Wood dunnage: CNC-cut separators for packaging
Wood dunnage is the cradles, separators and supports that go inside the packaging and hold each part in place during transit. If your company ships heavy, fragile or high-value components, dunnage is what keeps them from arriving scratched, dented or out of tolerance. This guide covers the main types, how dunnage is designed, and why CNC machining makes the difference.
What wood dunnage is and what it does
A pallet or crate contains the load; dunnage immobilizes it. These interior pieces:
- Hold the product so it doesn't shift under braking, cornering or vibration.
- Separate several parts inside one crate so they never touch.
- Spread the weight over the points where the part can safely rest.
- Protect critical surfaces such as machined faces, connectors or finishes.
Without dunnage, even the best wooden crate lets the product move around inside. For packaging that crosses borders, see our page on export pallets and packaging from Mexico.
Types of wood dunnage
The most common designs, often combined in a single crate:
- Cradles. Pieces with the product's profile cut out so it "seats" and can't roll. Typical for shafts, axles, cylinders and curved parts.
- Slotted separators. Boards with slots that split the crate into one compartment per part. Widely used for auto parts shipped several to a crate.
- Skids and runners. Raise the product so a forklift can get underneath, or so the part doesn't rest on a delicate face.
- Blocks and wedges. Lock the load against the crate walls.
- Interior frames and braces. Stiffen large crates or spread point loads.
Why CNC-machine your dunnage
Dunnage only works if it fits the part. Too loose and the product moves; too tight and it gets damaged on loading or unloading. That is where CNC router cutting and machining beats manual cutting:
- Repeatable precision. The CNC router follows the digital drawing and reproduces every cradle or slot identically. Recicla works commercial wood to a typical tolerance of ±1 mm.
- Geometry you can't cut by hand. Curved profiles, exactly parallel slots, pockets cut to depth and holes in position.
- Consistent batches. Part number 500 matches the first one — critical when dunnage feeds a production line.
- Reusable file. The validated drawing is kept on record, so a replacement piece can be machined identical to the original.
- Certified process. Our CNC machining runs under ISO 9001:2015, which simplifies the supplier audits automotive plants typically require.
Wondering whether a laser cutter would do the job? We compare both in CNC router vs. laser cutting for wood.
How custom dunnage is designed
- Drawing or sample of the part. A DXF of the profile is ideal; we also work from DWG, a dimensioned PDF or a physical sample.
- Load data. Weight per part, parts per crate, allowed support points and no-touch zones.
- Loop type. Returnable packaging (many trips between your supplier and your plant) is built sturdier; expendable packaging is optimized for cost.
- Prototype. A sample piece is machined to check the fit against the real product before the batch runs.
- Series production from the same validated file.
Wood dunnage for export
If dunnage rides inside a crate that crosses a border, it counts as solid-wood packaging material and must be heat treated and stamped with the IPPC mark, just like the pallet and the crate. In Mexico that is done under NOM-144-SEMARNAT-2017, the national implementation of ISPM-15. One untreated separator can get the whole shipment held.
Recicla also runs the heat treatment in-house: we were the first company in Aguascalientes authorized by SEMARNAT to apply it. Machining, crating and treatment all stay with one supplier.
Dunnage for the Bajío automotive corridor
Mexico's Bajío automotive corridor moves auto parts between suppliers and assembly plants every day, and much of that flow ships in crates with dunnage. Three things matter most there: batch-to-batch consistency, meeting the customer's packaging specs, and the ability to replace pieces quickly. Our plant in Aguascalientes serves Aguascalientes, León, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas and Guadalajara.
Get your wood dunnage quoted
Send us the drawing or a sample of your part, its weight and how many parts go in each crate, and we'll help you define the design. Request a quote or call us at +52 449 903 0006.
Related service
CNC router cutting & machining
Frequently asked questions
- What is wood dunnage?
- Wood dunnage is the set of interior packaging parts —cradles, separators, skids, blocks and supports— that hold a product in place and keep it from shifting, colliding or getting scratched in transit. While the pallet or crate contains the load, wood dunnage immobilizes it and spreads its weight over the correct support points.
- What types of wood dunnage are there?
- The most common types of wood dunnage are: cradles cut to the part's profile, slotted separators that divide several parts inside one crate, skids or runners that raise the product, blocks and wedges that lock the load in place, and interior frames or braces. A single industrial crate often combines several types depending on the product's shape and weight.
- What is the difference between returnable and expendable dunnage?
- Returnable dunnage is designed to make many trips in a closed loop between a supplier and a plant, so it is built sturdier and with stable dimensions. Expendable (one-way) dunnage is designed for a single shipment, typically for export, and prioritizes cost. The right choice depends on whether the packaging comes back to your plant.
- What happens if dunnage does not fit the part exactly?
- If dunnage is too loose, the part moves with road vibration and can get scratched, dented or deformed; if it is too tight, the part is forced during loading and unloading and gets damaged on the way out. That is why dunnage for precision parts is machined from the drawing, with a controlled tolerance, instead of being cut by eye.
- When is wood dunnage better than plastic or foam?
- Wood dunnage is the better choice for heavy parts, loads that need rigid support, and packaging built per project or in medium volumes, because it needs no molds. Injection-molded or thermoformed plastic pays off at very high volumes and long returnable loops, and foam suits light, delicate parts. Many crates combine structural wood with a foam layer at the contact points.
- Can dunnage be made from recycled wood?
- Yes, as long as the recycled wood is sound, dry and as thick as the design requires. Recicla machines dunnage from recycled or new wood and selects the material based on the load, the strength required and the budget. For parts that touch delicate surfaces, boards free of nails and damage are selected.
- What information do I need to get custom dunnage quoted?
- To quote custom dunnage you need a drawing of the part or its profile (DXF preferred; DWG or a dimensioned PDF also work), the weight of each part, how many parts go in each crate, the points where the part can rest, and whether the packaging is returnable or for export. Without a drawing, a physical sample or a dimensioned sketch can be the starting point.
- Can wood dunnage be repaired or reused?
- Yes. Returnable wood dunnage can be inspected each cycle and repaired by replacing only the damaged piece, because the CNC cutting file is kept on record and the exact same piece can be machined again. That is an advantage over plastic molds, which cannot be adjusted once they are made.
- Does wood dunnage need ISPM-15 treatment for export?
- Yes. Solid-wood dunnage that travels inside an export crate is regulated wood packaging material, so it must be heat treated and stamped with the IPPC mark just like the pallet and the crate. In Mexico this is done under NOM-144-SEMARNAT-2017, Mexico's implementation of ISPM-15. A single untreated separator can get an entire shipment held at the border.
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