Quick Pallet Maker FAQs, Tips and Tricks
Updated May 18, 2003.
As a general rule, always download the latest version of Quick Pallet Maker. This will solve most problems. Perform extensive testing (including printing) on the DEMO versions before purchasing. Check the system requirements here. Any issues, please contact product support.
Installing and purchasing Quick Pallet Maker:
- I already paid for QPM but I get a "Purchase" or "Demo" window.
- Can I install QPM on more than one computer?
- How much does QPM cost and how does it compare to competitors?
- Why the low cost?
- Can I get a CD shipped to my address?
Working with Files:
- Why doesn't QPM recognize my saved files correctly?
- How do I export to a graphics file?
- How do I set my files to open automatically with QPM?
Case Input:
- Why do I get "no solutions available" messages?
- How can I turn off the case ratio restrictions?
- Does Quick Pallet Maker work with trays?
Hidden Tricks:
- How to optimize existent boxes in new shipping devices (new pallets, new trucks, etc.)
- Work with 4 levels of packages.
- Tips for speeding up processing time.
- Creating Interlocked Pallets
- Creating display pallets
Report:
Printing:
Languages:
- How can I change the output language in Quick Pallet Maker?
- I'm using a non-English version of QPM and the report is in English
Others:
Installing and purchasing Quick Pallet Maker:
- Why do I get a "Purchase" request when I install QPM? The installer will always ask you if you wish to purchase QPM or install it as a Demo. If you have already purchased QPM, then select "Demo" and install the application normally. Once it runs, it will recognize your serial number and settings.
- Can I install QPM license on more than one computer? Yes, you can use one license of QPM on more than one computer if it will be used by the same person and two computers will not be using the same license at the same time. If this is not the case, we really appreciate the purchase of more than one seat by taking advantage of the volume licenses. For more information, please click here.
- How much does QPM cost and how does it compare? A single license costs US$ 379 and it includes free updates and upgrades for a period of one year. We offer volume discounts when you purchase more than one license. Although we don't track the prices and detailed features of competitive products, the feedback we get through our clients that Quick Pallet Maker costs at least 1/3 of the main competitor's price and is very competitive feature-wise.
- Why the low cost? By selling and providing support through the internet, we can keep our overhead very low. The fact that we don't have strict commitments to Value Added Resellers also helps.
- Can I get a CD shipped to my address? Yes. If you purchase online, please select "eCD" to obtain a CD shipped to your address for an additional US$ 9.
- Why doesn't QPM recognize my saved files correctly? If you decide to change the configuration on the numbers Control Panel (Macintosh) or in the regional settings Control Panel (Windows), remember to check well the files you have saved earlier (with the previous configuration) as the application will not recognize the previous files seamlessly.
- How do I export to a graphics file? When in the report, choose Export Graphics after you have configured the report accordingly. This will only work if QuickTime 4 (or higher) is installed (free download from Apple Computer). Once you are prompted with the Save File window, select the desired file format (Windows OS works best with BMP format) and type the name of your file. Please remember to include the appropriate file extension for Windows OS.
- How do I set my files to open automatically with QPM? On Windows computers, the .qpm file is not set to open automatically with Quick Pallet Maker (on Macs it is). Therefore, you will need to set the file properties to open directly with QPM.
- Why do I get "no solutions available" messages? In most of the cases, your case restrictions are not allowing you to produce the desired solutions. Extend them by lowering the minimum values and increasing the maximum values.
- How can I turn off the case ratio restrictions? You cannot disable the restrictions completely although you can virtually allow any case dimension by using a very low value for the minimum values and a very high value for the maximums. Type in the new values in the input window or open the Constraints tab in the Preferences window and change the values. All future jobs will work with the new constraints if changed from the Preferences window.
- Does Quick Pallet Maker work with trays? Yes, you can select 2x2x2 Trays from the box construction pull-down menu in order to change the box from RSC to tray. This will change the board thickness that is added to calculate each case. If the added thickness does not fit your needs, you can edit it in the boxes to the right of the pull-down menu.
- How to optimize existent boxes in new shipping devices (new pallets, new trucks, etc.)
- Select Rectangular Primary Package Type from the pull-down menu.
- Select only PP height in pallet height, unless your box can be placed upwards.
- Input the exact dimensions of your box as the PP input.
- Select 1 as Case Count
- Type zero as the corrugate widths to not increase the package length.
- Make sure that the box limitations don't affect your box dimensions.
- If you wish to ship on a pallet, select the pallet and its limitations.
- If you wish to ship on a truck, type zero on the pallet dimensions and type the internal truck dimensions as the maximum dimensions.
- Recalculate.
- You can optimize the results you obtain.
- Work with 4 levels of packages. If you wish to pack your product into a liner or carton and then into a box and then into a pallet, you will need to define the optimal carton dimensions. The following instructions indicate how:
- To maximize area efficiency, choose the internal dimensions of a Standard Box that achieves high efficiency as your maximum load dimensions. For example, a 500x400x400 RSC box will fit with a 100% volume efficiency into a 1200x1000x1200 load space. If you choose that box, then use the box internal dimensions (500 - board width in length x 400 - board width in box width x 400 - board width in height).
- Set the pallet dimensions to zero.
- Set the properties of your primary package.
- Set the properties of your secondary package according to your carton. The case count will be the primary package count within your carton.
- Choose recalculate.
- The displayed solutions will represent the dimensions and arrangements of your primary packages within your cartons within your box. After choosing the best solution, you can use the method shown above to display the box arrangement within the pallet. A custom report can be generated by copying each one of the drawings to a spreadsheet or word processor.
- An example of this procedure is fitting pencils into cartons into boxes into pallets.
- Tips for speeding up processing time.
- When using the iterations option, don't user smaller steps than necessary. For example, if you are working with mm and want to change any of the Primary Package dimensions, any number less than 1 mm for the step is useless and will make the computer run slower.
- Try to use the smallest range possible for the box limitations in order to speed processing time.
- Enter a relatively high value for minimum pallet load dimensions to weed out inefficient pallets.
- Creating Interlocked Pallets.
- Mixed layer pallets can be stacked in a columnar pattern with boxes on top of each other. This maximizes box resistance but creates instability if the load is not stretch-wrapped. To view the interlocked stacking alternative, click the left button (or option-click on a Mac) on top of the Palle Drawing in the Output Window.
- An alternative is to press control+L (command+L on a Mac).
- When in the Report window, toggle both views with the same keys explained before.
- Creating display pallets Quick Pallet Maker includes a feature that flips all the boxes in such a way that either the box length or the box width are facing the pallet sides. This pallet type is called a display pallet or a pinwheel pattern. To create this type of pallet, select a pallet that uses the box that you wish to reorient and then choose "Display Length" or "Display Width" depending on whether you wish to show the Length or the Width. Then press "Go" and you have created a display pallet.
- How do I add custom information to the report? You can add graphics and text to the Detailed Report by pasting them into the corresponding locations. Graphics are pasted onto the window that is located on the left-hand side of the Report. Text can be typed or pasted on the window that is located on the bottom right-hand side of the report. You can also export both Text and Graphics for the report onto a spreadsheet or word processor and change accordingly.
- How do I configure the page for printing in Windows?Select Print from the File menu and click on Properties after the Printing window appears. From there, choose Portrait mode and other properties you wish to modify. The page setup window on Macintosh computers will appear automatically.
- How can I print on a Black and White printer? From the Detailed Report window, select Black and White from the View Menu. The printout will look like the detailed report that is shown.
- How can I change the report language? Select Preferences from the Tool menu. Choose the "Report Text tab". There is a list of phrases that appear in the report that can be changed that appear in the box on top. Simply select phrase by phrase in English and type the changed phrase in the box below. Once that has been done for all phrases, check the button that marks "Local Language". On the next Report view, the words should reflect the modified words.
- Why is the report in English if I'm using a non-English version This happens when you previously installed the English version of QPM in the same computer. To solve this problem, first quit QPM. Then look for the "QPM Folder" that is located in the C:\Windows directory (for Windows), the Preferences Folder (Mac Classic) or the user's Preferences folder (for Mac OSX). Delete the complete folder. Restart QPM and the problem should be solved.
- Yes, come see for yourself.
Please remember that the Quick Pallet Maker DEMO allows you to test ALL the features prior to purchasing, including printing. If all is not fine, contact us at support@scamecanica.com.
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