top-Deck of the Pallet
The assembly of deck boards comprising the upper load-carrying surface of the 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
Warehouse Pallet
A double-face multiple trip returnable pallet intended for general warehouse use
Wing
Overhang of deck board end from outside edge of stringer or stringer-board