How does palette flow stacking work?
Pallet flow racking is a system of storage wherein multiple pallets are stacked in a depth that supports FIFO inventory rotation. In the system, pallets are loaded from the rear end and retrieved from the front of the racking system. When the pallet is unloaded from the front of the system, the next pallet in line will move to an exit position. This is possible due to the design of the angled rails that allow the palettes to flow to the front of the racks. Each of the storage lanes have the gravity-assisted rails with roller wheels that allow the pallets to move forward. The racks require a specific angle to ensure that pallets will move forward in safe speed. This is realized through horizontal beams that are typically welded to the racks. The loss of significant vertical storage capacity is more pronounced with this type of system because of the angled system of pallet storage. However, the pallet flow stacking system is the best option for storing a large quantity of pallets with the same products.
The importance of being involved in the design of racking systems
If companies will choose to work with designers of rack manufacturers, the best system can integrated into the warehouse. Companies almost always have different requirements and it is important for these requirements to be properly addressed through the design of a pallet flow stacking system if in case this is the option chosen to maximize storage space. It is also important to take into account the cost effectiveness of the chosen solution without compromising the quality of the rack system. More importantly, the engineered design must ensure that the weight of products being stored will be handled efficiently. It makes no sense to cut corners because if the safety of products and workers are compromised, it would be a very costly mistake. Unfortunately many companies fail to realize that strength and durability play very important roles in the choice of industrial racking and shelving systems.
During the installation of racking system, another factor that must be accounted for is the width of operating aisles. During the layout of the warehouse storage system, the operating aisles must be adequate enough for the forklift driver to maneuver. The size of the pallets should also be considered because it the working environment is too narrow, it can impact on productivity. Even if storage density is the main goal in the warehouse, there must always be sufficient room to move around otherwise, the handling of products and materials will be compromised. In some cases, the width of aisles is designed to accommodate two forklifts to comfortably pass and therefore speed up the process of loading and unloading.