Wooden pallet production process
The production process of wooden pallets typically includes:
1. Selection of raw materials. The most commonly used wood materials for pallets are softwoods such as pine, fir, poplar, etc. The wood should be properly dried with suitable strength and hardness.
2. Sawing and planning. The selected wood logs or lumber are sawn and planned into planks of the required dimensions, such as 1 inch x 3, 5 or 6 inches. The planks go through procedures such as debarking, sawing, and sanding to meet the standards.
3. Cutting to size. The sawn and planned planks are cut into slats and boards of standard sizes, such as 48 inches x 40 inches or 48 inches x 48 inches. The slats for the pallet base are usually 3 to 4 inches wide and 1 inch thick. The boards for the pallet tops and bottoms are usually 5/8 to 3/4 inch thick.
4. Notching. Notches of standard shapes and sizes, such as half-moon or dove-tail notches, are cut into the ends of the slats to allow the entry of forklift tines. The notches also help to increase the strength and durability of the pallets.
5. Drilling. Holes of standard diameters, such as 3/8 inch, are drilled in the pallet components for the insertion of galvanized nails or screws to fasten them together. Pre-drilling the holes helps to prevent wood splits.
6. Assembling and fastening. The slats and boards are fastened together with galvanized steel nails, staples or wood screws through the pre-drilled holes to form the pallet bases, tops and frames. Waterproof glue is also sometimes applied between wood contacts to create stronger joints.
7. Sanding and repairing. The assembled pallets go through sanding to smooth all wood surfaces. Any splits, cracks or other defects are repaired to ensure consistent quality and functionality of the pallets before delivery to customers.
8. Quality control. Random samples from the production batches are tested to ensure that the pallets meet the strength, durability and dimensional requirements of industrial standards. Pallets that pass the quality inspections are ready to be shipped out.
9. Branding and bundling. Company brands or insignia are sometimes stamped or printed on the pallets. The finished pallets are bundled together for easy shipping and handling before being loaded onto trucks for delivery.
10. Recycling waste wood. Any wood waste generated during the production process is collected and recycled. They provide an inexpensive source of materials for manufacturing wood products such as mulch, wood pellets, particleboards, etc. Recycling the wood waste helps to reduce production cost and environmental pollution.
In summary, the typical wooden pallet production process involves the selection of raw wood materials, sawing, planning, cutting, notching, drilling, assembling, sanding, repairing, quality control, branding and recycling of waste wood. Advanced woodworking equipment and technology help to improve production efficiency and consistency of high-quality pallets. Proper handling and recycling of wood waste also make the production process more eco-friendly and sustainable.
