Safe Pallet Flow for Plastic Pallets - What To Do with Broken Pallets | Mallard Manufacturing

The focus of an efficient pallet flow lane is the pallet-to-surface contact. Plastic pod foot pallets have less bottom surface area, so providing ample flow rail to maximize the contact area is essential. Full roller pallet flow does the trick. However, plastic on galvanized rollers can cause a bit of surfing --and not the fun kind, so we recommend integrating Ultra-Grip rollers into the lane to control pallet velocity. Watch the Mallard team tackle plastic pallet loads and compromised pallets on pallet flow.

Learn more about pallet flow rack: https://mallardmfg.com/full-split-roller-pallet-flow-rack/
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Go to the complete blog: https://mallardmfg.com/plastic-pallets-make-a-run-for-it-on-full-roller-pallet-flow/
Read the blog excerpt below:

Plastic Pallets Make a Run for It on Full Roller Pallet Flow

Global healthcare companies take on a lot of responsibility to keep people safe; for our small part, we are here to help! Using plastic pod pallets in their manufacturing facilities makes a lot of sense. They are lightweight, stackable, washdown-friendly, and perform well on full roller pallet flow when intact. However, broken pallets, whether plastic, wood, or otherwise, can be unreliable and cause safety issues.

Let’s look at building a safe pallet flow lane for plastic pallets… and review a few essential training tips, so your team knows what to look out for and what to do if they encounter a pallet flow issue.

Ultra-Grip rollers have a rubber-coated surface, increasing the friction between the rollers and pallets to slow them down. We pair our Ultra-Grip rollers with an undermount speed controller to work as a one-two braking mechanism. Take a look at how the Ultra-Grip rollers on full roller pallet flow handle these plastic pallet loads.

Pallet Flow Hang-Ups -- Why They Happen & What to Do About It

The test results were positive overall --meaning that the pallets flowed consistently and safely. Where we saw either a pallet flowing too quickly or hanging up, it was due to poor condition pallets. This is often the cause, though pesky plastic wrap and debris can also interfere with pallet flow wheels and rollers. Also, because plastic pallets are pliable, they can conform to the rollers when left sitting in the lane for a time, and this will cause them to need a little push to restart the flowing process.

A Little Push -- A.K.A. Pallet Flow Plugging

When a pallet gets hung up in the lane, meaning the pallet stops during flow or fails to restart after sitting, we suggest using one of these two quick remedies.

Plugging the pallet flow lane - At the extraction side of the lane, the forklift secures the pallet and then gently uses it to push back and bump the rear pallet. This little pushback is usually all that is needed to restart the flow.

Load another pallet - At the load side, simply load a new pallet. It should release the hung-up pallet as it impacts it in the lane.

Be on the Lookout for Poor Condition Pallets

In addition to possible hang-ups in the lane, pallets in poor condition can cause a safety concern in your flow lane. The bolt-on ramp stop at the end of the pallet flow lane help bring the pallets to a safe stop and contain them there until extracted by a forklift. However, if pallet damage is significant enough that the raised stops can’t engage the underside of the pallet, you could have a significant safety issue on your hands.

We recommend training forklift operators, dock personnel, etc., to look for broken pallets as an overall warehouse safety concern. Whether in a flow lane, on a forklift, or pallet jack, the pallet strength and capacity rating are based on the structural integrity of the pallet; when that is compromised, so is the pallet's ability to contain the load.

Check out our extensive YouTube video library for more pallet flow testing scenarios. Subscribe to our channel to be notified as we post new videos.
Be sure to call our gravity flow experts for advice on creative, energy-efficient ways to solve your warehousing challenges.

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