Better pallet repair

By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 12/1/2004

At many plants and warehouses, it's easier to find damaged pallets than undamaged ones, or so it often seems. Which, of course, brings up the question of repair options.

A recent report details three stringer repair methods on the bending strength and stiffness of standard 48 × 40 inch GMA-style pallets. The study was done at the William H. Sardo Jr. Pallet & Container Research Laboratory at Virginia Tech.

The research found that all three repair practices—metal plates, half companions and full companions—"when properly applied, will restore pallet strength when used to repair one notch on one or two stringers" of a four-way, three-stringer pallet. Actual strength and stiffness vary with the repair practice, however.

Visit www.palletlab.vt.edu for more details.