DC Velocity - June 2016

54 DC VELOCITY JUNE 2016 www.dcvelocity.com m at er i al h a n d l in g u p d at e

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This guide has attempted to differentiate among some of the most common types of racking, but it is far from comprehensive. There are many other types of racks that we have not featured here. For example, cantilever racks store long or bulky items such as furniture, lumber, tubing, textiles, and piping. Carton flow racking operates like pallet flow racks but at the carton level. Mobile pallet racking mounts existing pallet racking or shelving on mobile carriages that move with the help of a mechanical-assist handle or an electric-powered system.

WHAT’S BEST FOR YOU?

Developing a basic understanding of the different types of pallet racks is not enough, however. Ultimately, companies need to determine the best rack or mix of rack for their particular operation, and that can be a complex undertaking.

According to Domenick Iellimo, vice president of sales for
Frazier Industrial Co., it’s important to consider three fac-
tors when selecting a pallet rack: the unit to be stored (prod-
uct load), the method of handling equipment (type of lift
truck that you’re using), and the area available for storage.

In addition, Dave S. Olson, national sales and marketing manager for the rack maker Ridg-U-Rak, recommends taking at look at what your operation’s constraints are. Are you space-constrained? Then you may want to consider a high-density racking solution. Does your operation require that your inventory be managed on a first-in, first-out basis? Then you should know that drive-in or pushback racks won’t work for you. How much capital can you invest? If you’re looking for the most economical solution, selective racking may be the best choice.

The more informed you are about the different equipment options and the needs of your own facility, the more likely it is that you’ll select the right rack for your operation.

Drive-in and drive-through racks represent another type

of high-density racking. They are designed so that lift trucks can enter the rack structure to deposit and retrieve pallets. The pallets are stored on rails that run the length of the rack, as opposed to on a shelf beam that’s placed between two upright frames. These racks can store pallets two, three, or more deep.

Drive-in racks have one entry/ exit point and therefore work well in operations that manage inventory on a last-in, first-out basis.

Drive-through racks have an entry point on both sides of the bay and can be used in first-in, first-out inventory operations, as product can be loaded from one aisle and retrieved from the other.

It’s important to note that because lift trucks are driven
into these racking systems, these racks typically suffer
more impacts than other types of racks do.

BENEFITS:

; Requires fewer aisles than selective racking, increasing storage density

; While the cost per pallet position is higher than with selective and double-deep racks, it is lower than with other high-density racking systems

; Allows you to store up to 75 percent more pallets per square foot than with selective racking

APPLICATIONS:

; Works well for storing similar products on like-sized pallets

; Suitable for high-volume SKU storage

; Often used for freezer/cooler storage

; Good for items that have a long storage life and don’t require immediate access

; Well suited to storing large quantities of relatively few
product types
There’s a wealth of information available on different
types of pallet racks. This article provides only a starting
point. Here are a few other resources on racks:

; The Rack Manufacturers Institute—one of MHI’s industry groups—is always a good place to start for information.

The institute’s website includes specifications and guidelines as well as a glossary and frequently asked questions.

( www.mhi.org/rmi)

; Many manufacturers offer excellent guides to the dif-
ferent types of pallet racks on their websites. A few used
to create this article include “A Guide to Pallet Rack” by
Cisco-Eagle, “Storage Rack Selection Guide” by Ridg-U-
Rak, and Frazier Industrial Co.’s “Rack 101.”

; The website of the Australian forklift company Adaptalift Hyster features a Warehouse Racking Guide, a series of blog posts that look at the issue from a forklift user’s perspective. ( www.aalhysterforklifts.com.au/index.