Alternative Design and Development of Material Handling Platform
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4186/ej.2025.29.6.79Keywords:
product design and development, user-centric design, P-Sling, finite element analysis, material handlingAbstract
In a world where efficiency and sustainability in logistics are increasingly significant, innovative load-carrying solutions are essential. This study investigates the mechanical performance of a conventional plastic pallet compared to a newly proposed P-Sling design using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). FEA serves as a powerful tool to simulate real-world conditions, enabling accurate predictions of stress, deformation, and structural reliability. Initial results show that the original P-Sling design exhibits higher displacement and stress, which aligns with its intended flexibility for dynamic use. In contrast, the plastic pallet, designed as a rigid structure, displays only minor bending but may be prone to failure under prolonged stress. To further enhance the P-Sling’s performance, its base thickness is increased from 1 mm to 10 mm, significantly reducing stress and deformation while maintaining its flexible nature. Although the plastic pallet maintains greater rigidity, the improved P-Sling presents a promising and adaptable alternative, particularly in environments that require both flexibility and strength under dynamic loads. This study addresses an important gap by applying Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to the P-Sling design, offering new insights into optimizing the performance of flexible load-bearing structures in changing conditions.
Downloads
Downloads

Authors who publish with Engineering Journal agree to transfer all copyright rights in and to the above work to the Engineering Journal (EJ)'s Editorial Board so that EJ's Editorial Board shall have the right to publish the work for nonprofit use in any media or form. In return, authors retain: (1) all proprietary rights other than copyright; (2) re-use of all or part of the above paper in their other work; (3) right to reproduce or authorize others to reproduce the above paper for authors' personal use or for company use if the source and EJ's copyright notice is indicated, and if the reproduction is not made for the purpose of sale.