Palletizing cases

Saferpakers,

we're currently using MS Excel to draw pictures of our palletized cases.

I know it's a silly way to use a spreadsheet, I must apologize with Bill Gates and his staff, but it works and medium-skilled folks are able to manage it by themselves.

I was wondering whether there is a free alternative, just being able to draw quickly a bird's eye view of the palletized cases.

Enclosed a MS Excel file we currently use.
Bird_s_eye_view_of_a_pallet.xls   55.5KB   87 downloads

This is an example of a SW, which we don't need to buy: too complicated with respect to our needs and users capacity.
Pallet Manager

Can you not use the drawing tools in MS Word or PowerPoint?

Can you not use the drawing tools in MS Word or PowerPoint?

Franco: Can you draw it please ?

QC clerk: Drawing whaaaat ???? I don't know, it's too complicated. Help me please Mr. Franco, well it's better if you do it and I sit next to you and watch and learn ... hmmm.. well done Franco ! See you can do it by yourself, don't bother me asking this again.

Sorry mate do you want an example.

Have you got PowerPoint or just PP viewer.

Simon

Is this what you want?

BTW save it to your PC first if you want to open in edit mode.

Simon

Franco,

I always get the pallet configuration / drawing from the case manufacturer. All the case suppliers I have dealt with will supply a 3D and overhead view of a pallet. Give it a try - it may save you some work.

Before working as a plant manager, I worked for many years as an electrical designer/draftsman using the various versions of Autocad.

We don't have Autocad here but there is a free alternative that looks like Autocad and works, well sort of, like Autocad. There are a number of bugs but it is free. If you are familiar with Autocad it will be fairly simple.

A9CAD
http://www.a9tech.com/

Just as a little tip, if you want to draw a line a certain distance at 180 degrees from your starting point, the command for the second point of the line is:

@180<20

That will draw a line 180 degrees from the starting point at 20 inches or cm distance depending on your setup.

You could then use a program like SNAGIT and take a snapshot of the finished drawing and save that as a BMP or JPG to suck it into Word or Excel.

Another freeware CAD program

CADSTD LITE
http://www.cadstd.com/

A9CAD
http://www.a9tech.com/
Another freeware CAD program
CADSTD LITE
http://www.cadstd.com/

Thank you very much Doug, I'll try them and give you a feedback

Give it a try - it may save you some work.

Thank you Yorky, it's a good idea.

Is this what you want?

I'll try this and tell you. Thank you so much Simon.

Doug,
I tried the first one. It's OK for my knowledge of PC but too high for clerks.
I'll keep it in the secret box, very useful tool. Thank you so much.

I always get the pallet configuration / drawing from the case manufacturer.

Hi Yorky,

you're quoting me, you're giving me much responsibility .

I asked my carton supplier and the reply was OK for the carton they manufacture. They have Cape Pack SW There are also other cartons, so called agency brands, we buy and sell as such. And we need to be able to manage the drawings by ourselves. Thanks again Yorky.

I'll try this and tell you. Thank you so much Simon.

The PP files are quite easy to manage, also for my coworkers.
Thank you Simon. Franco

Doug,
I tried the first one. It's OK for my knowledge of PC but too high for clerks.
I'll keep it in the secret box, very useful tool. Thank you so much.

Franco,

You need to be at least 25% Geek to use either of those CAD programs. I think both of them are useful tools but as you say, probably not "clerk-friendly".

Doug

You need to be at least 25% Geek to use either of those CAD programs. I think both of them are useful tools but as you say, probably not "clerk-friendly".

BTW I forgot to mention that my clerks don't speak English

Franco,

I have use Cape Pack in the past and it is a very easy and powerful tool. Not only can it work out your pallet stacking configuration but it works out the % efficiency use of pallet volume. This program can easily pay for itself by helping you make most use of a pallet.

I cannot find any details about Cape Pack but have found "Superpac - 2000" which looks the same. I have attached their flyer.

you're quoting me, you're giving me much responsibility .

You are so good at expressing yourself that I have to quote ,

cheers