Erin Wolter

Biography:

Erin Wolter

Research Abstract:

Pallets are ubiquitous in the supply chain with over 2.6 billion in circulation in the United States alone. Although often overlooked, pallets can become costly for a company if not designed correctly for their specific supply chain. Durability is an essential characteristic of pallets; it defines the expected life of the pallet in the supply chain.

Forklifts are the dominant mode of material handling for palletized products, and they are responsible for the majority of damages experienced by pallets. Despite the prominence of forklifts in the supply chain and their importance to pallet design, there is a lack of research focusing on this interaction between forklifts and pallets.

The objective of this research is to continue investigating the intensity and types of impacts that forklifts exert on pallets during material handling. The results of this study will be used to update the durability testing procedures used in pallet testing standards in order to better represent current material handling processes found in supply chains.