Top 10 causes of unstable pallets (and how a palletizing machine prevents them)

You know the feeling. A truck driver opens the doors and the load is scattered throughout the vehicle. Damaged products, delays and frustrated customers are the immediate result. An unstable load simply costs your company a lot of time and money. Fortunately, this problem can be well prevented with the right approach.

Human errors in manual stacking

Manual stacking is heavy and repetitive work for your employees. Fatigue quickly leads to carelessness on the busy shop floor. This is often where the first problems with stability arise. Pay particular attention to these common causes:

• Incorrect stacking patterns due to a lack of focus or concentration.
• Products that protrude too far beyond the edge of the pallet.
• An uneven distribution of weight on the pallet.

Incorrect packaging materials and methods

Besides the stacking, much often goes wrong with the packaging. Using unsuitable materials makes the load directly vulnerable. The wrapping method also plays a major role. Therefore avoid the following pitfalls in your process:

• Using too little or too much stretch film when sealing.
• Film with insufficient stretch or a completely wrong thickness.
• The absence of anti-slip sheets between smooth bags or boxes.

Product and environmental factors

Sometimes the problem lies with the product itself or the environment. Air in bags, for example, creates a very unstable base. External factors also influence the stability of your valuable load. Take these four important causes into account:

• Bags that contain too much air and therefore start to bulge.
• Moist conditions that quickly weaken cardboard or paper bags.
• Different product formats placed inconveniently on one pallet.
• Vibrations during transport that gradually cause the load to shift.

How a palletizing machine guarantees stability

An automatic palletizing machine eliminates all these human and technical risks. The machine always works with extreme precision and consistent quality. Votech designs systems that stack your products perfectly and with overlap. This creates a rock-solid foundation for every safe transport.

Frequently asked questions about unstable pallets

Why is a good stacking pattern so important?

An overlapping pattern distributes the pressure evenly across the entire load. This prevents bags or boxes from shifting during transport. An automatic palletizing system always calculates and places this pattern flawlessly.

How do I remove excess air from my bags?

Air makes bags bulge and therefore very difficult to stack. You can use special de-aeration systems or perforated bags for your product. Our machines also press the bags flat before stacking.

What is the advantage of stretch hooding compared to wrapping?

A stretch hood provides stability in all directions, including vertically. It also fully protects your products against external weather influences. This results in less transport damage and a much neater presentation.

Conclusion

With the right automation, unstable loads will definitively become a thing of the past. You save costs directly, reduce damage and increase safety. Do you want to optimise your packaging process with a reliable total solutions provider? Contact Votech today for a personal consultation.