Cantilever racks pack more storage in less space
A cantilever rack system accommodates wire-guided lift trucks in narrow aisles and helps to maintain productivity.
By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 3/1/1999
When a large North Carolina metal company built its steel service center, it looked for an efficient cantilever rack system that would use minimal warehouse space, yet allow lift trucks to enter the aisle so that operators could quickly pull customer orders for shipment.The 98,000 sq ft service center handles carbon, alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum bar stock products.
The new cantilever rack system was purchased as a complete turn-key operation. From engineering design to final installation, the metal center's planning personnel worked directly with the manufacturer. The entire storage rack area, which operates on three, eight-hour shifts, is supported by nine employees.
The metal center's multi-aisle system is 23 ft high includes single and double arms. Each arm can hold a capacity of 5,000 lb. The overall system has the potential to hold 8,500 tons or 17 million lb.
A critical feature of this rack system is the solid-steel, rectangular key-wedge connecter allowing for fast and easy arm installation while acting as a positive locking device. The boltless, fully welded construction provides rigid, stable footing for the system.
For operation efficiency when pulling stock, a steel materials holding tray rests on each set of arms. These trays are either 8 or 16 ft long, depending on the length of the bar stock. The metal center is pleased because the design provides savings in productivity time over stacking rack systems that require the top bundles to be removed in order to select stock from the lower positions.
A slotted design in the rack's base permits the aisle guidance system to be inside the parameters of the rack, becoming an integral part of the rack system. At this metal center, aisles were installed at the minimum 56 in. width required for the 10,000 lb capacity sideloaders. This allows the company to maximize the number of racks in the facility and delay the date of future facility expansion. And according to facility management, there is room for growth.
Tapered columns and arms compensate for eccentric load column deflection, even when fully loaded. This is critical for operations necessitating a rack system with vertical load clearances, resulting in unobstructed travel in the aisle-ways. Clymer Enterprises, Inc. 800-448-0784
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