Glossary of Terms
Click on any term below to see its definition.
Annular Nail – Pallet nail with annular (circular ring) threads rolled onto the shank
Block – Rectangular, square or cylindrical deck spacer, often identified by its location within the pallet as corner block, end block, edge block, inner block, center or middle blocks
Block Pallet – A type of pallet with blocks between the pallet decks or beneath the top deck
Butted Deckboard – An inner deckboard placed tightly against an adjacent lead deckboard during pallet assembly
Bottom Deck – Assembly of deckboards comprising the lower, load bearing surface of the pallet
CAD – Computer-aided-design software that allows the design of the “right” pallet at the best value; see Pallet Design System (PDS)
Chamfered Deckboards – Deckboards with edges of one or two faces beveled, either along the full or specified length of board or between the stringers of blocks, allowing easier entry of pallet jack wheels
Cost-Per-Trip – Average cost of pallet use for a single one-way trip
Deck – One or more boards or panels comprising the top or bottom surface of the pallet
Deckboard – Element or component of a pallet deck, oriented perpendicular to the stringer or stringerboard
Deckboard Spacing – Distance between adjacent deckboards
Deckboard Span – Distance between deckboard supports (stringers, stringerboards or blocks)
Deflection – The amount of deformation or bending in a pallet or pallet component under load
Dimensions – See Pallet Dimensions
Double-Face Pallet – A pallet with top and bottom decks
Double-Wing Pallet – A pallet with top and bottom deckboards extending beyond the edges of the stringers or stringerboards
Drive Screw Nail – Helically (continuous spiral) threaded pallet nail
Economic Life – Output from PDS program which identifies the number of trips the pallet will make, provided it is properly repaired, which maximizes a return on investment
Fastener – A mechanical device for joining pallet components such as nails, staples, bolts or screws
Flush Pallet – A pallet with deckboards flush with the stringers, stringer-boards or blocks along the sides of the pallet
Fork Entry – Opening between decks, beneath the top deck or beneath the stringer notch to admit forks
Four-Way Block Pallet – A pallet with openings at both pallet ends and along pallet sides sufficient to admit hand-pallet jacks; full four-way entry pallet
Free Span – The distance between supports in a warehouse rack
Hand (Wheel) Jack Opening – Space provided in the bottom deck to allow pallet jack wheels to bear on the floor
Hardwood – Wood from broad-leaved species of trees (not necessarily hard or dense)
Helical Nail – Helically (continuous spiral) threaded pallet nail, see also Drive Screw Nail
Inner Deckboard – Any deckboard located between the end deckboards
Length – Refers to the stringer or stringerboard (in block pallets) length; also refers to the first dimension given to describe a pallet i.e., 48″ x 40″, where 48″ is the pallet stringer/stringerboard length
Life To First Repair – Output from PDS program which is equivalent to the number of trips the pallet will last before needing repair
Line Load – The weight of a unit load concentrated along a narrow area across the full length or width of the pallet]
MIBANT Angle – The bend angle in a fastener shank when subjected to a MIBANT test]
MIBANT Test (Morgan Impact Bend Angle Nail Tester) – Standard impact nail tester used in the pallet and lumber industry as an indication of impact bend resistance of nails or staples
Nail – Fastener made from endless wire by cutting a point and forming a head at the shank end opposite the point
Non-Reversible Pallet – A pallet with bottom deckboard configuration different from top deck
Notch – Cutout in lower portion of the stringer to allow entry for the fork tine, usually 9″ in length, 1 1/2″ in depth
Notched Stringer – A stringer with two notches spaced for fork-tine entry, (partial four-way entry)
Overall Height – The vertical distance measured from the floor to the top side of the top deck
Overhang – The distance the deck extends from the outer edge of the stringer or stringerboard; wing; lip; distance the unit load extends beyond the deck
Pallet – A portable, horizontal, rigid platform used as a base for assembling, storing, stacking, handling and transporting goods as a unit load, often equipped with a superstructure
Pallet Design System (PDS) – Reliability-based computer-aided design (CAD) program, for determining the safe load carrying capacity, performance, life and economy of wooden pallets
Pallet Dimensions – When specifying pallet size, the stringer or stringerboard (block pallet) length is always expressed first; for example, a 48″ x 40″ pallet has a 48″ stringer or stringerboard and 40″ deckboards
Pallet Jack – Hand-propelled wheeled platform, equipped with a lifting device for moving palletized unit loads
Pallet Life – The period during which the pallet remains useful, expressed in units of time or in the number of one-way trips
Panel Deck Pallet – Pallet constructed with composite or structural panel top deck
Partial Four-Way Stringer Pallet – A pallet with notched stringers
Quality – Consistent performance of a uniform product meeting the customer’s needs for economy and function
Racked Across Deckboards – Output from PDS program describing the maximum load carrying capacity and deflection of a pallet where the rack frame supports the pallet only at the ends of the deckboards
Racked Across Stringers – Output from the PDS program describing the maximum load carrying capacity and deflection of a pallet where the rack frame supports the pallet only at the ends of the stringers or stringer boards
Repair – To remake in order to use again
Recycling – A pallet, container or reel that has been used, discarded, salvaged, repaired and which passes through a cycle again
Rental Pallet – A pallet owned by a third party, different from the actual pallet user
Returnable/Reusable Pallet – A pallet designed to be used for more than one trip
Reversible Pallet – A pallet with identical top and bottom decks
Single-Wing Pallet – A pallet with the top deckboards extending beyond the edges of the stringers or stringer-boards with the bottom deckboards flush (if present)
Skid – A pallet having no bottom deck
Softwood – Wood from coniferous or needle-bearing trees (not necessarily soft or low density)
Solid Deck Pallet – A pallet constructed with no spacing between deckboards
Span – The distance between stringer or block supports]
Strapping – Thin flat bands used to secure load to pallet
Stringer – Continuous, longitudinal, solid or notched beam-component of the pallet used to support deck components, often identified by location as the outside or center stringer
Stringerboard – In block pallets, continuous, solid board member extending for the full length of the pallet perpendicular to deckboard members and placed between deckboards and blocks
Trip – Consists of four to six handlings of a pallet]
