First Article Testing of the USMC Container Consolidation Pallet Manufactured by Grate Pallet Solutions

摘要

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) Blount Island Command (BIC) requested the AF Packaging Technology & Engineering Facility (AFPTEF) to develop a performance specification for two types of long-life consolidation containers for shipping and storage of USMC prepositioning supplies: the Container Consolidation Pallet (CCP) and the Vehicle Consolidation Pallet (VCP). These were required to be compatible with pre-existing CCPs and VCPs, and the USMC prepositioning logistics system, especially the standard 8 ft. x 8 ft. x 20 ft. ISO shipping containers, warehouses and cargo holds. AFPTEF participated in both the pre-proposal meeting and proposal evaluations following BICs Request for Proposals during the summer of 2006. The VCP portion of the contract was awarded to Grate Pallet Solutions LLC, while the CCP portion was awarded to another company. The original CCP contract has since been canceled and was offered to Grate Pallet Solutions (GPS), provided their CCP design could successfully meet first article requirements. First article testing began with the delivery of two GPS first article CCPs to AFPTEF on 2 March 2009 and was completed 26 March 2009. Testing was performed in accordance with the CCP Test Plan which referenced the contract performance specification, ASTM D 4169 and MILSTD- 648. All tests were performed at AFPTEF except for the Loading/Unloading Test which will be conducted at BIC upon delivery of the first pallet shipment. The final CCP design successfully met all requirements of the performance specification.