New reusable pallet is automation-friendly

A pallet is a pallet is a pallet. As long as it’s rectangular, 40 inches by 48 inches in size, and has space for lift truck forks to fit underneath, it’s usable anywhere in the DC, right?

Wrong. Gone are the days when the only place you’d find a pallet was on a rack, a warehouse floor, a forklift, or a truck trailer. Today that same pallet might also need to fit on conveyors, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and other automated equipment.

That’s why Wisconsin-based Orbis has launched a reusable plastic pallet specifically designed to provide repeatable performance with automated equipment. Known as the 40x48 Odyssey Low Profile pallet, the new design has a lower height than previous models (5.6 inches compared to 6 inches) and ergonomic handholds for manual handling, as well as structural features like steel reinforcements and molded-in frictional elements that minimize load shifting. The plastic pallet also offers smooth surfaces that are free of the nails and splinters seen in wooden pallets, which can potentially damage or slow automated equipment.