Third-angle projection
Third-angle projection is the orthographic drawing convention used in the United States, in which each view is placed on the side of the object it shows: the top view above the front view and the right-side view to its right. Pallet drawings use it to lay out the top, bottom, side and end views.
Also called third angle projection, 3rd angle projection
Reviewed
How the views are arranged
| View | Position in third-angle |
|---|---|
| Front (usually the pallet side, along the stringers) | reference view |
| Top | above the front view |
| Right side (the pallet end) | to the right of the front view |
| Bottom | below the front view |
A title-block symbol (a truncated cone shown in two views) tells the reader which projection is used. First-angle projection, common in Europe, places views on the opposite sides, so reading a drawing with the wrong convention in mind swaps the views.
What each pallet view shows
- Top view: deckboard widths and every gap (3.25 in on a GMA-style 48x40)
- Bottom view: bottom board positions and openings over the notches
- Side view: overall length, board positions and notch dimensions (6 / 9 / 18 / 9 / 6 in on a GMA-style stringer)
- End view: overall width, overall height and stringer spacing
palletdesign.ai produces a to-scale third-angle drawing with a title block for every design. See how to read a pallet drawing.
Questions
- Is third-angle or first-angle projection used for pallet drawings?
- In North America, third-angle is the norm. European drawings often use first-angle, so check the projection symbol in the title block.
Related
- Title blockA title block is the boxed area on a technical drawing that identifies it: drawing number, revision, date, scale, units, customer and pallet part number.
- 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.
- Overall heightOverall height is the total height of a pallet from floor to top deck. A GMA-style 48x40 is 4.75 in: 5/8 in top deck + 3-1/2 in stringer + 5/8 in bottom deck.
- Pallet dimensions explained: length, width and heightPallet dimensions are stated length x width, with length being the stringer direction. Learn how height, actual vs nominal sizes and metric sizes work.
- Top deckThe top deck is the load-carrying surface of a pallet: the top deckboards or panel fastened to the stringers or blocks. A GMA 48x40 has 7 top boards.
- Two-way entryA two-way entry pallet takes fork tines from two opposite ends only. An unnotched stringer pallet is two-way: the forks go between the stringers.