How many case sizes should one mixed case order fulfilment pallet carry?

Answer: Three or less. Beyond three, every layer needs its own calculation; with more sizes, divide the deck.

Why is the height ceiling 1600 mm?

Answer: Box vans measure 1750 to 1800 mm inside, and 150 mm stays free for fork entry and bounce. Past that, top cases rub the door frame.

Can large and small cases stack vertically?

Answer: Yes, large below and small above, with no small case bridging a seam. A bridge over 50 mm needs a slip sheet.

Should a mixed case order fulfilment pallet be split by order?

Answer: Split on any of three triggers: over 8 lines, under 3 pieces a line, more than 3 sizes. An empty truck position has no replacement.

What must be checked before film goes on?

Answer: Pieces, gross weight and sequence. Sum the lines, weigh three cases within 2 percent, write 2-1 and 2-2, then release.

Mixed Case Order Fulfilment: Pallet Layout for Multi-SKU Loads

Quick answer: Mixed case order fulfilment starts as a drawing of one pallet: divide the usable deck into cases per layer, assign layers by weight from the bottom up, then cap the build by height and weight. One sheet carries positions and piece counts.

Start With the Pallet Footprint
Centre of Gravity and Load Transfer
Splitting a Pallet by Order Line
Height and Weight Ceilings
Slip Sheets, Strapping and Piece Count
FAQ

1. Start With the Pallet Footprint

Mixed case order fulfilment starts with division, not lifting. A 1200 by 1000 mm pallet is 1.2 m², but 30 to 50 mm of rim belongs to film and strapping, leaving 1.1 m². A 600 by 400 mm carton fits four to a layer; the 200 mm strip takes two narrow cases.

The quotient sets the tiers: a 250 mm carton on a 150 mm pallet reaches 1150 mm in four tiers, 450 mm under a 1600 mm ceiling. Without a slip sheet a fifth tier dents the lids within 24 hours. Below 85 percent deck use, rotate 90 degrees and rerun the division.

Deck (mm)	Carton base	Per layer	Tiers	Fits
1200×1000	600×400	4	4–5	Single size
1200×1000	500×300	8	4	Many lines
1200×1000	700×500 + 400×300	2 + 2	3	Large and small
1200×800	400×300	6	3–4	Euro pallet

2. Centre of Gravity and Load Transfer

The second gate of mixed case order fulfilment is weight: over 20 kg rides the base, 15 to 20 kg sits in the middle, under 15 kg goes on top. Keep the centre within 600 mm of the deck, so 8 km/h braking leaves margin.

Load transfer runs at a 1.5 safety factor: four tiers at 18 kg net put 54 kg on the bottom carton, which needs 6.5 kN/m edge crush. Put the large case on the fork-entry side so the centre stays within 100 mm, 10 percent of the 1000 mm short edge.

Tier	What rides there	Gross per case	Between layers
Third (top)	Small, foam-lined units	≤15 kg	Slip sheet, film over top
Second	Standard protective cases	15–20 kg	Seams offset 50 mm
First (base)	Large, metal-heavy units	Over 20 kg	Full 3 mm honeycomb

3. Splitting a Pallet by Order Line

Mixed case order fulfilment need not compress every order into one pallet. Split when any of three numbers trips: over 8 order lines, under 3 pieces a line, more than 3 sizes. The last makes the position sheet meaningless.

The truck sets the limit: a 40 ft container is 2350 mm wide inside and takes two 1200 by 1000 pallets, not three. Count positions before splitting. In mixed case order fulfilment one order on two pallets carries the total pieces and a 2-1, 2-2 sequence.

4. Height and Weight Ceilings

Mixed case order fulfilment has two ceilings. Domestic LTL caps a build at 1600 mm with the pallet, since a box van measures 1750 to 1800 mm inside and needs 150 mm for forks and bounce; a sea container is 2390 mm high, so double stacking needs 1150 mm pallets.

Weight follows handling: 1000 kg by forklift, 800 kg with one manual step, under 25 kg for one-person ends. Fix in order: drop a tier, change the pallet, split.

5. Slip Sheets, Strapping and Piece Count

A slip sheet spreads point load and lets tiers offset: 3 mm honeycomb or 5 mm double corrugated, cut 10 mm under the deck, seams offset 50 mm. Strap with 12 mm PP band at 250 to 350 N and 20 mm corner boards.

Piece count closes mixed case order fulfilment before the film: pieces equal the sum of the lines, and three cases within 2 percent clear it.

Check	Method	Pass condition
Tiers and position	Count against the sheet	Matches the drawing
Piece count	Sum lines, count units	Difference is zero
Gross weight	Weigh three cases	Within 2 percent
Strapping	Visual plus hand push	Band holds, boards square
Labels	Top-right, readable	Order, sequence, pieces

Conclusion

A multi-size pallet works because the deck is divided into cases per layer, weight is assigned to tiers from the bottom up, and 1600 mm with 800 kg closes it. Deck plan, tiers, strapping and count form one chain, so mixed case order fulfilment comes down to whether the drawing is right.

This article discusses only the container (case body) side of specifications and design intent, and does not cover any handling, loading or use of the contents.