Understanding The Different Types Of Racking System In The Warehouse

While designing a warehouse or handling it as a business, you should know the intricacies. They can help you as a reference point in running it successfully. You will have to learn the types of equipment used in the warehouse and choose what you deem fit for your setup. Let us starts with understanding the racking system. Industrial racking system comprises metal structures that are designed to handle a different load of products. While choosing the perfect racking system for your business, you should first know the type of product you will keep in your warehouse.

The racking systems can be broadly classified into two categories, namely pallet racking and picking solutions. Pallet racking is meant for taking heavy loads of the warehouse products, and the picking racking system is intended for a lighter load.

The pallet racking system can be further divided into four categories:

Adjustable: Adjustable pallet racking system meant to cater to manual load. You can keep the goods in the aisle with the use of forklifts. Depending upon the width and accessibility of the products that you wish to store, you should decide between narrow racks and wide ones. As the name suggests, the former is for those who want to create a compact system and little room for unutilized space. This type of adjustable pallet racking is compacted by narrowing the aisles, resulting in a space-saving of over 40%. The minimum aisle width must be 1.5 m in this type of system.

As per this type of industrial system, the space utilization is more, but you will not have complete access to the material in one go. As the name suggests, it utilizes double depth in storing the products. Therefore, you can only use this racking system to invest in special forklifts equipped with telescopic forks or a pantograph mechanism to easily and quickly access the second pallet stored.

Mobile racking: This system consists of motors and remote traction elements to complete the stacking process. It helps in opening up only one aisle for work and storage at a time.

Compact racking: It is one of the most high-density storage systems that fully optimizes the workspace by reducing the truck aisle work to the maximum. These are automated structures where you can create parallel aisles inside the form.  The forklifts can quickly load and unload the products in these aisles. Even though you will not have direct access to all the products in the aisle, it is the best pick for the warehouses, where creating space is more important than access to each product. In other words, fast-running warehouses with a need for high storage are an ideal pick for this like of racking system. This racking system can be further classified into drive-in and drive-through systems.

Live pallet racking: Live pallet racking is a compact storage system that takes advantage of gravity forces and pushes to optimize pallet storage. You can use a slight incline and the pushing system to cover the areas that otherwise inaccessible. The loading and unloading area is created at the opposite ends, and it uses the first-in, first-out method to keep all the products in check. The other way is to have the same loading and unloading area wherein you can use the last-in, first-out method to gain access to the goods.

The racking systems can be broadly classified into two categories, namely pallet racking and picking solutions. Pallet racking is meant for taking heavy loads of the warehouse products, and the picking racking system is intended for a lighter load.