New Software Simplifies Pallet Design for Logistics Industry

October 23, 2025

Latest company blog about New Software Simplifies Pallet Design for Logistics Industry

Have you ever found yourself confused by the differing size conventions between pallets and shipping containers? Even experienced packaging designers can stumble when venturing into pallet design. Fortunately, modern solutions exist to bridge this knowledge gap and streamline the design process.

Standardizing Size Definitions

In the pallet industry, dimensions are typically expressed as length (the shorter side) × width (the longer side along the stringer or block). This convention directly contrasts with shipping container terminology, creating confusion for professionals who work with both systems. Recognizing this challenge, leading design software adapted as early as 2011 to accommodate both measurement approaches.

This adjustment allows users to input pallet dimensions using the familiar container format while ensuring the final design meets structural integrity standards. When using such systems, designers should remember to input the stringer length as the first dimension (length) for accurate results.

Customizable Design Preferences

Advanced pallet design software offers extensive customization through preference settings. Users can establish default parameters for their most common design requirements in the software's preferences module. These presets represent frequently used configurations, though individual projects may require adjustments.

If designers consistently find themselves making numerous modifications to default settings, they might benefit from reevaluating their company's standard preferences or participating in additional training to optimize their setup.

Essential Pallet Terminology

To facilitate better understanding of pallet design, here's a comprehensive glossary of key terms:

Banding Notch: See "Strap Slot."
Bin Pallet: A four-sided superstructure mounted on a pallet base, with or without a lid; also called a box or container pallet.
Block: Rectangular, square, or cylindrical deck spacers identified by their position in the pallet (corner, end, edge, inner, or center blocks).
Block Pallet: A pallet type with blocks between deck boards or beneath the top deck.
Butted Deck Board: An inner deck board placed immediately adjacent to another during assembly.
Chamfered Deck Boards: Deck boards with beveled edges to facilitate pallet jack entry.
Double-Face Pallet: A pallet with both top and bottom decks.
EURO Pallet: A standardized block pallet measuring 1200 × 800 mm, manufactured according to European Pallet Association specifications.
Four-way Block Pallet: A pallet with openings on both ends and sides to accommodate manual pallet jacks.
Hardwood: Wood from deciduous trees (not necessarily hard or dense).
Non-Reversible Pallet: A pallet whose bottom deck configuration differs from its top deck.
Pallet Jack: A manually operated wheeled platform with a lifting mechanism for moving palletized loads.
Reversible Pallet: A pallet with identical top and bottom decks.
Skid: A pallet without a bottom deck.
Softwood: Wood from coniferous trees (not necessarily soft).
Stringer: The continuous longitudinal beam component supporting deck assemblies.
Two-Way Entry Pallet: A pallet with solid un-notched stringers allowing entry only from the ends.
Unit Load: Goods assembled on a pallet to be handled as a single entity.

With this terminology reference and modern design tools, professionals can confidently navigate various pallet design challenges, creating solutions that meet both industry standards and specific project requirements.