Industrial facilities and solutions are essential to help speed up work processes and optimize activities within the workspace. One such innovative solution is the selective pallet racking system.
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Selective pallet racking is the most suitable method of storing and arranging for warehouses as they are flexible and make accessing things stored in the warehouse seamless. They are built to easily locate all items you need and move them around without moving the entire rack.
This article will discuss what you need to know about selective pallet racking, including the features, benefits, how to select the right one.
A selective pallet racking system is built in a single row configuration and in most cases is tied to another row to create a back to back configuration and is accessible from the front on both sides. Commonly called a double row. Single row configurations are limited by 6 to 1 height ratios and in some cases will require a cross aisle tie on top to support the single row and a chemical anchor instead of regular wedge anchors. Once a single row is tied into a double row configuration the total width of both rows together is factored into the 6 to 1 ratio.
Some of the benefits of selective pallet racking are as follows:
Selective pallet racking provides you with easy access to the inventory and goods stored in the warehouse. Therefore, meeting customer demands won’t be as daunting as you can move the goods easily in and out of the storage space.
Selective pallet racking gives you the flexibility to stack product on top of one another through the use of multiple beam elevations, which means you can utilize your storage space adequately and efficiently.
One exciting benefit of choosing selective pallet racking is that you can get your pallet racks customized to your specific need. As such, however you want it to be is how it’ll be designed and installed.
Selective pallet racking is as popular for its versatility alone as it is for its cost-effectiveness. Installing the racks won’t burn a hole in your pocket, and everything is very affordable, from the materials to the labour involved. Unlike other specialized systems such as double deep pallet racking, push back pallet rack, and drive in /drive thru pallet racks which require extra components and more intensive installation processes.
Selective pallet racking allows you to take advantage of the first in, first out storage system. That is, you get to arrange and move items in the order you received them.
Some of the special advantages of selective pallet racking are:
Before picking an industrial storage racking solution, there are a few factors to consider:
One major factor to consider when choosing a storage system is your budget. As tempting as it is to opt for cheaper alternatives, always ensure to invest in quality products and materials. Some of the things that will need to be considered as you prepare your budget are storage space, capacity of products being stored in the rack, type of lift equipment being used with the racking, installation, and rack design.
The kind of business you do determines the type of storage system you need. Some storage systems are more business -specific than others. For instance, you should opt for selective pallet racking if you need to store small products or require multiple locations for different products.
Selective pallet racking is very safe due to the materials used in installing them. However, it’s important to ensure it can withstand the weight and load you intend to store or stack on them. There are many factors to designing a proper system as something as simple as changing the beam elevations can change the capacity ratings and require re-engineering and re-certifications.
It is very important to know where your pallet racking is being manufactured and is highly recommended you purchase domestic / locally manufactured pallet racking so that the racking is 100% in compliance with local codes and certifiable. In most cases imported racking does not meet code, uses a lighter gauge of steel and is not designed to Canadian standards.
It is highly recommended to consult with a reputable supplier right from the start to make sure you are designing the most optimal system to increase your storage efficiency and to understand the functions and codes related to the storage system. A site visit may be the best way to start with your venture.
Pallet racking installation needs to be taken seriously. Here is a five-step process to ensure you do it right:
When trying to maintain your pallet racking, consider following these tips:
The pallet racking system comes with guidelines. Ensure that the instructions are followed to the letter. In a case where you are unsure of the installation, ensure to contact a professional. It is recommended to always use a professional install team that is familiar with the manufacturers product and installation procedures.
A wide range of safety measures can be installed on your pallet racking system to help ensure safety and avoid accidents. Check these safety measures and ensure to invest in securing your business. Pallet rack safety guards such as frame guards and end of aisle guards are a highly recommended option to help with stopping damage caused by lift equipment. Another add-on feature is wire mesh deck to prevent product from falling to bellow and pallet bars to make sure pallets do not fall through the beams if they happen to be misplaced.
Ensure the loads are placed appropriately to avoid unnecessary movement and falling off the racks. Also, make sure every item loaded is securely placed on the racks and front and back of pallets are sitting firmly on the beams. It is also code to have capacity signage posted on the racking in a visible place so employees can identify the maximum capacity the racking can handle and hold by the pallet position.
Check your storage to ensure everywhere is clean and well-lit, as this is the best way to avoid warehouse accidents and damage to your goods.
Choose selective pallet racking for your warehouse if there’s an in-and-out movement of large quantities of goods. It provides easy accessibility to goods at all times.
Pallet racking uprights come in heights of all sizes and are determined by the width to height ratio 6 to 1. Example to calculate a 42” wide frame the calculation would be 42” x 6 = 252” (21’).
You can select the right one by determining how you can maximize space. Also, you should consider the kind of products you carry, assess your present shelving units, and check how accessible your space is. Most importantly you will need to determine your max capacity of each pallet.
Each pallet racking system is designed for the capacity that is determined to be stored in that system, the most common capacity is 5,000 lbs. per level on an 8’ long beam or 2,500 lbs. per pallet position.
Unfortunately, the cost of pallet racking is hard to determine before all factors have been considered as costs are determined by the design as each users requirements may be different.
Roll form pallet rack is the less expensive option when compared to structural pallet racking.
Yes, Canadian Rack Technologies has a large selection of Redirack type pallet racking in stock available for purchase. Many sizes of beams and frames to choose from.
Yes, pallet rack inspection and repairs are essential. Local codes state that an appointed employee should inspect and take note of any damage to the pallet racking system on a minimum of a monthly basis. It is also recommended to have a competent outside source inspect the pallet racking system one per year.
For more information, please visit UNISTAR.
Selective storage systems are those whose characteristics make direct access to the unit loads stored in them possible. As a result, in selective storage any goods stored on the racking can be selected and unloaded directly.
Selective storage systems are the most commonly used type of solution in warehouses and distribution centres, being an adjustable pallet racking system. However, their main advantages and some of their limitations or drawbacks should also be considered.
As with any storage system, there is no perfect solution for all warehouses. The most appropriate type of industrial racking will depend on the needs of each company.
The main advantages of the systems that allow selective storage are:
As its very name indicates, selectivity or direct access to each unit load is one of its main advantages. This is particularly important in companies that store a high number of different products or references and which require regular handling.
By having direct access to the unit loads, in selective storage the loading and unloading process by the handling equipment is faster and simpler than in compact storage systems, in which the operator must handle the load in more complex situations and which require greater precision. Also, it won’t be necessary to handle unit loads other than the one we want to access.
Selective storage systems are perfectly adaptable to unit loads of different sizes and weights, and also facilitate and an orderly distribution of goods.
Compared to compact automatic systems, selective storage systems are more economical and have a lower initial cost. Being more conventional systems and with a simpler structure, generally their design and installation are cheaper, so if the warehouse has sufficient space, they are normally systems that facilitate warehouse profitability.
Compaction is also possible in selective systems, although not to the levels of systems such as Drive In racking or FIFO live storage and LIFO systems. To maintain total selectivity of the unit loads, compaction must be produced with the narrowing of the work aisles of the forklift. These characteristics are used to design the very narrow aisle (VNA) systems, which are operated by special forklifts in order to move along these narrower aisles.
There are also hybrid systems that do not allow total selectivity of the unit loads, but which do offer greater compaction, such as the double deep pallet or mobile pallet racking systems.
The versatility of the different types of selective racking solutions makes them perfectly combinable with other storage systems, generally picking solutions at their lower levels.
It is very common to install longspan shelving or carton flow rack systems at the lower levels of selective solutions. This combination makes it possible to use those low-level spaces to store manual products in the warehouse, and all the available space at height is exploited for the selective system of pallets.
By reserving each available storage space for a single unit load, and a product reference, inventory control is much simpler and can be checked at a glance.
However, in compact storage systems, there is an added difficulty with stock management.
In contrast to the advantages indicated above, selective storage systems have some limitations to consider before deciding if they are the right system for a warehouse.
Requiring more available space in the warehouse is perhaps the main limitation of selective storage. If a warehouse has reduced space for its storage needs, selective systems won’t be the best option.
As a work aisle will be required for each racking structure, the efficiency of the space will be limited.
As a general rule, selective storage systems are designed for companies whose warehouses are going to have in stock a low or medium volume of goods with a high rotation. It is a characteristic to bear in mind for companies with a high number and volume of unit loads, as an increased storage cost could be incurred.
Despite being more economical in their design and installation, their storage costs per square metre are ultimately higher, because they are not compact and require more space to store the same unit loads.
With its clearly defined advantages and disadvantages, selective storage can be applied in warehouses with the following characteristics or needs:
We analyse below the differences between the different types of systems that allow selective storage, mainly adjustable pallet selective racking and VNA.
We will then outline 2 storage systems that cannot be considered completely selective, namely the double deep pallet and mobile pallet racking systems.
Adjustable pallet racking is the most traditional selective storage system.
It consists of a simple structure made up of frames and beams, and is designed to store unit loads mechanically using forklifts. The forklifts access the pallets from work aisles that run in parallel to each row of racking. Selectivity or direct access to the unit loads is total.
VNA (Very Narrow Aisle) Racking is simply an adaptation of the adjustable pallet racking system in which the work aisles along which the forklifts pass are significantly narrowed.
Special VNA forklifts, occasionally wire-guided for greater safety, are used. Thanks to this narrowing of the work aisles, the selectivity of all the pallets is maintained, but space optimisation of up to 40% can be achieved.
Double Deep Pallet Racking is also an adaptation of the adjustable pallet racking system, but in this case it cannot be considered a fully selective system.
A similar structure to adjustable pallet racking is designed, but it allows pallet storage at 2 depths, so storage density is increased, but direct access to all the unit loads is lost.
In Mobile Pallet Racking a structure with a similar base to adjustable pallet racking is designed, but here the structure is mounted on mobile bases that allow the racking blocks to be moved in 2 directions.
A high-density compact structure is therefore generated and only the work aisle in which we want to operate and access the load is open.