High-Density Drive in Pallet Rack System with Customizable Design

Drive-in pallet rack system is a high-density storage solution with LIFO inventory management ideal for storing a large number of like-products that are not time-sensitive. As its name implies, it allows forklifts to drive into the system directly to store and retrieve pallet cargo.

Specifically, drive-in pallet racks are placed against a wall or closed at one end, and the other end is used as entry and exit at the same time. Each lane serves as working aisles for forklifts as well as storage space for pallets. Besides, there are rails in the horizontal direction supporting pallets and guiding the direction of forklifts.

★ Loading and unloading in drive-in pallet rack system:

When it is time to load pallets, forklifts transport every pallet to the deepest available position, making pallets successively aligned from bottom to top, and from rear to front. The last pallet put into the row will be the first one to be taken out, realizing the LIFO inventory rotation direction.

★ Drive through pallet rack system:

It is a variant of the drive-in pallet rack system. Different from drive-in pallet racks, there is no barrier on both ends of drive-through pallet racks in which forklifts can drive completely through the system, making FIFO realizable. However, it’s not as stable as the drive-in pallet rack system because of the lack of connection.

Advantages of Drive in Pallet Rack System:

• High-density storage: Drive in pallet racks are designed suitable for forklifts to navigate into lanes for storage and retrieval, eliminating the need for multiple aisles. By reducing aisles, storage density is greatly improved. Within the same space, the storage density of drive in racks even doubles that of conventional selective racks.

• Efficient space utilization rate: By transforming space used for aisles into storage space, warehouse space is better utilized so as to enhance storage utilization rate which is important for warehouse with limited available space.

• Cost-effective: It is the least expensive high-density storage system. Compared with other high-density racking systems, the average cost of per pallet position in drive-in pallet racks is less.

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Tips for Drive-in Pallet Rack System:

• Drive-in pallet racks take storage density prior to selectivity, so it’s best suited for warehouses with low mix, high volume SKUs.

• The inventory rotation rate is limited in the system so it’s not ideal for time-sensitive products.

• Following the principle of LIFO, all of the products in a given row must be unloaded to reach the last pallet. Hence, it is advisable to fill a row with the same SKU. Otherwise, in order to access the required SKU, it will need excessive material handling in a drive-in row with mixed SKUs.

• It should be verified that the forklift will be used in the system is compatible with the racks’ dimensions since the forklift has to enter the system.

• In confined lanes, the system is highly susceptible to damage from forklift collisions. Therefore, upright protectors and guard rails are essential to protect racks from damage. Besides, regular inspection and maintenance are also necessary to assure the stability of the system and the safety of personnel.

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