Southern Research Station

Title: Hardwood pallet cant quality and pallet part yields

Author: Mitchell, Hal L.; White, Marshall; Araman, Philip; Hamner, Peter

Date: 2005

Source: Forest Products Journal, Vol. 55(12): 233-238

Description: Raw materials are the largest cost component in pallet manufacturing. The primary raw material used to produce pallet parts are pallet cants. Therefore, pallet cant quality directly impacts pallet part processing and material costs. By knowing the quality of the cants being processed, pallet manufacturers can predict these costs and improve manufacturing efficiency. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate hardwood cant grading rules for use by pallet manufacturers and suppliers. Yield studies were necessary to accurately quantify the relationship between pallet part yield and cant quality. Twenty-eight yield studies were conducted throughout the Eastern United States at pallet mills producing parts from hardwood cants. Three preliminary pallet cant grades were used to segregate the cants according to the volume of unsound wood. A total of 47,258 board feet of hardwood cants were graded and processed into pallet parts. Pallet part yield and yield losses were determined for each preliminary cant grade. The average pallet part yield from the preliminary cant Grades 1,2, and 3 were 83,77, and 47 percent, respectively. Yield losses attributed to unsound defects were 2,8, and 39 percent for preliminary Grades 1,2, and 3, respectively. It was shown that although the grade rules produced statistically different quality divisions between grades, a more practical approach is to establish a single minimum cant quality based on yield and an economic assessment of cant and pallet part value. A new cant grading procedure is proposed specifying a single cant grade permitting up to one-third (33%) unsound volume.

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Citation

Mitchell, Hal L.; White, Marshall; Araman, Philip; Hamner, Peter  2005.  Hardwood pallet cant quality and pallet part yields.   Forest Products Journal, Vol. 55(12): 233-238