World Executives Digest | How to Choose an Effective and Safe Pallet Rack Layout | The operations and efficiency of your warehouse are crucial to fulfill the orders and enhance productivity. Here, the selection of the right pallet rack system is also vital. These systems are the core of a distribution center.
Apart from storing and organizing the products, they also facilitate accessibility and shipping. With careful planning and appropriate placement of your layout, you can maximize the storage capacity of your warehouse. Here are the things you can do.
Optimize the Vertical Space
When it comes to increasing the storage capacity in your fulfillment center, you can consider increasing the height of the pallet racking. Many warehouses have a tall ceiling that provides ample vertical space. You may optimize this vertical space to create racks that fit more products.
Investing in taller uprights helps to stack the items on a height. But, you need to be cautious here. It will help if you store the things that are easy to take down from the higher racks. Choose these racks for overflow products or storing items you do not need frequently.
Invest in Long Racks
You can lengthen the racking system to add more storage space. Also, reduce the gaps in your current racking and use lesser upright frames to maximize this space. With this placement, you may leverage every inch of storage space in the existing layout without expanding it further.
Also, it allows more pallets into the existing setup. However, you need a little foresight here as well. Do not lengthen the racks that are shorter due to design requirements. These may be the racks near high traffic areas or doors in your facility.
Measure the Racks Carefully
Getting the perfect size of new or existing racks is essential to maximize the efficiency of your storage system. The majority of racking systems are designed to store traditional items. But, you can also opt for custom solutions that focus on the available space in your facility.
For making the best choices, consider measuring the beams, upright frames, and wire decking in your racking system. These components help you to choose the right type of rack in the accurate dimensions.
Streamline the Picking Processes
For streamlining the picking processes in your warehouse, you need a perfect balance of static and dynamic storage. Static storage refers to overflow items that do not sell frequently and sit on the shelves for longer periods.
Dynamic storage, on the other hand, is for the items that move fast. Sometimes, you may use the same pallet rack for both of these storage types. It allows pallet flow and a selective racking system to store similar items in one place.
Choose Safety Features
The safety of your pallet racking system is vital to optimizing the performance of the bottom line. You need to invest in safety features like anchors, column guards, and drop pins to reduce the risks of damages.
While anchors keep the pallet firmly in place, column guards protect the pallets from smaller impacts. The beam safety drop pins are essential to reduce the accidental disengagement of beams during the incidents like the high lifting of the pallets by a forklift.
With the right configuration and consideration of these factors, you can choose the best pallet racking system for optimized and safe operations.