CPULD faculty and students have had nine articles published so far during 2021-2022
Image 1. Industry journals with CPULD written articles.
CPULD is excited to announce that our graduate students have gotten nine articles published in peer-reviewed industry journals over the last year and a half! The journals that our students have published in encompass the best journals related to packaging distribution and include Applied Science and Packaging Technology and Science. Disseminating research findings in international peer-reviewed journals is a great experience for our graduate students. “Our students learn how to cohesively but concisely explain the results of their experiments and the methods that were used for obtain them” said our director, Dr. Horvath. “It is also a great opportunity to our graduate students to get name recognition from the international packaging community.”
Below you will find the summaries and the links to CPULD’s published articles.
Written by Mary Paz Alvarez, Laszlo Horvath, John Bouldin, and Farhad Shahabi
Journal: Packaging Technology and Science, 2021, Volume 34, Issue 7, Pages 423-434
Abstract snippet: Although pails are an essential packaging solution used to transport smaller amounts of liquids (1–40 L), there is a lack of understanding about the effect of load bridging on unit loads of pails. The objective of this research was to understand the differences in pallet bending and pressure distribution across the top of the pallet when pallets are loaded with plastic pails compared with a flexible airbag. The results revealed that pallets deflect 32%–89% less when loaded with plastic pails. The load predominantly distributes down the bottom perimeter of the pail, indicating that the design of the bottom of the pail could have a major effect on pallet performance. The effect of plastic pails was dependent on pallet design, indicating that the stiffness of a pallet could have a major effect on load bridging experienced by plastic pails.
Measurement and analysis of industrial forklifts vibration levels for unit load testing purposes.
Written by Yu Yang Huang, Laszlo Horvath, and Peter Borocz
Journal: Applied Sciences, 2021, Volume11, Issue 7, Page 2901
Abstract snippet: Forklifts are one of the most common types of material handling equipment used in warehouses and distribution centers. Vibration generated by forklifts may have an effect on the performance of unit loads and product damage rates. Historical research projects have focused predominantly on the measurement of vibration for over-the-road transportation. Thus, there is still a lack of understanding of the level of vibration caused by forklifts. The goal of this study was to understand how the vibration that is experienced by unit loads while being transported by forklifts is affected by factors such as speed, road condition, unit load weight, type of forklift, and sensor location. For this study, power spectral density (PSD) measurements were collected using a Lansmont Saver 9X30 data logger. Vibration levels were measured for three different industrial forklifts on two different surface types. The forklifts were driven at two different speeds while carrying two different unit load weights. For all of these conditions, the vibration levels were measured at the forklift carriage, at the back of the fork tine heel, and at the fork tine tips.
Written by Eduardo Molina, Laszlo Horvath, and Robert West
Journal: Applied Sciences, 2021, Volume 11, Issue 7, Page 3029
Abstract snippet: Current pallet design methodology frequently underestimates the load capacity of the pallet by assuming the payload is uniformly distributed and flexible. By considering the effect of payload characteristics and their interactions during pallet design, the structure of the pallets can be optimized, and raw material consumption reduced. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a finite element model capable of simulating the bending of a generic pallet while supporting a payload made of corrugated boxes and stored on a warehouse load beam rack. The model was generalized in order to maximize its applicability in unit load design. Using a two-dimensional, nonlinear, implicit dynamic model, it allowed for the evaluation of the effect of different payload configurations on the pallet bending response. The model accurately predicted the deflection of the pallet segment and the movement of the packages for a unit load segment with three or four columns of boxes supported in a warehouse rack support. Further refinement of the model would be required to predict the behavior of unit loads carrying larger boxes. The model presented provides an efficient solution to the study of the affecting factors to ultimately optimize pallet design. Such a model has not been previously developed. The model successfully acts as a tool to study and predict the load bridging performance of unit loads requiring only widely available input data, therefore providing a general solution.
Written by Eduardo Molina and Laszlo Horvath
Journal: Applied Sciences, 2021, Volume 11, Issue 24, Page 11,865
Abstract snippet: The objective of this study was to develop a full description of how payload characteristics affect load bridging on unit loads of stacked corrugated boxes on warehouse racking support. To achieve this goal, the authors expanded on a previously developed finite element model of a simplified unit load segment and conducted a study to screen for the significant factors and interactions. Subsequently, a Gaussian process (GP) regression model was developed to efficiently and accurately replicate the simulation model. Using this GP model, a quantification of the effects and interactions of all the identified significant factors was provided. With this information, packaging designers and researchers can engineer unit loads that consider the effect of the relevant design variables and their impact on pallet performance. Such a model has not been previously developed and can potentially reduce packaging materials’ costs.
Written by Saewhan Kim, Laszlo Horvath, Jennifer Russell, and Jonghun Park
Journal: Materials, 2021, Volume 12, Issue 21, Page 6613
Abstract snippet: Unit loads consisting of a pallet, packages, and a product securement system are the dominant way of shipping products across the United States. The most common packaging types used in unit loads are corrugated boxes. Due to the great stresses created during unit load stacking, accurately predicting the compression strength of corrugated boxes is critical to preventing unit load failure. Although many variables affect the compression strength of corrugated boxes, recently, it was found that changing the pallet’s top deck stiffness can significantly affect compression strength. However, there is still a lack of understanding of how these different factors influence this phenomenon. This study investigated the effect of pallet’s top-deck stiffness on corrugated box compression strength as a function of initial top deck thickness, pallet wood species, box size, and board grade. It found that, for a company using lower stiffness pallets or heavy corrugated boxes for their unit loads, this study suggests that they will find more opportunities to optimize their unit loads by increasing their pallet’s top deck thickness.
An investigation of wood pallets landfilled and recovered at US municipal solid waste facilities.
Written by Zachary Shiner, Laszlo Horvath, Phillip Araman, and Brad Gething
Journal: BioResources, 2021, Volume 16, Issue 1, Pages 1496-1522
Abstract snippet: The purpose of this research was to investigate the total number of pallets that end up in landfills in the United States as well as to gain a better understanding of the overall waste stream. The results indicated that an estimated 249 million tons of MSW was received at landfills nationwide. This was an increase from the 239 million tons of MSW in 1998. Only 13.1 million pallets were landfilled in 2016, which was over a 90% decrease from the 138 million pallets landfilled in 1998. At the same time, approximately 15.9 million pallets were recovered, repurposed, or reused at the surveyed MSW facilities, which was a decrease from the 22 million pallets recovered in 1998. The results of this research indicate that fewer pallets are making their way to landfills, and a greater proportion of pallets reaching MSW facilities are being recovered.
Vertical random vibration test spectrum to simulate the forklift handling environment.
Written by Peter Borocz, Laslo Horvath, and Yu Yang Huang
Journal: ASTM Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 2021, Volume 50, Issue 2
Abstract snippet: Analyzing and measuring the vibration environment during distribution is fundamental to understanding and simulating the ability of a packaged-product system to avoid any damages from transportation hazards. During distribution, various vehicles, including forklifts, are used to perform shipping and handling tasks such as loading, unloading, and warehouse organizing processes. The aim of this paper was to provide an understanding of the average vibration levels that occur during handling so they can be used in pre-shipment testing. Various forklifts were observed, measured, and analyzed to obtain information about their average vibration levels while performing recommended tests. The measured acceleration-time data were analyzed in terms of power spectral densities (PSD) and presented with statistical data that provided an understanding of the variability of intensity.
Written by Nicolas Navarro, Laszlo Horvath, and Alejandro Salado
Journal: Systems, 2022, Volume 10, Issue 1, Page 4
Abstract snippet: In recent years, Internet-of-Things technology (IoT) has been the subject of research in diverse fields of applications. IoT plays an essential role in transitioning enterprises towards a more interconnected paradigm of manufacturing, logistics, services, and business, known as Industry 4.0. This paper presents an operational concept for a system that implements IoT technology in pallets, which are used to move products along supply chains. These sensors will help us gain insight into the conditions experienced by products and unit loads. Having this capability will allow us to obtain the information necessary for better control of product distribution along the supply chain, and to design packaging that is more efficient and effective in protecting products during distribution. In this paper, we show how Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) can be leveraged to create models that capture the required system behaviors, and we address the complexity of an IoT system within the domain of packaging and logistics applications.
Effect of wooden pallets characteristics on the compression strength of palletized plastic pails.
Written by Mary Paz Alvarez and Laszlo Horvath
Journal: Packaging Technology and Science, 2022, June 15th
Abstract snippet: The objective of this study was to understand how plastic pails are affected by the pallet's top deckboard thickness and the effect of the pail's location on the pallet. The first phase of testing investigated the pail location effect in five different locations on a small-scale pallet segment. The second phase further investigated the two locations that had the best and worst performances in terms of pail strength. One additional location was chosen based on a previous study on corrugated boxes. It was found that the pallet's top deckboard thickness and the location of the pail both had significant impacts on pail deformation, pallet deflection, and pail compression strength. This study also indicated that symmetrical and asymmetrical loading created different trends when comparing pail deformation, pallet deformation, and pail compression strength. It was found that the thickness of the deckboards is relevant when investigating pail failure but the experiments were unable to find a consistent trend between pallet deflection and pail failure load. These factors can all be taken into account by unit load designers in order to create safe and sustainable pallets.