A plastic pallet is a logistics unit used in conjunction with forklifts, shelves and other logistics equipment. It can be used to store, load and transport goods. It is one of the essential logistics equipment in modern logistics warehousing. The emergence of plastic pallets is the best product to meet the needs of environmental protection. Using plastic pallets instead of wooden pallets can reduce the damage to forests; it is an inevitable product to adapt to the development of the logistics industry. With the continuous strengthening of food safety concepts, the high hygiene requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, Plastic pallets are favored and sought after by the food and pharmaceutical industries for their anti-corrosion, anti-moisture, anti-rust, anti-insect, non-mold and other characteristics. In addition, plastic pallets have the characteristics of high load-bearing performance and long service life, and are widely used in chemical industry, textile, manufacturing and other fields.
Technical agreement
1. The dimensions are 110cm long * 110cm wide. The tablet can be used on both sides and can be inserted in four directions. The dynamic load is 1.5 tons and the static load is 5 tons. The color is orange. The raw material is low-pressure high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pure raw material (no irritating odor, no toxic and harmless gas emissions). The materials used must be corrosion-resistant, no recycled materials may be added, and steel pipes must not be used for reinforcement. They must be strong and durable. The shelf life is 3 years. If there is any damage due to quality problems during the shelf life, free replacement will be provided at the ratio of one damaged pallet to one new pallet. If the shelf life has expired or is damaged due to operational problems, free replacement will be provided at the ratio of 3 damaged pallets to 1 new pallet.
2. The technical standards for pallets refer to the requirements in the chinese national standard GB/T15234-2007.
3. The pallet acceptance requirements comply with GB 2934-82 intermodal flat pallet size series.
4. Tray operating temperature range: The pallet can be used normally within the temperature range of -40°C to +60°C.
5. Appearance: The surface of the pallet should be smooth and free of flash, cracks and deformation that would affect use. There should be no obvious color difference on a single pallet, and the color of the same batch of products should be consistent.
Pallet stacking
1. Rigid rectangular goods such as wooden, paper and metal containers are stacked in single or multiple layers and packed with stretch or shrink film;
2. Paper or fiber goods should be stacked in single layers and multi-layered, and sealed crosswise with strapping tape;
3. Sealed metal containers and other cylindrical goods should be stacked in single or multiple layers, and wooden cargo covers should be reinforced;
4. Paper products and textile goods that need to be protected against moisture, water, etc. should be stacked in single or multiple layers in a staggered manner, and stretch or shrink film packaged goods should add corner supports, cargo cover partitions and other reinforcement structures;
5. For single-pass or multi-layer stacking of fragile goods, add a wooden support partition structure;
6. Metal bottle-type cylindrical containers or goods are stacked vertically in a single layer, and the cargo frame and slats are added to reinforce the structure;
7. Bags of goods are staggered, compacted and stacked in multiple layers.
Industry status
In September 2002, the Pallet Professional Committee of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing conducted a survey on more than 300 production, transportation, warehousing and circulation companies in the four major cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou. From the perspective of the current situation, existing problems and How to solve the problem and other aspects to conduct a detailed understanding and analysis of the use of pallets in China. This work is conducive to strengthening the coordination and guidance of the pallet industry, and also provides valuable information and suggestions for logistics management departments and related enterprises.
Material of existing pallets
A preliminary survey by the Pallet Professional Committee of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing shows that China now has about 50 million to 70 million pallets of various types, with annual output increasing by about 20 million pieces. Among them, wooden flat pallets account for about 90%, plastic flat pallets account for 8%, and steel pallets, composite material pallets and paper pallets account for 2% in total. Composite flat pallets and plastic pallets have seen a larger increase.
Standards and main specifications
Currently, pallet specifications in China are quite confusing. In addition to the mechanical industry system using pallets with two specifications of 800mm×1000mm and 500mm~800mm specified in JB3003-81, in 1996, the Research Institute of the Ministry of Communications of China proposed to make ISO6780:1988 “Main Dimensions and Tolerances of Universal Flat Pallets for Intermodal Transport” equivalent Adopted as the national standard for Chinese pallets. Later, the former State Bureau of Technical Supervision approved and issued this equivalent standard with the GB/T2934-1996 standard series document number, which included 4 pallet specifications: 1200mm×1000mm, 1200mm×800mm, 1140mm×1140mm and 1219mm×1016mm.
In addition, regarding pallet standards, China also has GB/T3716-2000 Pallet Terminology, GB/T16470-1996 Pallet Packaging, GB/T15234-1994 Plastic Flat Pallet, GB/T4995-1996 Intermodal Universal Flat Pallet Performance Requirements, GB/T4996- 1996 National standards such as test methods for universal flat pallets in intermodal transport. Not only that, 1100mm×1100mm pallets are also widely used by Japanese and Korean companies in China. All these show that China has adopted too many pallet standards. Without vigorous rectification, it will be difficult to effectively solve the problem of unifying pallet specifications in China. A survey by the Pallet Professional Committee found that the specifications of pallets in circulation are quite confusing. Including: 2000mm×1000mm, 1500mm×1100mm, 1500mm×1000mm, 1400mm×1200mm, 1300mm×1000mm, 1200mm×1000mm, 1200mm×800mm, 1200mm×1100mm, 1100mm× 1000mm, 1100mm×1100mm, 1100mm×900mm, 1000mm×1000mm, 1000mm×800mm, 1200mm×1200mm, 1300mm×1600mm, 1300mm×1100mm, 1400*1100mm and other dozens of specifications. Among them, the specifications of plastic pallets are relatively concentrated, mainly 1100mm×1100mm and 1200mm×1000mm, accounting for about 50% of plastic pallets. This is because injection molds are used in the production of plastic pallets, and mold development costs are relatively high. The specifications of wooden pallets are relatively confusing. The specifications are mainly customized by the user according to the specifications of their own products. This is related to the relatively simple manufacturing process of wooden pallets. There are not many specifications of steel pallets, concentrated in two to three specifications. They are mainly used in ports, terminals and other units that require relatively high load-bearing weight of pallets. In addition, during the investigation, the Pallet Professional Committee also found that companies mostly use flat four-way double-sided pallets, accounting for about 60% of the total number of pallets used. The rest include flat two-way fork double-sided pallets, single-sided flat pallets, box pallets andPillar pallet. The number of special pallets used is relatively small. Box pallets are mostly used for material handling in the production process of enterprises and basically do not enter circulation.
Turnover method
Statistics from the Pallet Professional Committee show that at this stage, pallets in China are basically used internally by enterprises. For manufacturing companies, the pallets they own cannot leave the company, and the scope of use of pallets is limited to transportation from the company’s warehouse to the transportation link. For logistics companies, pallets are also limited to internal deployment and use within the company, and there is no mechanism for the smooth circulation of pallets.
Pallet operation situation
The development of pallets can be said to be synchronized with forklifts. The joint use of forklifts and pallets forms an effective loading and unloading system, which greatly improves loading and unloading efficiency. Statistically speaking, pallets are basically used with forklifts. On average, each forklift is equipped with 800 to 1,000 pallets.
Problems in China’s pallet industry:
The usage method is backward and the advantages of the pallet cannot be fully utilized.
The pallet itself is a unitized logistics device born to cooperate with efficient logistics. It can be said that the pallet is the connection point that runs through all aspects of the modern logistics system. However, in our actual use, due to the inconsistent specifications, pallets cannot be circulated and used in the logistics operation chain, and are only limited to within the enterprise.
Restricted by the pallet turnover method, the cost of the circulation process is too high.
From the survey, it can be found that the pallets of most companies are circulated within the company, which causes the company’s products to be manually transported and loaded and unloaded many times, which greatly reduces the work efficiency and correspondingly increases the circulation cost of the products, thus reducing the product cost. competitiveness in the market.
Difficult to conform to international standards.
Because the specifications and standards of pallets are not uniform, the use of pallets in China cannot match international transportation equipment such as internationally used containers. In order to adapt to relevant international transportation tools, companies have to order pallets from pallet manufacturers that are inconsistent with the company’s turnover specifications, thus increasing the company’s export costs and reducing the international competitiveness of its products.
Applications
Plastic pallets are suitable for chemical industry, petrochemical, food, aquatic products, feed, clothing, shoemaking, electronics, electrical appliances, ports, docks, catering, biomedicine, mechanical hardware, automobile manufacturing, petrochemical industry, three-dimensional warehousing, logistics and transportation, Warehouse handling, storage shelves, auto parts, beer and beverages, electronic appliances, textile printing and dyeing, printing and packaging, logistics centers and other industries.
Advantages
- In terms of corrosion resistance, plastic pallets are the best, followed by plastic wood, and steel pallets are the worst;
- In terms of moisture resistance, plastic pallets have excellent performance;
- In terms of insect resistance, steel pallets are the best, followed by plastic pallets;
- In terms of average lifespan, steel pallets and plastic pallets are indistinguishable;
- In terms of pallet weight, paper and wooden pallets have certain advantages;
- In terms of load-bearing performance, steel pallets have the best effect; paper pallets are worse;
- In terms of performance, plastic and steel pallets are better than paper and wooden pallets;
- In terms of pallet prices, wooden pallets have the advantage, followed by paper and plastic wood, and steel pallets are the most expensive.
However, in actual use, depending on different uses, some pallets are difficult to replace by other varieties. For example, when carrying heavy items, steel pallets are irreplaceable. But overall, plastic, plastic-wood composite and paper pallets will be the more promising products, among which plastic pallets are the most promising.
Transportation advantages
(1) The use of pallet handling can improve working conditions and eliminate heavy manual labor;
(2) The operating time is greatly reduced, the transportation time is shortened, and the transportation rate of trucks is increased; usually a forklift driver can do the work of ten people. If the goods are scattered or heavy, it can be said that one person can do the work of two people. The workload of ten people;
(3) Damage to goods rarely occurs during pallet transportation. When manual handling is carried out, the goods may be scattered and damaged due to fatigue and mistakes;
(4) The use of pallets has a certain amount of cargo capacity, which can prevent quantity errors during shipment and facilitate quantity management;
(5) The storage area can be effectively organized to implement three-dimensional storage;
(6) Three-dimensional warehouses, automatic shelf warehouses, etc., without pallets, their functions cannot be realized;
(7) There must be pallets for unmanned handling in the factory;
(8) Can formulate process plans and timetables for handling operations. As a disadvantage, the pallet itself has a certain weight and volume, which will create excess weight and volume space when transported together with the goods. However, this shortcoming is much smaller than the advantages. Therefore, factories, distribution warehouses and distribution centers in advanced countries in the world must use pallets.
Features
1. It can be inserted from all sides and is easy to operate;
2. Suitable for stacking each other in the warehouse, and suitable for use on various shelves;
3. Suitable for all types of truck transportation, convenient for containerized and unitized transportation of materials;
4. Convenient for the operation of forklifts, hydraulic pallet trucks and other transportation tools;
5. Use anti-skid rubber to ensure that materials will not slip during handling and transportation;
6. Long service life and recyclable;
7. Plastic pallets are safe, hygienic, insect-proof and moth-proof, and do not require repair.
Affected by the production mold (complex design and expensive), the structure and size of plastic pallets are not random. Manufacturing companies must continue to develop and gradually enrich their product categories. But for special size requirements, sometimes they cannot be met.
Since plastic pallets are basically formed in one go, their repairability after damage is very low. After a certain degree of damage, they can only be scrapped, but the waste materials can be recycled.
The one-time investment when purchasing is relatively large, generally 2-5 times that of wooden pallets.
Plastic pallets are warehousing and logistics products widely used in the warehousing and transportation industries.
Things to note
1. When using pallets with hydraulic trucks and forklifts, the distance between the outer edges of the forks should be as wide as possible to the outer edge of the pallet’s fork entry, and the fork entry depth should be greater than 2/3 of the entire pallet depth.
2. Hydraulic trucks and forklifts should maintain a uniform speed when moving the pallet forward, backward, and up and down to avoid sudden braking and turning, which may cause damage to the pallet and collapse of the goods.
3. When placing the pallet on the shelf, the pallet should be placed stably on the shelf beam, and the length of the pallet should be at least 50 mm greater than the outer diameter of the shelf beam. Which plastic pallet is suitable for use in cold storage or high-intensity use environments ? Polypropylene cannot withstand low temperatures at plus or minus 40°C. Polypropylene cannot withstand low temperatures. If you need to put pallets on shelves in cold storage, it is best to use double-sided pallets. If the goods are not so heavy, you can choose Tian-shaped or Sichuan-shaped pallets. Another: When used in low-temperature environments, practice has proven that modified polypropylene can be fully qualified. Modified polypropylene is a high-temperature incomplete polymerization product of polyethylene and polypropylene. It combines the toughness of polypropylene with the low temperature resistance of polyethylene, stable physical properties, wear resistance and fall resistance. It is generally recommended to use this material in large chemical companies, low-temperature cold storage and other environments.
Plastic pallets produced from low-pressure high-density polyethylene can be used. Plastic pallets produced from pure raw materials can withstand low temperatures of minus 30°C. High-strength blow molding pallets that are extruded and blown in one go are generally blow molded using HMWHDPE plastic, with a weight average molecular weight of about 350,000 to 400,000; this plastic raw material has strong adaptability to ambient temperature Ability to be used stably in an environment of -40~40℃, it is the first choice plastic pallet for high-intensity use environments. Due to the high cost of plastic raw materials selected for this high-strength blow molding pallet, the technical difficulty of the processing process is high, and the use of the product The life span is particularly long, which can reach 5 to 10 years. Although the one-time purchase price will be higher, the comprehensive use cost is indeed lower. When high-strength use is required, you can choose this high-strength blow molding tray.
Environmental friendly
As we all know, the atomic composition of plastic pallets is nothing more than carbon and hydrogen. Therefore, after recycling, incineration for power generation is a good solution. There are mature experiences abroad that can be used for reference. Of course, waste plastics can be used to regenerate fuel, which is even more attractive. DOW Chemical Company’s technical department estimates that the energy per pound of PS is equivalent to 75% of No. 2 fuel oil (20,000 British thermal units). In addition, the recycled plastic pallets can be recycled and granulated as injection molding materials. Some people in China are also using recycled PS granules to re-impregnate them. The quality of plastic pallet sheets made from this recycled plastic pallet is acceptable and has certain industrial value. There is also a successful experience in making paint and glue from plastic pallet waste. It is said that waste plastic pallets can be re-decomposed into styrene monomer. Of course, to do this, there must be a large supply of waste plastic pallets. To sum up, the so-called ” white pollution ” of plastic pallets is essentially the recycling problem of discarded plastic pallets. Obviously, it is indeed a very arduous task for all citizens to conscientiously refrain from littering.
Regardless of how serious efforts are made to improve national environmental awareness, let’s just talk about the industry’s own views on plastic pallet recycling.
1. “Only by recycling plastic pallets can we develop plastic pallets.” “White pollution” is caused by the waste of plastic pallets. It is unacceptable that a large number of discarded plastic pallets are not recycled and pollute the environment. The rejection of plastic pallet products by some places and some industries is enough to illustrate the seriousness of the problem. Obviously we have done a good job in recycling, eliminating pollutants, and turning waste into treasure. In this way, the plastic pallet industry can develop without any scruples. Many advantages of plastic pallets are fully utilized in the packaging industry. In order to protect goods, Beautify goods and reduce losses caused by poor packaging.
2. Organize and establish a national plastic pallet recycling association. Currently, plastic pallet recycling associations have been established in the Americas and Europe. Under the Asian Plastic Pallet Recycling Association, eight countries and regions including Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong also participate. Those who participate in recycling organizations are mainly manufacturers of plastic pallet raw materials and products. In order to develop their own industries and benefit themselves and the public, they must do a good job in recycling their products. Apart from this, there is no other way.
3. Extract plastic pallet recycling costs. We should learn from the good experiences of other countries and set aside part of the funds necessary for recycling plastic pallets in the process of selling plastic pallet raw materials and products. In Europe, a recycling fee of 0.1 mark per kilogram of plastic pallet products must be paid. In China, if RMB 1 yuan is charged per kilogram as a recycling fee, there will be a recycling fee of 14 million yuan for the whole year. Coupled with the benefits generated by recycling, this can financially ensure the smooth progress of plastic pallet recycling work.
4. The above work must be supported by the government, which means legislation must be passed. There are legislation and fees for the production of plastic pallet foam; there are incentives for setting up points to collect plastic pallets; the entire recycling process, up to the scientific research and production process of using waste foam, must receive national tax support. All in all, recycling waste foam plastics is a necessary implementation condition that is technically feasible and economically beneficial. This work can be done well as long as the understanding is consistent and the measures are solid. We can conclude that the plastic pallet industry must take the path of recycling. Only by doing a good job in recycling can “white pollution” be truly eliminated. Only by centralized recycling can “pollution” be turned into treasure, ultimately promoting a healthier development of the plastic pallet industry. In such a virtuous cycle, plastic pallets can become a good product that protects the environment.
Plastic pallets are made of thermoplastics such as PE\PP, plus some additives to improve performance, through injection molding, blow molding and other processes.
As the requirements for production conditions, storage conditions, process control, and quality management continue to increase, plastic pallets began to appear and quickly occupied a place due to the insurmountable limitations of wooden pallets in terms of hygienic conditions and standardized production. It has been widely used in machinery, electronics, food, medicine, clothing and other industries. Compared with wooden pallets, plastic pallets have good integrity, are hygienic and clean, and are easy to rinse and disinfect. They are lightweight, nail-free, acid and alkali resistant, and mildew-free during use. Their service life is 5-7 times that of wooden pallets. times. Characteristics of plastic
1. Deflection force : Immediate deflection force can prevent the goods on the pallet from falling apart when being lifted up by the forklift;
2. Bending: After the plastic pallet is placed on the shelf, its bending will gradually increase, and the bending in the automatic warehouse cannot exceed ten millimeters;
3. Impact resistance and durability;
4. Usability: light weight, simple operation, easy access by forklift, stable size;
5. Dynamic load: the maximum weight that can be lifted by a forklift at one time; static load: the maximum weight that the bottom pallet can bear during palletizing; overhead load: allowed when palletized goods are placed on the shelf the maximum weight. The difference in load capacity is closely related to the shelf, temperature and storage period;
6. Hygienic: does not rot, does not absorb moisture, is easy to wash and dry, and is free of insects and bacteria;
7. Safety: light weight, no nails or protrusions;
8. Long service life and recyclable.
Classification
According to appearance
1. Double-sided plastic tray
Flat double-sided plastic tray
Grid double-sided plastic pallet
2. Single-sided plastic pallet
Flat nine-legged plastic pallet; Grid nine-legged plastic pallet
Flat -shaped plastic pallet; Grid-shaped plastic pallet
Flat Sichuan-shaped plastic pallet; Grid Sichuan-shaped plastic pallet
3. Light plastic pallet
(Suitable for use as disposable export packaging for product export packaging or products with lighter carrying capacity).
Products are also divided into grid type and flat type.
According to use
1. Shelf type plastic pallet
2. Floor turnover plastic pallet
3. Stacking plastic pallets
4.Lightweight plastic pallet
5. Packing disposable export plastic pallets
Advantages of box-type plastic pallets:
1. Easy to use and save space;
2. The service life of box-type plastic pallets is about 10 times longer than that of wooden boxes;
3. Box-type plastic pallets are much lighter than similar types of wooden boxes and metal boxes. They are made of one-piece molding so they have better performance during handling and transportation;
4. Box-type plastic pallets can be cleaned with water at any time, and they are beautiful and environmentally friendly;
5. It can be widely used for storage and turnover of liquid and powdery items and is widely used;
By application and industry
Export plastic pallets, intermodal plastic pallets, moisture-proof plastic pallets, moisture-proof plastic pallets, forklift plastic pallets, shelf plastic pallets, logistics plastic pallets, food plastic pallets, beer plastic pallets, beverage plastic pallets, chemical plastic pallets, tobacco plastic pallets, machinery Plastic pallets, electronic plastic pallets, salt industry plastic pallets, stacking plastic pallets, intermodal standard plastic pallets, port plastic pallets, container plastic pallets, etc.
Melting temperature
Softening or melting range of plastic types/°c Softening or melting range of plastic types/oc
Polyvinyl acetate 35~85 Polyoxymethylene 165~185
Polystyrene 70~115 Polypropylene 160~170
PVC 75~90 Nylon 12 170~180
polyethylene:
Density 0.92/ cm3 110 Nylon 11 180~190
Density 0.94/cm3 About 120 Polychlorotrifluoroethylene 200~220
Density 0.96/ cm3 about 130 nylon 610 210~ 220
Poly- 1-butene 125~135 Nylon 6 215~225
Polyvinylidene chloride 115~ 140 (softened) polycarbonate 220~ 230
Organic glass 126~ 160 Poly-4- methylpentene -1 240
Cellulose acetate 125~175 Nylon 66 250~260
Polyacrylonitrile 130~150 (softened) polyethylene terephthalate 250~260
Production process
Plastic pallets have the following four molding methods:
The first one: injection molding method.
The plastic pallet products produced by injection molding are flat, smooth, crisp and dense, with greater freedom in product design. They are divided into double-sided integral plastic pallets and double-sided assembled plastic pallets.
Double-sided integrated pallets generally have a weight of more than 15 kg/piece and a relatively complex shape, requiring an injection molding machine with a clamping force of more than 2,500 tons to be produced. This type of pallet has a complex shape, large investment, and relatively high cost. However, due to fewer production processes, the production efficiency is relatively high and the product quality is good. Generally, not many plastic processing plants use this method.
The double-sided assembled pallet is a double-sided integrated pallet that is divided into upper and lower pieces, which are injection molded separately and then assembled. Although this product requires 2 sets of molds, the mold structure is greatly reduced, and the total mold investment is still cheaper than the integral type. At the same time, the requirements for the equipment’s clamping force are also reduced. The clamping force is ≥1500 tons, which is generally required by plastic processing plants. Relatively easy to do. This production method may become the mainstream of plastic pallet production.
The second type: extrusion-hollow blow molding method.
The extrusion-hollow blow molding of plastic pallets is similar to the general blow molding method of hollow products. Because the product is large and double-sided, it requires a larger extruder, mold clamping machine and mold, etc. China’s blow molding machine manufacturers have developed ultra-large blow molding machines that specialize in high-speed production of high-strength blow molding pallets. They are produced using HMWHDPE high-strength plastic. They have fast molding speed, good product quality, high strength, high stiffness, and very long use. Life span: Generally, the service life of blow molding pallets can reach 5 to 10 years, and they can work stably in an environment of -40 to 40°C. The dynamic load of its products can reach more than 3t, and the bending strength has reached a high level. It is the first choice for pallets that require long life and high-intensity use environments. Its price is higher than other plastic pallets. Because its service life is particularly long, its cost performance is the highest among all pallets. With the substantial reduction in the price of molding equipment, this method has great advantages in saving limited petroleum resources and saving logistics costs.
The third type: vacuum molding method.
Plastic pallets produced by vacuum molding are also available in two types: single-sided and double-sided. Single-sided blister pallets are mostly used for packaging and transportation of small motors (such as vacuum cleaner motors, power tool motors, etc.) and wire trays. They are developing rapidly and are mainly dedicated. Double-sided blister trays are all assembled and come in two forms: the upper half is an extruded plastic sheet of fixed length and width, and the lower half is a large vacuum blister product; both the upper and lower halves are large vacuum blister products. products. This method requires large-scale vacuum blister equipment for production and molding. The equipment cost is low and the mold cost is also low, but the product wall thickness is uneven.
The fourth type: extrusion molding method.
The plastic pallets produced by this method are all assembled. That is, extruders, machine heads and other equipment are used to extrude the laths used as upper and lower panels and the I-shaped connecting plates with compound wings as connecting supports, and then assemble them. The emergence of wood-plastic composite materials has promoted the development of extrusion molding plastic pallets. It is made of natural plant fibers (including wood powder husks, straw powder, rice bran, etc.) and waste plastics as the main raw materials, making the plastic pallet not only have a wooden feel, but also have the advantages of water resistance and insect resistance, and can be planed, sawed, and nailed. Among the four molding methods, this method has the least investment in production equipment and molds, the lowest cost, and the best performance-price ratio. This product has been produced in Beijing, Guangdong and other places.
Chinese standards
000011 range
This standard specifies the main dimensions and tolerances of intermodal general-purpose flat pallets with various forking methods, different materials, single-sided and double-sided, single-sided and double-sided use, and their relevance to pallet trucks, forklifts and other loading and unloading equipment. size. This standard also specifies requirements for features such as pallet openings, spacing, chamfers and wings. The applicability of this standard to double-sided pallets for use in the field may be affected.
This standard applies to general flat pallets for road, railway, waterway and air combined transport.
000012 Reference Standard
The provisions in the following documents become provisions of this standard through reference in this standard. For dated reference documents, all subsequent amendments (excluding corrigenda) or revisions do not apply to this standard. However, parties to an agreement based on this standard are encouraged to study whether the latest versions of these documents can be used.. For undated referenced documents, the latest edition applies to this standard.
GB/T3716 pallet terminology
GB/T4995 Performance requirements for universal flat pallets for intermodal transport
GB/T4996 Test method for universal flat pallets for intermodal transport
GB/T15234 Plastic flat pallet
GB/T18354 Logistics Terminology
ISO 6780-2003 Main dimensions and tolerances of international material handling flat pallets
000013 nouns and definitions
This standard adopts the following definitions.
GB/T3716, GB/T18354 and the terms and definitions listed below are applicable to this standard.
000013.1 Pallet size
Nominal flat dimensions for pallet length and pallet width.
000013.2 Pallet length
L: refers to the panel size in the direction of the longitudinal beam or longitudinal beam plate.
Note 1: The length of a pallet without stringers or stringer panels refers to the longer panel size.
Note 2: First determine the length of the pallet, and then determine the width of the pallet.
000013.3 Pallet width
W: The decking dimension perpendicular to the length of the pallet.
000013.4 End face
The vertical surface of the pallet across the width.
000013.5 side
The vertical surface of the pallet along the length of the pallet.
000013.6 Four-way fork entry pallet
A pallet that allows the forks of forklifts, pallet trucks and pallet stackers to be inserted from all four directions.
000013.7 Two-way fork feed pallet
Pallets that allow the forks of forklifts, pallet trucks and pallet stackers to be inserted only from two opposite directions.
000013.8 Partial four-way fork pallet
A pallet that allows the forks of forklifts to be inserted in four directions and the forks of pallet trucks and pallet stackers to be inserted in two directions.
000014 size
000014.1 Plane dimensions and tolerances
000014.1.1 Plane dimensions
The pallet plane dimensions are: 1200 mm 1000 mm and 1100 mm 1100 mm. 1200 mm to 1000 mm are preferred.
The above dimensions of a wooden pallet should indicate its specific moisture content. The above dimensions of plastic pallets should be measured in a temperature environment of 23℃±2℃.
000014.1.2 Tolerance
The manufacturing tolerances for the flat dimensions given in 4.1.1 shall be mm.
000014.2 Vertical spacing of pallet fork holes for lifting devices
000014.2.1 Pallet truck
The height H1 of the fork hole where the pallet truck fork is inserted under the top decking board should not be less than the value in Table 1. The distance H2 from the top surface of the fork hole to the bottom surface of the pallet cannot exceed 156mm.
Vertical spacing of fork holes in some pallet styles.
H1 is the vertical spacing of the fork holes
H2 is the distance from the top surface of the pallet fork hole to the bottom surface of the pallet
Development trend
China’s logistics industry is developing rapidly, with an average annual growth rate of more than 15%. Experts predict that in the next few years, China’s logistics market will maintain an average annual growth rate of 20%, and the annual use of new pallets will exceed 20 million pieces. “High efficiency, energy saving, environmental protection, and low cost” will be the main characteristics of the logistics industry in the future. This is both a once-in-a-lifetime development opportunity and a huge challenge for the plastic pallet manufacturing industry, which started late.
For a long time, the pallets used in China’s logistics industry have been mainly wooden, accounting for 90% of the total China’s pallets. However, with the increasing pressure on environmental protection, regulations banning wooden pallets in railway transportation have been introduced. Europe, the United States, Japan and other countries have almost stringent fumigation and inspection and quarantine requirements for imported wooden packaging (including wooden pallets). Wooden pallets have been Demand has a huge impact. Some experts even assert that in the next 5 to 10 years, China’s wooden pallet market share will drop from 90% to less than 50%. On the one hand, the development of the logistics industry has driven the demand for pallets to surge, and on the other hand, the demand for wooden pallets, the ” main force “, has tended to decline, indicating that plastic pallets are facing huge business opportunities. In particular, plastic wood pallets, which have just emerged in this century, have the original advantages of plastic pallets and are developing very rapidly.
However, while affirming that the plastic pallet industry faces huge business opportunities, we should also see the unfavorable factors that restrict the healthy development of China’s pallet industry.
First, the lack of unified standards for pallets makes it difficult for China to establish a ” big logistics ” system as soon as possible. There are 6 sizes of plastic pallets in the national standard, but there are more than 30 pallet sizes in actual circulation. It is difficult to realize national or regional intermodal transportation and storage of pallets, and it is difficult to match containers and forklifts, resulting in cargo transportation and transshipment. Since large-volume companies cannot realize pallet sharing, they have to spend a lot of money to purchase pallets, which virtually increases the cost burden of the company and also reduces their enthusiasm for using pallets. Therefore, many small and medium-sized enterprises cannot afford to use them or simply choose not to use them. No need for trays.
Secondly, the price of plastic pallets remains high, which directly affects its promotion and application. The price of synthetic resins continues to be high, which has pushed the cost of plastic pallets to surge, and prices continue to rise, greatly reducing the original cost-effectiveness advantage of plastic pallets. In order to compete for the market, some small businesses, on the one hand, wantonly lower prices for sales, and on the other hand, use a large amount of recycled materials or add a large proportion of fillers in the production process, causing many fake and inferior plastic pallets to flow into the market, which not only disrupts the order of the plastic pallet market, but also makes plastic Pallets are facing a credit crisis, which has a great negative impact on the promotion, application and future development of plastic pallets. Well-known China’s plastic pallet companies all complained to reporters about the disorder and mixed bag of China’s plastic pallet markets. They all hope to improve the entry threshold for plastic pallet companies, introduce rigid and unified technical standards for plastic pallets as soon as possible, and increase the control of counterfeit and inferior products. In order to maintain the normal order of the plastic pallet market.
What is gratifying is that with the joint efforts of industry experts, logistics companies, and pallet manufacturers and the strong support of relevant national departments, the unfavorable factors affecting the rapid development of China’s pallet industry, especially the plastic pallet industry, are weakening, and are expected to be in 2011 eliminate. According to the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan”, by 2012, the Pallet Professional Committee of China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing will formulate and revise more than 300 logistics- related standards. This undoubtedly tells us the biggest problem restricting the rapid development of China’s pallet industry – the pallet standard system It will be established in the “11th Five-Year Plan”. Once the pallet standard system is established and improved, technical obstacles will be removed for the formation of the “big logistics” system. By then, China’s pallet industry, especially the plastic pallet industry, will usher in a real golden age.
Use and maintenance
As an indispensable part of the warehousing and logistics industry, plastic pallets play an important role.
If plastic pallets are used according to correct usage specifications, they can not only give full play to their role, but also extend their service life and reduce the purchase cost of plastic pallets.
You should pay attention to the following points when using plastic pallets:
1. Plastic pallets should be placed with care to avoid uneven stress and damage when landing.
2. When placing goods, they should be placed evenly to avoid sideways tilt during lifting and transportation.
3. When using handling equipment, you should consider whether the cargo gap size is suitable for the plastic pallet to avoid improper size and damaging the plastic pallet.
4. When stacking, the load-bearing capacity of the bottom pallet should be considered.
The correct use of plastic pallets should ensure that the packaging combinations are stacked on the plastic pallet and properly bundled and wrapped to facilitate mechanical loading, unloading and transportation, thereby meeting the requirements for loading, unloading, transportation and storage. In order to ensure that plastic pallets can be used safely for a long time, it is hoped that plastic pallets can be used correctly according to the following requirements:
1. Plastic pallets should be protected from sunlight to avoid aging and shortening their service life.
2. It is strictly prohibited to throw goods into plastic pallets from high places. Reasonably determine how goods are stacked within pallets. Place goods evenly and do not stack them centrally or eccentrically. Pallets carrying heavy loads should be placed on a flat ground or surface.
3. It is strictly forbidden to drop plastic pallets from high places to avoid violent impact that may cause the pallets to break or crack.
4. When a forklift or manual hydraulic truck is operating, the fork spine should be as close as possible to the outside of the fork hole of the pallet. The fork spine should all extend into the pallet, and the angle can only be changed after the pallet is lifted smoothly. Do not hit the side of the pallet with the prongs to avoid breaking or cracking the pallet.
5. When placing pallets on shelves, shelf-type pallets must be used. The load capacity depends on the shelf structure. Overloading is strictly prohibited.
6. When carrying corrosive items, pay attention to the packaging and loading of the items to avoid contamination of the pallet.
7. When using plastic pallets, try not to place them in humid and dark places to avoid affecting the service life of the plastic pallets.
Supporting issues
As mentioned above, plastic pallets can be divided into many types according to the shape of the bottom. Not every type of pallet can be used with all forklifts. Some plastic pallets can only be used with mechanical forklifts, and some are universal for mechanical and manual pallets. A detailed description is given below, and each pallet is accompanied by an introduction to its relevant features:
1.Double-sided plastic tray
Flat double-sided plastic pallet (can only be used in four directions on a mechanical forklift)
Grid double-sided plastic pallet (can only be used in four directions of mechanical forklifts)
2. Single-sided plastic pallet
Flat nine-legged plastic pallet; Grid nine-legged plastic pallet (can be used in four directions mechanically or manually)
Flat-shaped plastic pallet; Grid-shaped plastic pallet (can only be used in four directions with mechanical forklifts)
Flat Sichuan-shaped plastic pallet; Grid Sichuan-shaped plastic pallet (mechanical forklift can be used in four directions, manual forklift can be used in two directions)
Whether a mechanical manual forklift can be used mainly depends on the structure of the bottom of the pallet. For example, double-sided or Tian-shaped pallets have cross beams or flat plates at the bottom, making it impossible for manual forklifts to enter. Even if they do, the fork is in the middle of the pallet and cannot be used, so consumers When purchasing plastic pallets, you must choose based on your actual usage to avoid buying a pallet product that is not suitable for you.
You can check the specific reasons through the reference materials at the bottom. There are photos of the bottom structures of various pallets. You can choose the matching pallet products according to your own forklift at a glance.
Plastic identification
Before using various plastic recycling methods to reuse waste plastics, most plastics need to be sorted. Since plastic consumption channels are many and complex, and some post-consumer plastics are difficult to distinguish simply by their appearance, it is best to indicate the material type on plastic products. China has formulated GB/T16288-1996 “Plastic Packaging Products Recycling Marks ” with reference to the material variety marking proposed and implemented by the American Plastics Society (SPE). Although the above marking method can be used to facilitate sorting, there are still many unmarked products in China. Plastic products bring difficulties to sorting. In order to separate different types of plastics for classification and recycling, we must first master the knowledge of identifying different plastics. Here is a simple plastic identification method:
Appearance
By observing the appearance of plastics, you can initially identify the major categories of plastic products: thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics or elastomers. Generally, there are two types of thermoplastics: crystalline and amorphous. The appearance of crystalline plastic is translucent, opalescent or opaque. It is only transparent in the film state, and its hardness ranges from soft to horny. Amorphous is generally colorless, completely transparent when no additives are added, and has a hardness that is harder than horny rubber ( plasticizers and other additives are often added at this time). Thermosetting plastics usually contain fillers and are opaque. If they do not contain fillers, they will be transparent. The elastomer has a rubbery feel and a certain stretch rate.
Heating
The heating characteristics of the above three types of plastics are also different, and they can be identified through heating methods. Thermoplastics soften when heated, melt easily, and become transparent when melted. Filaments can often be drawn from the melt, and they are usually easy to heat seal. Thermosetting plastics are heated until the material chemically decomposes, maintaining its original hardness without softening and relatively stable dimensions, and carbonizing at the decomposition temperature. When the elastomer is heated, it does not flow until the chemical decomposition temperature. When the decomposition temperature reaches the decomposition temperature, the material decomposes and carbonizes.
The softening or melting temperature ranges of commonly used thermoplastics are shown in the table.
| Plastic varieties | Softening or melting range/°c | Plastic varieties | Softening or melting range/°c |
| polyvinyl acetate | 35~85 | Polyoxymethylene | 165~185 |
| polystyrene | 70~115 | polypropylene | 160~170 |
| PVC | 75~90 | Nylon 12 | 170~180 |
| Polyethylene (density 0.92g/cm^3) | 110 | Nylon 11 | 180~190 |
| Polyethylene (density 0.94g/cm^3) | about 120 | Polychlorotrifluoroethylene | 200~220 |
| Polyethylene (density 0.96g/cm^3) | about 130 | Nylon 610 | 210~220 |
| Poly-1-butene | 125~ 135 | Nylon 6 | 215~225 |
| Polyvinylidene chloride | 115~ 140 (softening) | polycarbonate | 220~ 230 |
| plexiglass | 126~160 | Poly-4-methylpentene-1 | 240 |
| cellulose acetate | 125~175 | Nylon 66 | 250~260 |
| polyacrylonitrile | 130~ 150 (softening) | polyethylene terephthalate | 250~260 |
Solvent
Thermoplastics swell in solvents but are generally insoluble in cold solvents. In hot solvents, some thermoplastics will dissolve. For example, polyethylene is soluble in xylene. Thermosetting plastics are insoluble in solvents and generally do not swell or only swell slightly. Elastomers are insoluble in solvents, but they usually swell.
Density
Different types of plastics have different densities. Plastics can be identified by measuring density; however, foam products should be separated at this time, because the density of foam plastics is not the true density of the material. In actual industry, plastics are also sorted by using their different densities. The density of commonly used plastics is shown in the table below: density/(g/cm3) material density/(g/cm3) material
0.80 Silicone rubber cavity (can be filled with silica to 1.25) 1.19~1.35 Plasticized polyvinyl chloride (contains about 40% plasticizer)
0.83 Polymethylpentene 1.20~1.22 Polycarbonate ( bisphenol A type)
0.85~0.91 Polypropylene 1.20~1.26 Cross-linked polyurethane
0.89~0.93 High pressure (low density) polyethylene 1.26~1.28 Phenol formaldehyde resin (unfilled)
0.91~0.92 1- polybutene 1.26~1.31 polyvinyl alcohol
0.9~0.93 Polyisobutylene 1.25~1.35 Cellulose acetate
0.92~1.00 Natural rubber 1.30~1.41 Phenol formaldehyde resin (filled with organic materials: paper, fabric)
0.92~0.98 low pressure ( high density ) polyethylene 1.30~1.40 polyvinyl fluoride
1.01~1.04 Nylon 12 1.34~1.40 Celluloid
1.03~1.05 Nylon 11 1.38~1.41 Polyethylene terephthalate
1.04~1.06 Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer ( ABS ) 1.38~1.50 Rigid PVC
1.04~1.08 polystyrene 1.41~1.43 polyoxymethylene ( polyoxymethylene )
1.05~1.07 polyphenylene ether 1.47~1.52 urea- melamine resin (with organic filler)
1.06~1.10 Styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer 1.47~1.55 Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
1.07~1.09 Nylon 610 1.50~2.00 Phenolic plastic and amino plastic (with inorganic filler)
1.12~1.15 Nylon 6 1.70~1.80 Polyvinylidene fluoride
1.13~1.16 Nylon 66 1.80~2.30 Polyester and epoxy resin (with glass fiber added )
1.10~1.40 Epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester resin 1.86~1.88 Polyvinylidene chloride
1.14~1.17 Polyacrylonitrile 2.10~2.20 Polytrifluoro- vinyl chloride
1.15~1.25 Cellulose acetobutyrate 2.10~2.30 Polytetrafluoroethylene
1.161.20 Polymethylmethacrylate
1.17~1.20 polyvinyl acetate
1.18~1.24 Cellulose propionate
Solution commonly used for density identification of plastics
Type of solution Density (25oc)/(g/cm3) Preparation method Type of plastic (product)
float in solution sink in solution
Water1 Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene
Saturated salt solution 1.19 74ml water and 26g salt polystyrene, ABS polyvinyl chloride
58-4% alcohol solution 0.91 100ml water and 140ml 95% alcohol polypropylene polyethylene
55-4 alcohol solution 0.925 100ml water and 124ml 95% alcohol high pressure polyethylene low pressure polyethylene
Calcium chloride aqueous solution 1.27 100g calcium chloride (industrial use) and 150ml water polystyrene, plexiglass, ABS polyethylene polyvinyl chloride, phenolic
Pyrolysis test
The pyrolysis test identification method is to heat the plastic in a pyrolysis tube to the pyrolysis temperature, and then use litmus paper or pH test paper to test the pH value of the escaped gas for identification. Litmus and pH test paper test results of commonly used plastic pyrolysis products
litmus paper
Red basically no discoloration blue
pH test paper
0.5~4.0 5.0~5.5 8.0~9.5
Halogen- containing polymers Polyvinyl ester Cellulose ester Polyethylene terephthalate Phenolic resin Polyurethane elastomer Unsaturated polyester resin Fluoropolymer Hardboard Polythioether Polyolefin Polyvinyl alcohol Polyvinyl formal Polyvinyl ether Styrene polymers (including: styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer) ②Polymethacrylate Polyoxymethylene Polycarbonate Linear polyurethane Phenolic resin Epoxy resin Cross-linked polyurethane Polyamide ABS polymer Polyacrylonitrile Phenol and cresol resins Amino resins (aniline-melamine- and urea-formaldehyde resins )
① Heat the pyrolysis tube slowly ② Some samples show weak alkalinity
Burning test
The combustion test identification method is to use a small fire to burn a plastic sample and observe the flammability of the plastic in and out of the fire. At the same time, pay attention to the drop form and smell of the molten plastic after the flame is turned off to identify the type of plastic.
Combustion performance Flame state gasification odor material
Nonflammable – Irritant ( Hydrofluoric Acid, HF ) Polysilicone Polytetrafluoroethylene, Polychlorotrifluoroethylene Polyimide
Flame retardant, it goes out brightly after leaving the flame, with black smoke and bright yellow, the edge of the flame is green and shiny, with black smoke and yellow, gray smoke, orange and blue smoke. Phenol, formaldehyde ammonia, amine, formaldehyde hydrochloric acid—— ——Charged animal horn phenolic resin amino resin chlorinated rubber, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride (no flammable plasticizer) polycarbonate silicone rubber polyamide
Burns in the flame, extinguishes slowly or still burns when leaving the flame. Yellow, shiny, material decomposition, orange, orange, black smoke, yellow, edge blue, yellow, center blue phenol, burnt paper Irritation, damage to the trachea. Burnt rubber, fresh aroma, irritation ( isocyanate ), paraffin, phenolic resin, polyvinyl alcohol, polychloroprene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene
It is easy to ignite. It continues to burn and shine after leaving the flame. There is black smoke that is yellow and shiny, there is black smoke that is dark yellow, there is a little black smoke that is dark yellow, there is black smoke that is shiny, and the center is blue and emits sparks. It has a strong irritating phenol aroma., natural aftertaste acetic acid burnt rubber aroma, fruity aroma formaldehyde polyester resin (glass fiber reinforced) epoxy resin (glass fiber reinforced) polystyrene polyvinyl acetate rubber polymethyl methacrylate polyoxymethylene
It is easy to ignite and continues to burn after leaving the flame. Dark yellow and weak sparks. Light green, giving off sparks. Orange bright and strong. Acetic acid and butyric acid. Acetic acid. Burnt paper. Nitrogen oxide. Butyl acetate. Cellulose acetate. Cellulose. Cellulose nitrate.
Color reaction
Certain plastics can be identified through different indicators. Dissolve or suspend a few milligrams of the sample in 2ml of hot acetic anhydride. After cooling, add 3 drops of 50% sulfuric acid (made from equal volumes of water and concentrated sulfuric acid ). Observe immediately. For color reaction, observe the color of the sample after it is placed for 10 minutes, and then heat the sample to 100 degrees in a water bath to observe the color of the sample. Use this method to identify the plastics in the table below. This color reaction is called Liebermann-Storch-Morawski reaction
Liebermann-Storch-Morawski color reaction of several plastics
The material develops color immediately and changes color after heating to 100 degrees for 10 minutes.
Phenolic resin light red purple-pink brown brown-red
Polyvinyl alcohol colorless-light yellow colorless-light yellow brown-black
Polyvinyl acetate colorless – light yellow blue gray brown – black
Chlorinated rubber yellow brown yellow brown light red-yellow brown
Epoxy resin colorless to yellow colorless to yellow colorless-yellow
Polyurethane lemon yellow lemon yellow brown-green fluorescent
Chlorine-containing plastics include polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated rubber, polychloroprene, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl chloride compounds, etc. They can be identified through pyridine color reaction. Note that before the test, the sample must be extracted with diethyl ether to remove the plasticizer. Test method: Dissolve the sample extracted with diethyl ether benzene in tetrahydrofuran, filter out the insoluble components, add methanol to precipitate, and after extraction, wait for 75 seconds Dry below. React a small amount of the dried sample without 1ml of pyridine. After a few minutes, add 2 drops of 5% sodium hydroxide in methanol solution (1g of sodium hydroxide is dissolved in 20ml of methanol), and observe the color immediately for 5 minutes. and observe again after 1 hour. Different chlorine-containing plastics can be identified based on their color.
Other plastic identification methods
Some of the molecular structures of plastics contain heteroatoms other than carbon and hydrogen. Different plastics can also be identified through heteroatom testing.
Different types of polyamide (nylon) can be distinguished by measuring the melting point, such as nylon 6, 66, 610, 11 and 12.
Size standard
According to calculations by the Australian Department of Transport, if Australia abandons the 1165×1165mm pallet standard and instead adopts the 1200×1000mm pallet international standard, it will bring a net benefit with a current value of US$2.5 billion, but it will also cause Australia in the next 10 years. The economic loss of 1.6 billion US dollars shows how huge the economic value of pallet standards is, so a country generally will not easily change its own pallet size standards.
In 1988, in order to prevent the increase in pallet specifications from causing chaos in the world’s logistics system, the ISO Pallet Committee (ISO/TC51) of the International Organization for Standardization changed the three specifications recommended in 1961 (ISO/R198) (1200 series: 1200×800mm, 1200 ×1000mm, 1000×800mm), two additional standards adopted in 1963 (ISO/R329) grid (1200 series: 1200×1600mm, 1200×1800mm), and three specifications added in 1971 (1100 series: 1100×800mm, 1100×9 00mm and 1100×1100mm) are integrated into four specifications (1200×800mm, 1200×1000mm, 1219×1016mm and 1140×1140mm).
In order to promote China’s standardization cause, Chinese experts revised the pallet size standards for the first time in 1996, equivalently adopting the four specifications recommended by the ISO World Standardization Organization in 1988. However, after nearly 10 years of practice, it has been found that although there are still many pallet specifications used in practice, most pallet specifications are mainly concentrated in two specifications: 1200×1000mm and 1100×1100mm. Moreover, in 2003, when it was difficult to coordinate the interests of logistics standards of all countries in the world, the ISO World Standardization Organization added two more specifications (1100×1100mm and 1067×1067mm) on the basis of maintaining the original four specifications, forcing China to re- Comprehensively consider the adaptability of Chinese pallet standards.
China Plastic Pallet Standard
China’s national standard GB/T 16470-1996 gives four pallet specifications, namely: 1200mm×1000mm, 1200mm×800mm, 1140mm×1140 mm, 1219mm×1016mm, and stipulates the requirements, sampling, experimental methods and other technical conditions for pallet packaging., External dimensions of Helian transport flat pallet
Plastic pallet inspection report
| Serial number | Check items | Standard requirements | Technical requirements | Test results | Single conclusion | |
| Single sided | — | |||||
| 1 | Stacking test | Fork load: P=1000kgTest load: 1.1P=1100kgDuration: 24hDeformation after test: | Deformation mm≤ | – | qualified | |
| Appearance | No cracks or deformations affecting use | |||||
| 2 | Corner droppedtest | Drop height: 500mmNumber of falls: 3 timesAfter the test, the diagonal change rate | Diagonal change rate%≤ | – | qualified | |
| Appearance | No cracks or deformations affecting use | |||||
| 3 | Uniform load strength test | Fork load: P=1000kgTest load: 1.1P=1100kgDuration: 48hAfter the test, the deflection | Deflection%≤ | – | qualified | |
| Appearance | No cracks or deformations affecting use | |||||
Contrast
| Comparison of the two tray functions | plastic pallet | wooden pallet |
| 1. Durability | Long service life , usually about 5 years, acid and alkali resistant and impact resistant | Half to a year, it is easy to rot and lose weight after absorbing water and moisture. |
| 2. Reliability | Easy to carry and operate , light and sturdy, low loss, non-slip, no maintenance required | It is heavy, increases logistics costs, and leaking nails and burrs poses safety risks. |
| 3. Specificity | For special industries such as food and medicine, optional appearance colors and customized logos | Limited scope of use and single appearance |
| 4. Environmental protection | It can be reused after being damaged and scrapped , reducing garbage disposal costs. | It is a one-time use and cannot be recycled, which increases the loss of trees. |
| 5. Global Trends | Many countries in the world have promulgated new standards stipulating the use of plastic pallets | Exports must undergo fumigation treatment, which is more cumbersome. |
Logistics role
Pallets play an important role in the modern logistics system. The rational use of pallets and the consistent implementation of pallet operations are important means to maintain the connection, smoothness and connectivity of logistics and supply chains. They are also key factors to significantly improve logistics efficiency and significantly reduce costs. Therefore, the development of the pallet industry is an important part of national logistics. important content of modernization. As a rising star in the pallet family – can plastic pallets take on this important task? In recent years, with the development of the economy, China’s logistics industry has continued to heat up, with an average annual growth rate of more than 15%. Some experts predict that China’s logistics market will maintain an average annual growth rate of 20% in the next few years.
The improvement of logistics efficiency and cost reduction are inseparable from pallets. From the moment a product leaves the production line, it is inseparable from the pallet. All these logistics links, including transportation, warehousing, loading and unloading, packaging, circulation, and distribution, would cost several times more if there were no pallets. Dozens of times the time and labor. More importantly, the cargo objects handled in the logistics system are of different shapes and sizes. Only by placing the goods into cargo units with uniform specifications and a certain volume and shape can it be possible to achieve mechanization and automation, and truly achieve cost reduction and improvement. efficiency purpose.
It can be said that pallets are the basic equipment for seamless connection in all aspects of logistics. Without pallets, the integration, standardization and rapid response of the modern logistics industry will be impossible.
The role of pallets in modern logistics is self-evident. What is the current situation of China’s pallet industry?
Pallets are mainly divided into wooden pallets, plastic pallets, metal pallets, paper pallets and composite material pallets. Among the 220 million pallets in China, wooden pallets are still the main force in the pallet family. It takes decades for a pine tree to become useful, and an adult pine tree can only produce six standard pallets. Constrained by limited forest resources and long regeneration cycles, the development space of wooden pallets is restricted. In addition, with the increasing pressure on environmental protection and the introduction of regulations banning wooden pallets in railway transportation, Europe, the United States, Japan and other countries have put forward stringent fumigation and inspection and quarantine requirements for wooden packaging of imported products (including wooden pallets). The application of wooden pallets has become more and more popular. Many restrictions. When wooden pallets face increasingly serious development bottlenecks, plastic pallets stand out and become a rising star.
The development of plastic pallets has benefited from several factors. First of all, the performance of plastic pallets itself is superior; secondly, the country has increased its control over deforestation, which has greatly increased the cost of wood. In addition, Europe and the United States have increasingly stringent requirements for wooden pallets. Stimulating the use of plastic pallets; in addition, plastic pallet processing equipment has a high degree of automation, large output, and flexible design, which can better meet the individual needs of customers.
According to reports, plastic pallets are made of PE or PP as raw materials and processed through injection molding, blow molding and other processes. They have been widely used in machinery, electronics, food, medicine, chemicals, clothing and other industries. Compared with wooden pallets, plastic pallets have good integrity, are hygienic and clean, and are easy to rinse and disinfect. They are lightweight, corrosion-resistant, acid and alkali resistant, moisture-proof and moth-proof, non- mildew, and impact-resistant during use, and have a long service life., Generally speaking, the service life of plastic pallets is 5 to 7 times that of wooden pallets. In addition, plastic pallets meet environmental protection requirements, and waste pallet materials can be recycled. Although the price of plastic pallets is relatively high, the cost of use is lower than that of wooden pallets. Plastic pallets are the pallet variety with the best overall performance.
Data provided by the Pallet Professional Committee of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing show that China’s plastic pallets have reached more than 100 million, accounting for 13% of the total pallets from 11% in 2008. The reasons are, first, because plastic pallet companies have carried out process reforms by adding steel parts, etc., which has increased the carrying capacity of plastic pallets and broadened the scope of use; second, because beer, beverages, dairy products and other high-quality, well-packaged products The advantages and necessity of using pallets step by step It shows that the demand for plastic pallets from large China’s beer, beverage, and dairy product manufacturers such as Tsingtao Beer, Yanjing Beer, Huiyuan, Master Kong, Wahaha, Mengniu, and Yili is growing very rapidly; third, the processing design of plastic pallets is flexible and can be better to meet the customized needs of customers.
Develop
Plastic pallets include large ones used in the circulation and transportation of goods, and small ones used for cleaning vegetables in supermarkets. Whether they are large or small, this industry is developing very fast. It is understood that plastic pallets are in a period of rapid growth in China. The number of pallets required for China’s circulation is approximately 80 million per year, of which 20 million are used at ports (for export), and the total demand will further grow. Although plastic pallets came to the market late and have relatively high costs, they are still growing at a rate of more than 10% every year.
Plastic pallets are a new product that began to be promoted and used abroad in the 1970s and 1980s. Compared with traditional wooden pallets, they are lightweight, water-resistant, moisture-proof, clean, high hardness, and highly recyclable. However, its promotion and application in the China’s market has been difficult due to price and other factors.
The plastic pallet market has quietly changed, especially with the surge in market demand. The main influencing factors are: the country has increased its control over deforestation, and the cost of wood has risen sharply; foreign transportation has become more and more demanding on wooden pallets, stimulating the use of plastic pallets; people’s environmental awareness has strengthened and national environmental protection regulations have improved. The recyclability advantage of plastic pallets has emerged; the rapid development of China’s ethylene production scale has reduced the cost of raw materials for the production of plastic pallets, and price is no longer a disadvantage of plastic pallets. The national railway department has officially banned the use of wooden pallets in railway transportation in the future. Coupled with rumors that the food, pharmaceutical and other industries may also ban wooden pallets in two years, the number of orders for plastic pallets from these industries has skyrocketed. trend.
According to experts, more than 100 million pallets are used in our country every year. Calculating that plastic pallets account for half of the 40% of total pallets in developed countries, China’s demand for plastic pallets will also reach 20 million. This does not include the renewal and development growth of plastic pallets. The average annual renewal rate and growth rate of plastic pallets in the past few years is around 10%. Among them, the number of plastic pallets used in the petrochemical, tobacco, food, pharmaceutical and transportation industries has doubled. In terms of China’s plastic pallet production capacity, it will take 5-10 years to achieve a basic balance between supply and demand.
The annual production capacity of China’s plastic pallets has reached about 200,000 tons, which is doubled from 1998. Several major China’s plastic pallet manufacturers have accelerated the pace of expanding production capacity to meet the sudden market demand. At the same time, foreign plastics processing industry giants are also quietly advancing into the mainland. General Electric ( GE ) Plastics Group announced that it will move its Asia-Pacific headquarters from Tokyo to Shanghai and expand its plastics production capacity in China by more than 50%. Some foreign companies are expanding their plastics production capacity in China through joint ventures, mergers and other means.
At the Yuyao Plastic Products Exhibition that year, the total order amount of the two major China’s plastic pallet equipment manufacturers was nearly 35 million yuan, and the contract intention reached 70 million yuan. This figure means that in the near future, the China’s plastic pallet production capacity will It will double the ratio, which will also bring about fierce competition in the market.
How to use
The correct use of pallets should be to package the goods stacked on the pallets and add appropriate bundling and wrapping to facilitate mechanical loading, unloading and transportation, thereby meeting the requirements for loading, unloading, transportation and storage.
Loading weight of pallet
The load capacity of each pallet should be less than or equal to 2 tons. In order to ensure safety during transportation, the height of the center of gravity of the loaded goods should not exceed two-thirds of the width of the pallet.
How to stack pallets
Reasonably determine the way the goods are stacked on the pallet based on the type of goods, the quality of the goods carried on the pallet and the size of the pallet. The load-bearing surface area utilization rate of the pallet should generally not be less than 80%. There are the following requirements for the stacking of palletized goods:
1. Hard rectangular goods such as wooden, paper and metal containers are stacked in single or multiple layers and packed with stretch or shrink film;
2. Paper or fiber goods should be stacked in single layers and multi-layered, and sealed crosswise with strapping tape;
3. Sealed metal containers and other cylindrical goods should be stacked in single or multiple layers, and wooden cargo covers should be reinforced;
4. Paper products and textile goods that need to be protected against moisture, water, etc. should be stacked in single or multiple layers in a staggered manner, and stretch or shrink film packaged goods should add corner supports, cargo cover partitions and other reinforcement structures;
5. Fragile goods are stacked in one way or in multiple layers, and wooden support partition structures are added;
6. Metal bottle-type cylindrical containers or goods are stacked vertically in a single layer, and the cargo frame and slats are added to reinforce the structure;
7. Bags of goods are stacked in multiple layers, staggered and compacted.
Protection and reinforcement of cargo carried
After the goods carried on the pallet are fixed, if they still cannot meet the transportation requirements, you should choose protective reinforcement accessories as needed. Reinforced protective accessories are made of paper, wood, plastic, metal or other materials.
How to carry goods
The main methods for fixing goods carried on pallets include bundling, gluing, and stretch packaging, which can be used in conjunction with each other.
Benefits
1. The plastic pallet is surrounded by forks, which is very convenient to operate.
2. Plastic pallets are suitable for truck transportation, which facilitates the containerization and unit transportation of materials.
3. Plastic pallets can be stacked on top of each other in the warehouse, saving a lot of space.
4. Plastic pallets are safe, hygienic, insect-proof and do not require repair when used.
5. The anti-slip rubber matched with the plastic pallet will never slip when being transported.
6. The cost of using plastic pallets is 10-15% lower than purchasing wooden pallets at one time.
7. Plastic pallets solve the quality problem of wooden pallets.
8. High-quality plastic pallets can improve the safety of product transportation.
Recycle
Disposable plastic trays will be included in the management scope of disposable plastic lunch boxes, that is, they will be managed in accordance with the “Interim Measures for the Management of Disposable Plastic Lunch Boxes”.
Relevant departments will establish a recycling network for disposable plastic pallets and require sales units to pay recycling and disposal fees. Units that produce and sell disposable plastic pallets can organize the recycling of pallets, but they should be sent to places designated by the Municipal City Appearance and Environmental Sanitation Bureau and cannot be discarded arbitrarily.
