Storage Racks

Storage racks are commonly used in the home and office, as well as in workshops, retail facilities, plants and factories. Storage rack manufacturers produce industrial storage racks for heavy duty usage according to the product specifications and required accessibility. Racks are commonly designed to hold inventory that has been palleted; these are referred to as pallet racks and provide the advantage of vertical stacking and storage. Typically, warehouse racking is constructed using metals such as aluminum and steel which are strong and durable. Metal storage racks, especially steel storage racks are employed for these applications, but some lighter weight racks are made of materials such as titanium, wood or particle board. Storage racks hold many kinds of inventory, from boxed goods to long carpet rolls or tubing. Some rolling racks such as wire storage racks are portable, and can be shifted to various locations within the warehouse. Others are permanent or static and form different systems for picking and storing. Cantilever racks are specially designed to hold long, thin products like rails, boards and beams or sheet metal, while others are well suited for pallets and large boxes. Both push back racks and flow racks have angled decks made of rails or rollers and use gravity to optimize space on the rack.

Rack manufacturers offer their products in a wide variety of sizes and designs. Push-back storage racks have easy one-sided access and are capable of being placed against an obstruction, such as a wall. If accessibility to all goods on the rack without having to shift other items is required, a pallet rack would be a suitable choice because they are open on all sides. Cantilever racks are comprised of uprights, arms and brace sets and are ideal for storing long, heavy items that must be kept off the floor. They are modular in nature, allowing extra components to be added as storage requirements change. Flow racks and push back racks, used for cartons and pallets, provide high-density, dynamic storage and help keep pickers at a safe distance from the forklifts that are stacking the racks from the other side. They both use the force of gravity to ensure products are as close together as possible, wasting no valuable shelf space. In an industrial setting such as a warehouse, where a large amount of items need to be stored, complex high density storage rack systems are needed.

Depending on the type of product, most facilities work with a FIFO (first in, first out) or LIFO (last in first out) method of organization, both of which have specific areas for stocking and material picking done by workers or lift trucks. The FIFO technique separates the stocking, which is done in the rear, and picking, which is done in the front. The storage racks are usually deep, allowing a large amount of pallets or boxes to be stored at once. These shelves are often a series of rails or rollers that are situated on an incline. This way, when the front load is removed by a forklift, the rest of the items automatically move forward and waste no space while taking advantage of gravity to aid in moving the loads. FIFO is often used with perishable food items that could spoil or expire, and keep inventory from getting lost or buried inside the shelves. LIFO is mostly used for push back racks, which are also on a slant, but are positioned in rows of two, without an aisle between them. This eliminates the option to stock from the rear, leaving one aisle space to stock and pick from. Since products can sit for long periods of time in the back of the shelves with LIFO, it is used for only non perishable items. The main benefit is the space saved from less required aisle space and the ability to double up the shelving.

Without storage racks, space would be a limiting factor of production and distribution for the majority of businesses as many processes and operations require a large stock and material inventory in order to operate successfully. Knowing what and how much storage space is needed is the key to selecting the appropriate type of storage racks, and rack manufacturers need to be aware of a variety of factors when determining the most suitable solution. Available floor and ceiling capacity, as well as the products and loads requiring storage are important deciding factors. Detailed designs can be submitted to the manufacturer, which significantly shortens the production process of a rack storage system. Otherwise, the manufacturer can gather input, which may be in the form of rough sketches, from the customer to determine what is needed. The manufacturer then draws up a design of the storage rack system and submits it for approval from the customer before fabricating the storage rack.

Storage Racks and Storage Rack Manufacturers Images Provided by UNEX Mfg., Inc.

Types of Storage Racks

• Cantilever racks do not have any vertical obstructions, making them ideal for storage of long items like pipes, furniture and steel bars. Cantilever racks are equipped with different sized columns and arms, according to weight and load size of the products they will hold.
  
• Drive in racks efficiently use all available space and are ideal when rotation is not a factor. Drive-in racks are beneficial for warehouses in which many pallets are used.
  
• Drive-thru racks are designed to be accessible from both sides and use a first-in/first-out inventory rotation. Drive-thru racks are suitable for applications in which there is a high volume, low mix of products.
  
• Gravity racks are similar to push back racks, except loads are placed on one side and flow towards the other. Gravity racks are used for both cartons and pallets and allow pickers to keep their distance from the forklifts that load the rack from the other side.
  
• Industrial storage racks are metal frameworks used to hold goods.
• Pallet racks are best suited for warehouses that need to keep a variety of products on pallets. Pallet racks enable direct access to any stored pallet.
  
• Push back racks have rails that slope gently forward, upon which carts rest, allowing for good storage density. When a new load is put on a cart, it pushes the one at the face back; when the front load is picked, the carts behind it gently move forward.
  
• Rack manufacturers produce storage units.
• Warehouse racks allow forklifts to easy locate the pallets stacked on industrial shelves.
• Wire storage racks utilize decks made of wire mesh instead of using wood or particleboard decks. Usually made of painted, galvanized steel, wire storage racks are strong and have a more professional appearance.

Storage Racks Terms

Barrel Beam - A structural angle that is welded to a beam, which prevents cylinder-shaped objects from rolling off.
 
Cantilever - A horizontally projecting structure that is supported at one end and carries a load along its length.
 
Clear Aisle - A term that refers to the area from rack to rack in a storage area, subtracting any pallet or load overhang.
 
Clear Stacking Height - Available vertical storage space.
 
Deck - A roofless platform that is connected to at least two sides of a storage rack. The deck is the surface upon which the products are placed.
 
Dedicated Aisle - An aisle in a warehouse that serves one function only, which could be either storage or order selection.
 
Double Deep - Refers to pallets that are stored two deep, one behind the other. This stacking arrangement allows access to the pallets only from the front position and is suitable for high volume-low variation applications.
 
First-In First-Out (FIFO) - A product rotation method in which the first and oldest product is picked first.
 
First-In Last-Out (FILO) - A storage system in which the first and oldest product is picked last, allowing for minimal selectivity.
 
First-In, Still Here Somewhere (FISHS) - Inventory that has been lost or buried.
 
Fork Bar Spacers - Items that provide clearance between beams and loads, providing a means for entry of forklifts.
 
Forklift - A small industrial vehicle with two elongated prongs used for lifting and transporting cargo.
 
Insert Plates - Heavy plates that are welded inside flanges of uprights, adding capacity and strength.
 
Mezzanine - Floorings elevated above the main floor, creating storage both under the mezzanine and on it.
 
Pallet - A movable platform that is used to move and store cargo. Pallets are commonly made of wood or plastic.
 
Post Guard - A device used to protect uprights from damage due to impact.
 
Stacker - A small rolling device with elongated forks, similar to a forklift, that is used to move products and cargo. Some varieties of stackers feature mechanical lifts, while others are manual.
 
Storage Aisle - An aisle in which loads are stacked or materials are picked.
 
Wall Tie - A device that maintains distance between upright rack posts and the walls. Wall ties also increase stability.