Pallet design software uses structural engineering models of wood, fasteners and loads to predict how a pallet will deflect, how much load it can carry and which design is cheapest for a given job. The best-known tool is the Pallet Design System (PDS), developed by the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) and used by nearly 500 pallet manufacturers in more than 30 countries.
Why pallets are engineered
A pallet looks simple, but it is a structure that must carry heavy, uneven loads while supported in different ways: on a flat floor, on forklift tines, or across two rack beams. Each condition produces different bending moments and deflections. Using more or thicker wood than needed wastes material; using too little causes sagging, broken boards and damaged goods.
Before software, producers relied on experience and physical testing, which is slow and expensive. Computer models let a designer compare dozens of variants in minutes and reserve laboratory testing for confirmation. Test methods themselves are described in pallet testing standards.
What PDS does
PDS was developed in cooperation with the pallet research group at Virginia Tech and is distributed by the NWPCA. It is proprietary software; the release published in December 2022 is version 6.6. According to the association, it generates 2-D and 3-D designs, predicts safe load capacity, analyzes deflection and returns a "pallet strength utilization number" together with pass or fail ratings.
The program models the pallet as a system of boards and stringers (or blocks), joined by nails, and simulates how the unit load interacts with it. Recent releases add:
- analysis of unit loads such as corrugated boxes, plastic containers, steel drums and, newly, drums and pails;
- deflection results under several support conditions;
- integration with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems;
- carbon-footprint assessment using third-party verified environmental product declarations.
| Inputs | Outputs |
|---|---|
| Pallet dimensions and style (stringer, block) | Safe load capacity |
| Board and stringer thickness, width, spacing | Deflection under load |
| Wood species and grade | Strength utilization and pass/fail rating |
| Fastener type and pattern | Bill of materials and cost estimate |
| Load type, weight and support (floor, rack, forks) | 2-D and 3-D design drawings |
The engineering behind it
Whatever the program, the underlying calculations come from the mechanics of wood. A deck board behaves like a beam spanning the supports below it, so board thickness, width and span set its stiffness. Stringers are beams carrying the loads from the deck boards to the supports. Wood properties vary by species, grade and moisture content: dense hardwoods are stiffer and stronger than most softwoods, and wet wood is weaker. The relationship between density and strength is discussed in wood density table and species choices in pallet wood species.
Fasteners are the weak link in many designs. Nail diameter, length, shank type and spacing govern how well deck boards stay attached to stringers, and nail-withdrawal and shear behavior is built into the models. See pallet nails and fasteners.
Finite element analysis (FEA), which divides a structure into small elements and solves for stress in each, is used by researchers and by general-purpose engineering software for more complex or non-standard pallets, including plastic and composite designs. Beam-theory based tools such as PDS are faster for typical wooden pallets, while FEA suits novel shapes.
Benefits and limits
Benefits that producers report include:
- Material savings. Removing unnecessary wood, for example by using a thinner board only where the span allows.
- Consistent quality. A design with a documented load rating is easier to defend than one drawn from habit.
- Customer service. The designer can show a customer that a particular pallet will carry its product and survive its handling.
- Faster quotes. The bill of materials feeds a cost calculation; see pallet cost calculation.
Limits are equally important. A model is only as good as its inputs, so assumed species, grade and moisture must match the lumber actually used. Models handle idealized loads, and real unit loads may be uneven, overhanging or unstable. Software predicts structural performance and does not replace testing, conformance with exchange-pallet rules or the inspection of production quality (see pallet quality control). For work on non-standard pallets, custom pallet design describes a full design workflow.
Choosing software
- Match the tool to the pallet type: wood, plastic, or both.
- Check which load conditions are modeled (floor, forks, rack).
- Ask whether the wood property database covers your local species.
- Confirm that outputs can feed your costing and ERP systems.
- Treat results as design values; validate critical designs by test.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pallet Design System?
PDS is the NWPCA's engineering software for designing and analyzing wooden pallets. It predicts load capacity and deflection and returns strength-utilization and pass/fail ratings.
Who uses pallet design software?
Pallet manufacturers, packaging engineers and researchers. The NWPCA reports use by nearly 500 manufacturers in over 30 countries.
Can software replace pallet testing?
No. It reduces the number of physical tests needed, but important or unusual designs should still be verified by testing to standards such as ISO 8611 or ASTM D1185.
Does PDS work for plastic pallets?
PDS is built for wooden pallets. Plastic and composite designs usually need manufacturer data or finite element analysis.
Sources
- NWPCA's Newest Release of PDS Takes the Power of Pallet Design to the Next Level — Pallet Foundation
- Pallet Design System — Wood Packaging Global
- NWPCA Releases PDS 6.0 Ground Breaking Unit Load Design Tool — Wood Packaging Global
- PDS Version 3.3 Offers Easier, More Flexible Program — Pallet Enterprise
- EVS-EN ISO 8611-1:2022 — Estonian Centre for Standardisation and Accreditation