In March 2004, after two and a half years in development, AAS began molding its first product, the industry standard 48" X 40" pallet weighing only 30 pounds.
ABOUT US
Advanced Applied Structures, Inc. was formed in 2001 to develop a new load bearing structural technology for use in the shipping pallet industry. The company's first commercial goal was to implement this technology into an affordable lightweight plastic pallet that was both strong and durable.
In March 2004, after two and a half years in development, AAS began molding its first product, the industry standard 48" X 40" pallet weighing only 30 pounds.
From the initial pallet design to the final commercial product, AAS needed to solve numerous technical challenges. Along the way, the company developed new techniques in mold design, molding, and machining processes.
With the success of the company's first product, AAS is now pursuing additional opportunities to improve the design of a wide range of shipping pallets and other load bearing structures.
ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY
The pallet's patented load bearing deck was designed by combining two well known structural elements: the arch and the honeycomb. First, a series of arches create an open hemisphere. Each arch within an open hemisphere is intersected by an adjoining arch from an adjoining open hemisphere to provide necessary buttressing. The open hemispheres are then situated in an efficient honeycomb pattern within the pallet deck. Further structural rib elements are added to provide additional strength and reduce deflection.
The structural design accomplishes several important goals. The first is to reduce the weight of the pallet while maintaining sufficient strength to support required loads. Reducing the weight reduces the cost of the pallet as well as making it easier to handle and less costly to ship. Second, the arch/honeycomb design makes it possible to mold a complex truss system as on one solid unit. As a further benefit, the structure provides a 75% open pallet deck for water drainage and air flow.
In addition to its functional benefits, the structural design is quite attractive, making this pallet ideal for both indoor and outdoor product display.
