Pallet Flow Racking

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Pallet Flow or Carton Flow Racks

Pallet Flow Racks provide very quick throughput of palletized or carton stock with minimum handling. Each Pallet Flow section has roller lanes attached to horizontal rack beams with a built in slight incline to allow gravity to do all the work and easily move loaded cartons or pallets down to the Picking Face. A first-in, first-out (FIFO) Live Pallet Flow Rack System provides an excellent return on investment, as it improves warehouse productivity, storage capacity, efficiency, enhances stock rotation, and reduces waste of fresh-dated sensitive products.

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Pallet flow racks hold 100% more stock in the same amount of space compared to the popular selective pallet racking storage system. Pallet Flow Racking is an effective way to utilize space within the warehouse because of its ability to store numerous pallets at once. This first-in, first-out (FIFO) storage solution maximizes efficiency in the warehouse by expediting product distribution. Pallet flow racks are also called "Gravity Flow Racks". An ultra-efficient, ultra-dense storage of palletized or cartoned goods with fewer aisles than most other racking method. Filled pallets or carton loads are loaded onto the upper end of the slightly inclined pallet flow lane. Equipped with wheels or rollers, gravity moves the loaded pallets or cartons down the flow lane to the picking side.

When AIT designs a customer's pallet flow rack every phase of the operation, from how the flow racking will be fed, to what the needed outflow requirements are, is carefully considered to provide the most efficient, customized system possible.

What Are The Advantages Of Pallet Flow Racking?

Conventional Selective Pallet Racking VS. High Density Space Saving Pallet Flow Rack

Visual Demonstration of the difference between Conventional Selective Pallet Racking VS. High Density Pallet Flow Rack

High-density storage utilizes space with fewer aisles
Space optimization – double the storage capacity in the same footprint
Efficient storage of high volume/low SKU products
Increased productivity with less travel time to load and unload
Ideal for high-volume, case-pick applications
Immediate access to every product stored on the system
Flow rack systems require minimum maintenance
Pallet flow rack can drastically reduce the labor required to pick pallet
Since the Flow Rack loading and unloading aisles are separate, there's no traffic interference from forklift trucks.
FIFO pallet flow racking systems are ideal for storing perishable or time sensitive products.
Product rotation is automatic, once pallets are loaded. Eliminates the labor involved in rearranging loads.
Reduced product and rack damage – because of reduced forklift use, less chance of product damage or collision damage to the rack system itself

Pallet flow racks are the ideal first-in, first-out high-density storage.

Pallet flow racking is installed in an infinite variety of layouts

The full benefit of Pallet Flow is maximized when the vertical space in your warehouse is used to the fullest for multi-level Pick Module installations. Pallet flow racking systems are one of the best industry storage and racking systems utilized for a small space. Pallet flow rack systems are extremely cost-effective when you consider how much product you can store per square foot. The perfect storage system for smaller size warehouses. Taller than wide, they take up a very small warehouse footprint.

Going vertical pallet flow increase the total available storage capacity considerably. From loading dock to shipout with pallet flow racking. From loading dock to shipout with pallet flow racking.

A pallet flow rack is considered one of the best racking systems to use to avoid unnecessary internal transport. Pallet flow systems are ideal for warehouses where stock turnover control and pallet flow rack space-savings are critical. The flow rack compact structure uses slightly inclined roller beds on each level of the flow racking to allow unit loads to be easily moved.

Pallet Flow Rack are an effective way to double your space within the warehouse.

Perfect Applications For Pallet Flow Rack:

Fast moving palletized or cartoned product with FIFO stock rotation necessities.
Ideal for time-sensitive large volume and consumer goods.
Freezers & food distribution requiring maximum storage volume.
When the rotation of perishable goods is critical.
When pickers are losing valuable time waiting for fresh stock replenishment?
The business is losing revenue because there is not proper stock rotation of pallets.

Pallet flow racking is installed in an infinite variety of layouts, depending on the individual flow rates and order picking requirements. Pallet flow storage systems are excellent for buffer type warehouses and dispatch areas where pallets need to be removed quickly. Pallet flow storage systems are highly-suited to food distribution centers,frozen-storage warehouses, or high-volume consumer goods.

HOW DO PALLET FLOW RACKS WORK?

Pallet flow rack systems work by placing pallet loads on a rack system's wheels or rollers. Imagine a conventional pallet rack, now equipped with roller channels mounted on a slight slope downward. Gravity provides the needed force to move the pallets down the pallet flow lane. Pallet loads are first loaded at the top upper end of the slightly inclined pallet flow lane called the "Load-Face" and removed on the other side of the pallet flow racking which is called the "Pick-Face". The pallet rack roll speed is worked out during the pallet flow rack design. Different types of wheels, rollers, and brakes are designed into the pallet flow rack to have the roll speed and braking where it needs to be.

When a pallet needs to be unloaded, a forklift truck on the pick-face side of the flow rack removes the first pallet on the rack. The pallets immediatdly move forward toward the pickface at the designed speed. The process continues until either the pallet flow rack is emptied or it can continue indefinitely as long as more pallets keep being loaded on to the load-face side of the flow rack.

Pallet Flow for Warehouse Storage Systems

Pallet flow rack systems are one of the best design pallet rack systems for companies requiring a FIFO operation with an ultra-tight use of space, a high turnover of product, and minimal staff requirements. Pallet loads on a pallet flow rack glide safely without effort at a controlled rate to the front of the storage lane which is called the "pick-face". The flow rack systems rugged load-bearing wheels are designed for years of trouble-free pallet flow rack operations.

The majority of Pallet Flow Rack Systems uses the FIFO system (First In, First Out), in which the loading area is at the opposite end to the unloading area. The goods move along the pallet flow rack thanks to the inclined roller bed system. The pallets roll along roller conveyors that allow the palletized products to glide freely. Loaded pallets enter the structure on one end and move securely along the roller conveyors at a controlled speed, only by the force of gravity, until they reach the other end of the pallet flow rack, ready for removal.

Pallet Flow Pallet Rack Components

This is a Last In First Out LIFO Flow Rack System

Pallet Flow Rack systems are made up of two main parts. First, the rack structure: depending on your application weight and other needs your pallet racking can be engineered with either heavy duty structural racking components or with roll formed pallet racking. Remaining components are the wheels or rollers, all selected based on the individual application.

New or pre-owned span track is used to convert existing pallet racking into Pallet Flow Pallet Racking. No additional shelves or pallet supports are needed. Convert the entire rack, or just a portion. We can help you configure the ideal system for your needs.

Full Width Roller Pallet Flow Pallet Racking

Full Width Roller for Pallet Flow Racking

Flow Rail Track for Flow Rack

Full-width rollers: Because of the amount of full width horizontal support, full width rolles are ideal for applications with multiple pallet sizes for products. Full-width rollers are also the most flexible pallet flow roller option available on the market.

Magnum Pallet Flow Skate Wheel VS Typical Pallet Flow Skate Wheel

Magnum Pallet Flow Skate Wheel VS Typical Pallet Flow Skate Wheel

Magnum (Poly) Wheel Rollers: These are the most durable type of pallet flow roller available. Magnum wheel rollers are ideal for pallet loads reaching over 3,000 pounds and are perfect for freezer storage applications.

Pallet Flow wheels, also called skate wheels come pre-assembled on sturdy rails. Create pallet flow lanes easily by dropping each track into the bay. Skate wheels are delivered assembled on either 2″, 3″ or 4″ centers and staggered wheels are used for heavier loads on either 1-1/2″ or 2″ centers. The side rails fit securely in the step of the beam and a metal or nylon stop at the end keeps the pallet in the bay.

Steel Track With Magnum Wheel Rollers

Span Track for Case or Carton Flow Rack

Steel Skate Wheel Rollers: are typically used with standard wooden pallets for pallet flow systems that have short lanes. Steel skate wheel rollers are generally the most cost-effective pallet flow roller option.

Span track is an inventive form of carton flow racking that fits right into your existing pallet rack beams into a functioning flow system in your facility. It's full width roller sections are simply placed into racks, providing beam to beam unsupported spans of carton flow. No additional shelving or pallet supports are needed. Convert the entire rack, or just a portion.

Pallet Condition Flow Rack Storage Solutions

For pallet flow systems, the condition of each pallet rack is highly important. Depending on pallet condition, there are nescessary changes to the pallet flow system that should always be evaluated extensively. Poor condition pallets often result in less than desirable pallet flow performance or outright total failure if not evaluated carefully. However, AIT can provide a wide range of solutions that can be used:

Excellent to good quality pallets, two pallet flow rails per pallet lane is an option. For variances in SKU sizes the wheels or rollers can be singular or staggered.

For pallets with fair quality or in cases of heavy loads, a center roller lane can be added to spread out the load bearing of each pallet.

For poor quality pallets or large variances in SKU sizes, full width pallet flow rollers can be provided.

The AIT design staff has over 25 years of experience in the supply of gravity flow pallet racking and all pallet flow rack storage products and will configure the appropriate pallet flow components to meet your criteria. We'll help you specify, lay out and install a rack system that fits your needs. To get started, call 954-205-4071 or Click Here to email AIT

Pallet Flow Rack Safety

Load Pallets Safely - In pallet flow rack systems, pallets are loaded with a foklift from one side of the flow rack system and with the help of gravity moves on roller track to the opposite end where they’re unloaded. It’s important to properly place pallets on the loading end of the rack system, being careful not to collide with the racking.

Unloading Pallets Safely - Once pallets moved by gravity along the roller track to the unloading end of the pallet rack system, they wait to be unloaded in (FIFO) First In First Out order. Forklift operators must have enough experience to carefuly remove pallets without harming pallets sitting behind. The pallet being unloaded is the only barrier between the next pallet in line and the front of the flow rack system, so forklift operators must unloaded safely to encourage pallet flow safety.

Maintenance Safety - Proper system maintenance must be done on a strict schedule. Maintaining pallet flow components is the key to keeping your warehouse running well and keeping your pallet racks strong and stabile. Like all other pallet rack systems, we advise performing routine safety checks on pallet flow systems in order to monitor the system’s structural integrity and verify proper functionality of all its parts.

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