Plastic Shipping Package Redesign

In addition to the E-Pallet, which Metis Design redesigned for weight and cost savings, MDC has been involved with several other shipping related projects. One such project, for the Menasha Packaging Company LLC, leveraged MDC's experience in fiber reinforced plastic design and structural analysis for a multi-stage design initiative. The goal of the project was to replace an existing wooden pallet and package for a specific product. Since switching to plastic would have higher initial costs (though lower amortized costs and increased reusability), Menasha wanted to give their client two package options.

The first package was a no-frills plastic substitute for the existing wooden pallet. The remainder of the package (wooden corner posts and corrugated cardboard walls) would remain the same. This low-end pallet was designed to be recycled by the end-user. MDC's engineers used SolidWorks to first model the pallet, using the existing wooden pallet structure as a guide. Next, an FE analysis was performed, using MSC.Nastran, to determine where additional supports were necessary and where surplus material could be removed. The result was an easy to manufacture plastic pallet that had the ability to support a 500 lb load while only weighing 25 lbs.

The second option was a complete, high-end package. Additional features were integrated into the pallet design to improve the aesthetics and increase functionality. This more complex pallet was designed to be reused by either the end-user or the supplier. Along with the pallet, MDC also designed steel uprights and plastic corner supports to make the overall package more robust. The complete package was designed to stack six high and to be carried in pairs on a forklift truck. As with the simple pallet design, MDC optimized the weight and geometry of the various components by iterating between CAD and FEA models. One of the most challenging aspects of this project was to design an assembly that was robust, cost effective, easy to manufacture and could be assembled on an existing packaging line.

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