The storage of palletized materials would not be possible today without pallet racking structures. These structures have pallets or skids on which the palletized materials are placed. There are many different types of pallet racks and all of them make it easier to store palletized substances. These storage systems are used together with forklifts that deposit the packed pallets in the racks. Today, pallet racking is used by large industries, warehouses, retail stores, and distribution centers. Their price ranges can vary depending on the amount of storage needed. The larger the space needed, the higher the cost. There are a number of pallet racking systems that people commonly purchase. These include:
Drive-through and drive-in: These types allow the forklift to drive directly into a storage bay (usually a lane of stacked rows). The drive-in system uses a position as the entry and exit point. Because it has only one I/O point, it is a last-in, first-out (LIFO) storage method. Each bay is only used for one type of product. The walk-through rack allows a forklift to enter from each side of the platform, unlike the walk-through rack. Therefore, it uses a storage method called First-In, First-Out (FIFO). This can be loaded at one end and unloaded at the other end, allowing for FIFO (first in, first out) product rotation.
Selective pallet racking: this is the most purchased system, since it is cheaper and offers easy access to all products. It can be purchased when stocks run out and are quickly replenished. Many wholesale and retail stores use selective pallet racking. There are two styles: the profiled one and the structural shelving system. The first has a teardrop design. The pallets are placed on the horizontal beams which, in turn, are held in place with movable clips that allow for easier height adjustment. Rolled up selective shelving is perfect for storing items of different sizes. Structural framing designs are almost similar to rolled profile ones, only their horizontal load-bearing beams are attached to the vertical frames with bolts. However, these can tolerate heavy material. Due to the bolt fixing, the shelves can be disassembled or restructured in any way you like.
Motorized Mobile Pallet Racking: Motorized mobile racking, also called compact mobile or industrial mobile, is made for warehouses. They are configured to cut pallet storage space in half. They make fixed aisles more productive by building more rows of pallets on sturdy rolling carts. The setup is then placed on rails on the floor. Using a remote control, the pallet racks can be moved laterally along the floor rails, forming a movable floating aisle.
Gravity Flow, Live Flow, or Pallet Systems – These are high-density options that use depth to increase storage area. It consists of a sloped/inclined rail with rollers that allow loaded pallets to roll smoothly down the inclined plane. They also have braking systems that are used to regulate the speed of a moving paddle. They can be LIFO or FiFO inventory management systems.