What is Pallet Flow Rack?
Pallet flow rack, or flowrack, or gravity flow, is a pallet storage method that uses wheels or rollers to convey and accumulate pallets in a storage module. Depths can range from 2 to over 20 pallets deep, thereby giving you higher storage density than other forms of racking. Because pallets travel from the load end to the unload end on their own, forklift travel is reduced.
Finally, the first pallet loaded into a lane will be the first pallet unloaded, giving you First-in First-out or FIFO.When a pallet is removed from the unload end, the pallets in behind will roll forward one position and come to rest on the ramp stops at the end of the lane. With flowrack, different forklift operators can independently load and unload pallets.
How do Pallet Flow Racks Work?
A flowrack system contains either a set of wheel tracks or full width rollers set on a slight slope downward from the load end to the unload end. When an operator places the pallet in the first position, the pallet begins to roll forward toward the other end. Speed controllers are installed in the lane to ensure the pallet travels in a safe manner to the unload end. The operator can continue to load pallets into the lane, and they will accumulate until the lane is full.
When a pallet is removed from the unload end, the pallets in behind will roll forward one position and come to rest on the ramp stops at the end of the lane. With flowrack, different forklift operators can independently load and unload pallets.
Who Uses Pallet Flow Racks?
Gravity flow racking applications typically involve high volume products; they can be found primarily in manufacturing environments where many pallets of the same item are produced. Others will use flow rack to stage orders for shipment, or in picking systems to store pallet loads of goods for high volume case picking.
The Australian and New Zealand Pallet
The Australian and New Zealand standard pallets are both similar in that they have the bottom boards running across the direction of flow. This means that a full width roller type of system as used in Europe will not work efficiently, if at all. The solution is to use three tracks of wheels per flow lane. Each track has two lines of wheels, and the wheels in each line are staggered.
Other pallet types and totes
Just because your storage load is not a standard pallet do not assume it cannot be done.There are times in Australia when we are asked to provide solutions for loads other than the standard pallets. We have done very large projects for double wide pallets, and others for totes. Usually the pallet itself dictates the solution. We provide full width rollers which is sourced from our European partner EuroRoll when the solution demands.
For further information please contact us or refer to the 3D website
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