Live Storage Racks: A New Option For Warehouses

Are you running a warehouse? If so, you will know that Inventory Management is paramount to streamlining warehouse operations in today’s fast-paced and highly competitive markets.

The right storage system can significantly reduce your business’s time and expenses. The racking solutions also provide better utilisation of space to streamline your warehouse operations. That is why you have to choose the right racking system. Picking the best one involves many factors. The first section of our blog explores these factors in detail.

5 Selection Criteria To Choose Warehouse Racking Systems

There’s one thumb rule to pick the right racking system: It must maximise your warehouse’s space utilisation without compromising your business operations, especially the picking process.

To choose the correct racking system, consider the following factors:

1. Your Budget

The flexibility of your budget is the first determining factor in picking a racking system that aligns with all your storage needs. In an ideal financial situation, you may favour practicality and functionality over cost. However, your budget restrictions will govern your decisions in this matter.

2. Floor Utilisation

The term ‘floor utilisation’ refers to the ability of the racking system to optimise your warehouse space, which is your biggest asset. You may want to seek professional advice from your design team to establish the current layout, space, and infrastructure. Compare these details with your proposed rack system to check if they are in tandem with each other.

3. Storage Utilisation

How much storage space will your rack system provide, and how much of it will you use? The answers to these questions are determined by your cargo’s quantity, weight and size. Prepare a figure for total storage utilisation, and know how much inventory you need to store in racks. This will simplify your future communications with your rack manufacturers.

4. Equipment & Workforce

Do you have the right equipment to load and unload your cargo? If you are choosing pallet racks, you will also need forklifts. Additionally, you will also need to consider the manoeuvrable space between aisles required for the forklifts. As for your workforce, they should be properly trained, licensed, and experienced to work seamlessly with your chosen system.

5. Inventory Management Processes

Racking systems are also chosen according to the order in which inventory is retrieved in the warehouse. Unless you know your current, future, and peak turnover rate now, you cannot determine what you need. Discuss your operations’ forecast with your planners. In your selection process, this data will prove the most useful to you.

Rack manufacturers and designers churn out the latest rack designs to align with the ever-changing warehouse requirements dictated by the logistics industry. One of the most recent rack designs to take the industry by storm are Live Storage Racking Systems. Wondering what they are?

Live Storage Racks: A Redefining Warehousing Solution

Live storage racks are designed with roller track sections placed on a sloping lane to allow pallets to travel over them. This racking system is far more compact and depends entirely on gravitational forces to move the pallets.

This is how they work: The loaded pallets are moved to the highest part of the track section. With the help of gravity, they move at a controlled speed towards the other end of the sloping lane. Live racking systems are ideal for warehouses that store perishable goods because they use FIFO (First In, First Out) and LIFO (Last In, First Out) management. Besides, they are used for heavy and light loads, making them ideal for any industry or distribution business.

The live racking system has even more advantages, and that explains its popularity:

• The possibility of both LIFO and FIFO management enhance the efficiency and simplicity of product stock control and management in the warehouse.
• These racks are totally adaptable and compatible with other pallet racking systems.
• The elimination of passageway obstructions and improved safety measures increase the safety of the operators who handle the racking system.
• Live racks enhance the load capacity of the space, although the available storage space remains the same.
• The stock-flow speed is greater because the goods are moved automatically towards the exit for quicker unloading.

There’s no doubt that live racking systems are a great choice, but are they the right option for your warehouse? Let’s venture deeper into these details.

Pallet Live Racks: Uses & Choice Of Designs

You may want to invest in pallet live racking systems. But do they align with your warehouse processes, inventory management, and the businesses you serve? According to rack manufacturers and experts, a pallet live racking system is ideal for warehouses with:

• FIFO management and a consistent flow of high volume cargo and consumer goods.
• Continuous stock rotation to handle the flow of perishable goods.
• High product turnover with a requirement for fail-safe stock rotation.
• Fast flow of goods relating to food and beverage, chemical and pharmaceuticals industries.
• Temperature-regulated environments that require more storage space within a limited area.

There are two types of design options for pallet live racking systems:

1. Pallet live configurations

There are multiple lanes in this compact system, which consists of deep-running tracks and two aisles. Loading is done on one aisle, and picking is done on the other, resulting in a consistent stock rotation process. The pallet height and number of lanes can be selected based on your storage space and requirements.

2. Pallet live components

This type of live rack consists of compact metal structures. These structures are equipped with a roller conveyor system inclined at a slight angle for the pallets to slide freely to the other end. Operators use pallet guides that ensure the pallets are placed right at the centre of the conveyor system. This system also has efficient brakes to regulate the pallet speed and avoid collisions.

Are You Making The Right Choice With Pallet Live Racking Systems?

There are a few more factors to consider to finalise your decision to invest in pallet live racks. Make sure you tick the following criteria:

• Floor space
• Product shelf life
• Pallet accessibility
• Maximum and minimum heights
• Average pallet weight

It is not always easy to choose the right warehouse racking system due to the wide range of racking systems available on the market. The best way to avoid getting overwhelmed with this process is to consider the points mentioned above.

The easier way to simplify your selection process is to seek professional advice from our experts at Donracks, Chennai. Our company has served as one of the top steel rack manufacturers in Chennai since 1989, thereby giving us the experience and expertise to guide you. Feel free to contact us and list your warehouse storage requirements.