eBook - Warehouse Solutions (EM21060) - Book - Page 12
COMMON TYPES OF STORAGE RACKS
To reap the efficiency benefits of a warehouse racking system, it’s important to understand the
various types of racks and the applications they best serve. The type of system you install can
significantly impact productivity, storage capacity and your ability to adapt to changing inventory
demands. Below are the most common types of racking systems:
SELECTIVE PALLET RACKS are the most common type used
in today’s warehouses, especially for general warehousing and
manufacturing. Known for their heavy load capacity and flexible design,
single-deep selective warehouse racking is typically configured in
back-to-back rows, each accessible from an aisle. They provide 100%
selectivity, meaning that any pallet in the rack is directly accessible at
any time. They are easy to install and maintain and offer a variety of
configuration options. However, they provide lower storage density and
inefficient use of floor space compared to other racking systems.
PALLET FLOW-THRU RACKS are ideal for first-in, first-out (FIFO)
operations that experience high turnover rates. Pallets are loaded from
one side and stored in multiples deep. Using sloped racking and rollers
mounted to rails, the pallets are transported to the opposite side of
the rack for easy access and unloading. Often, these racks are used in
grocery, retail and freezer applications.
PALLET SHUTTLE RACKS are a semi-automated, deep lane
system that utilizes an integrated cart to transport pallets loaded by
the lift truck at the lane entry into the deep lane. This particular system
works well in applications with high-volume SKUs where you have a
high quantity of the same products and pallets. They help increase
productivity by minimizing lift truck travel. These racking systems are
often used to increase space utilization while boosting throughput in
high-density pallet warehouses.
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