Customized High-density Very Narrow Aisle Pallet Rack Systems for Industrial Storage

Overview

In modern warehouses and distribution centers, storage capacity and efficiency are the most important factors in maximizing a facility. The desired types of steel storage pallet rack include selective, push back, drive in, drive through, pallet flow, cantilever, work platforms and any other related systems. In this article, I will brief you a very classical pallet rack with denser storage pattern—Very Narrow Aisle pallet racking system.

Very narrow aisle pallet racking system, known as VNA, is a tighter variation of conventional selective pallet rack configured with narrower aisles and high-rise storage racks, which provides maximum space utilization within a storage facility. Perfectly suited to products of multiple SKUs, VNA follows a First-in/First-out stock rotation principle.

Details of Warehouse Rack

Structure and Working Procedure

VNA pallet racking system shares similar structure and work procedure with standard selective pallet racking system. In VNA system, aisle widths are usually 1.5m to 2m depending on the space of the warehouse and specific storage requirement, while that of standard selective are usually about 3m to 4m accommodating to different forklifts sizes.

Like selective, VNA also follows a First-in/First-out (FIFO) stock rotation principle offering 100% selectivity. The layouts of the VNA can be one single row against the wall or two racks back-to-back connecting by row-spacers.

But with narrower aisles and higher bay heights, there are some special points about VNA pallet rack systems that worth your attention.

♦ Guide rails

Guide rails are frequently used in VNA pallet racking system to assist the safe operation of VNA forklifts avoiding hitting the rack when travelling along the narrow path. Both floor mounted rails and eletronic wire guides are available from Ironstone.

♦ VNA forklifts

Pallets, in VNA system, are loaded and unloaded at the front of the bay by specialized handling equipment in the narrow aisles. The VNA truck, equipped with a rotation fork turret can realize safe products storing and retrieval facilitated with guidance systems in such limited space. Though VNA forklifts are used, traditional forklifts may also necessary for product picking and delivery out of the racking structure.

♦ Safety Accessories

In VNA pallet rack system, the frames are usually higher compared to other kinds of pallet racks. In addition to the compressed operational space, protective accessories are of essential part for the whole structures' stability and safety. For example, row-spacers, column protectors, safty meshes and top braces, etc.

Strength of VNA Pallet Rack

►Maximum Storage Space Utilization

Obviously, VNA can store more products compared with Selective Pallet Racks by taking full advantage of floor space.

►Full Accessibility and Selectivity

Maintaining the basic structure of selective system, VNA system can still have full accessibility and selectivity to all pallets, maybe with a little inconvenience during operation.

►Good Stock Rotation

Following FIFO principle, VNA remains a good stock rotation rate since all the products are accessible.

►Cost-effective Storage Solution

Considering the premium of land, VNA helps a lot in saving the investment on space. Besides, the simple structure of racks also make VNA a cost-effective storage solution especially for small warehouse with limited budget.

►Easy Inventory Management

In VNA racking system, inventory management can be very easy since different items can be stored at different levels or bays or racks. The unloading process is also visible and convenient.

►Flexible Application Options

VNA racking system can be very flexible during application since they can be installed and dismantled easily. And they can also be reconfigured with many components and accessories if when some modifications to the warehouse are necessary.

►Minimized Product Damage

In VNA system, products are well organized and stored and compared to bulk stacking, the product damage is minimized.

Weakness of VNA Pallet Rack

►Requiring Special Forklifts

Since the aisles in VNA system are slightly wider than the load, special forklifts are necessary for pallets retrieval and storage.

►Requiring High-level Structure Rigidity

To increase storage capacity, VNA systems are usually designed with higher rack levels and narrower aisles. That means a higher requirement for structure rigidity and stability. For safety concern, some electronic guidance systems or guide rails are usually fitted into the racks to assist the right operation of machines.

►Requiring Flat Floor

For VNA system, the requirement for flat floor is more strict than regular aisle pallet racks.

Though VNA pallet rack is very popular with its countless merits, no single rack system can solve every storage problem. All you need is to justify your warehouse layout and storage demands to find the right dish that suits your taste.