Bill of materials
A pallet bill of materials (BOM) is the list of every component in one pallet, with its size, material and quantity: deckboards, stringers or blocks, stringerboards and fasteners. A GMA-style 48x40 BOM lists 15 wood parts (7 top boards, 5 bottom boards, 3 stringers) and 84 nails, about 13.5 board feet in all.
Also called BOM, parts list, materials list
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Example BOM: GMA-style 48x40 stringer pallet
| Part | Qty | Size (in) | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top lead board | 2 | 5/8 x 5-1/2 x 40 | mixed hardwood |
| Top interior board | 5 | 5/8 x 3-1/2 x 40 | mixed hardwood |
| Bottom lead board | 2 | 5/8 x 5-1/2 x 40 | mixed hardwood |
| Bottom interior board | 3 | 5/8 x 3-1/2 x 40 | mixed hardwood |
| Stringer, notched | 3 | 1-3/8 x 3-1/2 x 48 | mixed hardwood |
| Nail, 2-1/4 x 0.112 helical | 84 | steel |
Total: 13.5 board feet, about 59 lb green.
What a BOM is used for
- Costing: board feet x lumber price per MBF, plus nails, labor and treatment
- Purchasing: the cut list multiplies the BOM by the order quantity
- ERP: PDS can export a BOM as PDS XML for pallet ERP systems
BOM vs spec sheet
The BOM lists parts; the spec sheet adds classification, lumber grade, fastener details, treatments and drawings. palletdesign.ai generates the BOM, cut list, nail count, weight and cost estimate from the same design, so they always match. See board foot and pallet cost.
Questions
- What is included in a pallet BOM?
- Every deckboard, stringer or block, stringerboard and fastener, with size, material and quantity per pallet.
Related
- Cut listA pallet cut list gives the pieces of each size needed for an order: parts per pallet x pallets. 1,000 GMA pallets need 8,000 boards at 5/8 x 3-1/2 x 40 in.
- Board footA board foot is 144 cubic inches of wood: thickness x width x length in inches divided by 144. A GMA-style 48x40 pallet uses about 13.5 board feet.
- What does a wood pallet cost? The cost drivers explainedWhat drives wood pallet cost: board feet, species, grade, drying and heat treatment, nails, labor and volume, and how to estimate cost from a parts list.
- How to read a pallet drawingHow to read a pallet drawing: top, front and side views, dimension chains, nail dots, hidden lines, the title block and parts list, with a 48x40 example.
- BlockA pallet block is a spacer between the decks of a block pallet, usually 9 in a 3x3 grid. EPAL 1 blocks are 145 x 100 x 78 and 145 x 145 x 78 mm.
- Block classBlock class is the pallet class whose top deck sits on blocks, usually 9, joined by stringerboards. EPAL and 48x40 pooled pallets are block class.