Pallet Rules and How to Configure

Overview

A pallet is a flat platform used to hold and move boxes and other goods. In Cube-IQ, a pallet is treated as one type of container. Pallet Rules tell Cube-IQ how to stack products on a pallet. This article explains what pallet rules are and how to set them.

Requirements

1. Any licensed and supported version of Cube-IQ.

Product Information

How to Set Pallet Rules

1. Open the Container Detail View for the pallet you want to change.

2. In the Data tab, set the container type to Pallet. This makes the Pallet Rules tab appear.

   

    

3. Click the Pallet Rules tab to see and edit the rules.

Explanation of Pallet Rules

As shown in the pictures above, the Pallet Rules tab is divided into these three sections.

1. Layers (Load Layers)

Check this box if you wish for the pallet to be loaded in layers.

The following settings are only applicable if the Load Layers box is checked:

1. Minimum Layer Footprint
   1. Sets the minimum amount of space a layer must cover over the layer beneath it.
   2. If Cube-IQ cannot create a layer large enough to cover the minimum footprint, no layer will be created.
2. Spread Units
   1. Check this box to leave more space between products, so that each layer covers the largest possible amount of available surface area.
3. Mixed Layers
   1. Check this box if you wish to allow the optimizer to mix multiple different products in the same layer.
4. Rotate Layers
   1. Check this box to rotate every second layer by 180° to make the stack stronger.
   2. This feature only works if the Spread Products box is also checked.
5. Complete Layers Only
   1. This option disallows incomplete layers.
   2. Example: If a layer holds 10 units, and there are 14 units to load , the optimizer will make one layer of ten, and leave the remaining four units unloaded which will need to be placed on another pallet.
6. Stacking Within Layers Allowed
   1. This option allows products to be stacked on top of each other inside a layer.

2. Maximum Overhang (per side)

1. This setting specifies how much of the pallet's length or width refers to an area hanging over the side of the pallet.
2. Example: If the actual pallet width is 90 cm, but you wish to allow 5 cm of overhang on each side, you should define it as 100 cm wide (5cm on left + 90 cm width + 5 cm on the right) and set Maximum Overhang in Width Direction to 5 cm. 
3. Even though the pallet width is 100 cm, the optimizer will know that the first and last 5 cm are overhang.
4. Set to 0 or leave blank if no overhang is allowed.

3. Rules

1. Check Center Load to center the load on the Pallet, in both length and width direction. 
   1. If overhang is allowed, the Load will always be centered, as this minimizes the use of overhang.
2. Check Not turnable in stage 2 if the loaded pallet is meant to go into another container in the second stage, and you wish to restrict the optimizer from changing the pallet's orientation.

Assistance

If any further assistance is needed, please contact our Support team.

Related Articles

Introduction to Cube-IQ

How to Create a Container

How to allow overhang on a container