Profession wood pallet maker

Wood pallet makers create wood pallets for use in storage, shipping and manipulation of goods. Pallet makers operate a machine that takes in usually low-grade softwood planks treated with heat or chemicals and nails them together. The material and shape of the pallets, the treatment methods, and the number and pattern of nails used are all highly standardised to make exchange of used pallets possible.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

• Quality standards

  The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

• Types of pallets

  The structure, properties and use of the two main types of pallets: stringer and block pallets.

• Pallet dimensions

  The standardization and regulation of the different dimensions of pallets, such as ISO pallets, North American pallets or European pallets.

Skills

• Remove inadequate workpieces

  Evaluate which deficient processed workpieces do not meet the set-up standard and should be removed and sort the waste according to regulations.

• Work safely with machines

  Check and safely operate machines and equipment required for your work according to manuals and instructions.

• Operate forklift

  Operate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.

• Dispose of cutting waste material

  Dispose of possibly hazardous waste material created in the cutting process, such as swarf, scrap and slugs, sort according to regulations, and clean up workplace.

• Troubleshoot

  Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.

• Supply machine

  Ensure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.

• Perform test run

  Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.

• Wear appropriate protective gear

  Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.

• Set up the controller of a machine

  Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.

• Monitor automated machines

  Continuously check up on the automated machine's set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment in order to identify abnormalities.

• Remove processed workpiece

  Remove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.

• Ensure conformity to specifications

  Ensure that the assembled products are conform to the specifications given.

• Monitor conveyor belt

  Monitor the flow of the work pieces on the conveyor belt as they are processed by the machine to ensure optimal productivity.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB