10 / SPAN, LOAD AND SUPPORT
Choose thickness together with the span, support arrangement and actual load.
Specify the span and support positions
The performance of a 3 mm sheet spanning 100 mm cannot be directly applied to the same thickness spanning 500 mm. Include the support positions and the weight of the displayed products in the enquiry.
Compare added thickness with added support
Increasing thickness also increases material use. At the same area, a 5 mm sheet has about 67% more volume than a 3 mm sheet. Compare the value of that extra material with adding supports or changing the structure.
Test the intended product arrangement
Check load performance against the real display arrangement. If a stand holds ten products, test it with those ten products in their intended positions and at their actual weights. A single heavy object does not fully represent that loading pattern.
SAME AREA / MATERIAL VOLUME
3 mmBaseline sheet volume
5 mmAbout 67% more volume; assess the support and load separately
