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Warehouse Storage Solutions using Drive-in Pallet Racking

Given today’s fast moving, ever-changing warehousing issues facing many companies today, an effective solution to storage space issue is the effective use of Pallet Racking. HB Industrial Solutions provides companies large & small with effective Drive-in Pallet Racks solutions to the storage needs regardless of the size of the warehouse facility. HB Industrial Solutions has the staff in place to completely understand the Storage & Shelving requirements of each individual client & will make Pallet & Racking recommendations that are best suited for each client. HB Industrial Solutions has been installing Racking & Shelving Solutions for over 20 years.

Pallet racking, is a material handling storage aid system designed to store materials on pallets (or “skids”). Although there are many varieties of pallet racking, all types allow for the storage of palletized materials in horizontal rows with multiple levels. All types of pallet racking create some level of increase storage density with the least dense being the least expensive and cost increasing with storage density. Selective rack is the least dense per pallet position up to gravity flow pallet rack. Forklift trucks are usually an integral part of any pallet rack system as they are usually required to place the loaded pallets onto the racks for storage. Pallet racks are an essential and ubiquitous element in most modern warehouses, manufacturing facilities, retail centres, and other storage and distribution facilities.

Some of the most common types of pallet rack systems used include:

1. Drive-in and Drive-through (sometimes spelled Drive-thru) are storage rack configurations that allow the forklift to drive directly into the lane of stacked rows (called a bay). The difference between a drive-in and a drive-thru pallet rack system is simply whether the bays have an entry at only one end, or at both ends. Drive-in rack systems use a common entry and exit, while drive-thru systems have entry points at either end of the bay. Because a drive-in racking system has only one entrance, it uses what is called a LIFO (last in, first out) storage method. With only one entrance, the last pallet put into a row is necessarily the first one to be taken out. A drive-thru storage system, with two different entry points, can also use a FIFO (first in, first out) storage method. With a FIFO system, pallets are loaded in one end and are pushed back to the other end, where they are then at the front of the row on the opposite side. The first pallet put into such a row is the first one taken out at the other end. This system is advantageous for material with an expiration date or wherever shelf life is a major concern.

2. Push-back pallet rack systems are designed around the principle of organizing space by depth rather than width. This depth arrangement greatly reduces aisle space and increases storage density. In this configuration, each bay can be up to six pallets deep; each pallet stored on wheeled carts that fit onto rails. The rails are slightly angled toward the load/unload side of the rack in order to take advantage of gravity, saving enormous amounts of energy for moving heavy pallets. When a forklift sets the pallet onto the cart, it drives forward and causes the pallet to bump the next pallet, causing the entire row of pallets to roll backwards. When removing a pallet from the front position the remaining pallets immediately stage themselves forward so that the next available pallet can be accessed. Push back rack is a LIFO (last in, first out) storage system.

3. Pallet Flow systems are high density pallet storage systems that utilize depth to increase capacity. This system uses a slightly inclined rail with rollers that allow pallets to move easily along the sloped plane. These systems are also called gravity flow or dynamic flow systems. The pallet flow system often has complex motion and braking systems to control the speed of the moving pallet. Pallet Flow racking systems are either a FIFO (first in, first out) or a LIFO (last in, first out) storage system. If the system is loaded from the back and unloaded from the front, its FIFO; if the system is loaded and unloaded from the front its a LIFO system.

Some disadvantages of high density pallet storage systems are; less access to all stock at any given moment (although if the stored product is all the same, it should not matter), and the expense of such systems. Selective pallet rack systems are considerably less expensive per pallet position than their higher density counterparts. In most medium to large facilities, however, high density pallet rack systems are essential, since they provide the efficiency of time and high cost facility space is better optimized.

In many scenarios companies need to consider the most cost-effective solution to their pallet racking storage issues and HB Industrial Solutions has a very large inventory of used pallet racking to get you started in creating more space in your warehouse.  HB Industrial Solutions also offers the best in Pallet Racking Repair using Damotech Racking System Repair & Reinforcement Solutions. Damotech is the leader in pallet racking repair.

To know more about Damotech Racking System and Warehouse Storage Solutions using Pallet Racking visit http://www.allrackshelving.com/