When deciding how to choose a rack for a warehouse, it is necessary, first of all, to start from the concept of a warehouse, realized by the owner of the future storehouse. After all, the project of the future warehouse is prepared precisely from the concept. And the shelves themselves are selected on the basis of design data.

We will consider all the mentioned stages of selection of racks, starting from the project of the warehouse, moving to the stage of choosing from a variety of designs and ending with an assessment of the strength characteristics. After studying this material, you will understand, firstly, which racks to choose specifically for your storage conditions, secondly, how to evaluate their strength and, thirdly, how to choose a supplier of such equipment. But enough words, let's move on to the facts.

How to prepare a warehouse logistics project

Preparation of the project of arrangement of a warehouse is carried out as follows:

  • First, the object is visited by designers who take the size of the room and determine the operational characteristics of the building itself (the bearing capacity of the foundation, the heat resistance of the walls, the temperature conditions, etc.).
  • Next, a warehouse plan is formed, which is indicated not only by the dimensions of the room, but also by the location of communications (including fire hydrants).
  • At the next stage, the location of storage sites is paned, based on the customer's concept, drawing the position of each rack and determining the routes of the warehouse equipment.
  • In the final, software that facilitates logistics is prepared, instructions to storekeepers are drawn up and the technology of the warehouse itself is formed.

As a result, at the end of the project, the customer will have not only plans to distribute the racks in the warehouse, but also recommendations regarding the size and carrying capacity of future storage sites. With this data, you can begin to search for the necessary racks.

What are the racks

For warehouses, shelves are selected based on the characteristics of the storage itself. Since all the warehouses can be divided into several varieties (large, medium, commercial, industrial, and so on), each of them has its own shelving equipment. After all, each cargo stored in a particular warehouse has its own dimensions and weight. Consequently, for the proper organization of the process of storing goods and products, special shelving for warehouses is needed, selected according to the characteristics of the stored inventory items.

In addition, the type of rack construction itself also depends on it, since the saved cargo must be distributed not only into categories determined by storage conditions, but also by allowable weight and dimensions. Otherwise they will not fit in a cell or simply destroy the rack with their weight.

Therefore, in warehouses use several types of racks, classified by structural features. Moreover, each type of shelving has individual performance characteristics that affect the process of storage of goods and products. Since the design depends on the convenience of access to the stored inventory items, and the area occupied by one rack in the storage space.

As a result, the choice of a particular type of racking structures should be made only after a thorough assessment of all the characteristics of one or another variant.

Varieties of shelving equipment

The most common designs include the following systems:

  • Mezzanine racks. This is a structure of complex shape, with the possibility of completing levels. And the beams of these racks are mounted with an emphasis on the ceiling. Therefore, these structures have a second name - ceiling racks. Such a system allows you to mark on the shelves a large amount of shaped goods. Therefore, mezzanine (ceiling) racks are among the most efficient storage systems.
  • Pallet racking. At such places of storage, both the same type and combined goods or goods are well placed. Moreover, pallet racks, in most cases, are focused on front loading. In addition, the design of such racks created under the possibility of loading and unloading goods using special equipment. Therefore, pallet metal storage racks will go “to the yard” to all owners of dimensional storage facilities with a high degree of automation of loading and unloading operations.
  • Console racks. With the help of such constructions it is possible to assemble a storage place of any dimensions and any shape. Therefore, cantilever structures are used on platforms with non-standard sizes. In addition, it is worth noting the high strength of the console racks. This design is able to withstand a two-ton load. As a result, reinforced storage racks of the cantilever type are used for the storage of metal, heavy blanks or semi-finished products, logs, lumber and other goods with non-standard dimensions and a huge weight.
  • Deep racks. This category includes constructions created for special projects ordered for individual needs. Therefore, this rack has a non-standard dimensions of the cells. Moreover, the design of the deep rack, consisting of horizontal and vertical beams that form the frame on which the pallet is placed, offers any dimensions for the depth of the storage location. As a result, the storage rack warehouse, depth type is focused on storage, saving a large amount of inventory.

  • Shelving racks. Warehouse shelving racks are designed as a storage system with shelves of various widths and depths. And the future owner can choose the dimensions of the shelves on their own, or use standard designs. Therefore, the shelf system is suitable for storing any type of goods with different dimensions and weight.

In short, the range of racking systems offered to owners of modern warehouses demonstrates the diversity of both forms and designs. And no one forbids using racks of different types in different functional areas of the storage.

Storage Rack Strength

In addition to external characteristics and dimensions, the process of choosing a particular structure is also influenced by the strength of the racking system. And although the production technology of such metal structures involves the use of only high-quality materials, the strength characteristics of the racks still differ, due to the peculiarities of the shapes and sizes of these products. After all, the load capacity of the racks depends not only on the cross-section of the beams, but also on the distance between the supports and the geometry of the shelves or pallets holding the load.

And on the "lower" level, which occupies the first two meters of the height of the warehouse, it is necessary to select the strongest rack structures. After all, such a storage place can be increased by increasing the height of the rack up to 5 meters!

In addition, the rack rack must withstand not only the operational load. But the impact generated by a random touch of the structural element and the loader. True, such shock loads are usually absorbed by bump stops.

In consequence of this, the racking systems are selected taking into account the 125% (of the maximum operating load) safety margin. And this characteristic is checked annually. Moreover, the initial assessment of strength and maximum operating load can be carried out on the passport data of the racking system. Indeed, in this document the limiting values ​​of the longitudinal loads and torques generated in the joints and beams of this structure after the loading of the rack are indicated.

The selection of the strength characteristics is reduced to the comparison of passport data with the expected operating load (taking into account the necessary excess of 1.25 times).

Who to buy storage racks?

Acquisition of storage racks is usually given to the contractor who developed the logistics project. Moreover, the purchase process should be executed in the form of a tender, providing an opportunity for the customer to study the most profitable commercial offer.

However, it should be noted that cheap designs, in most cases, benefit in price due to a decrease in the metal intensity of the product. And it turns out that, despite the apparently identical dimensions of storage racks, the strength of relatively expensive products produced without saving metal will be much higher than that of the “cheap” option. That is, expensive shelving can withstand a more substantial operating load than cheap counterparts.

As a result, with the same area, it is possible to load more cargo into a warehouse equipped with expensive but high-quality racks than into a storage facility filled with low-cost storage places.

Therefore, shelves are usually bought from the supplier who offers the best value for the strength and characteristics of the acquired storage location.

Should I buy domestic racks?

Definitely worth it! After all, domestic companies collect racks on foreign (or the best of the home-grown) technology, using imported accessories. Therefore, ordinary domestic designs work no worse than imported counterparts.

True, the accuracy of components for imported shelving is still higher than that of domestic counterparts. And any discrepancy in size will lead to difficulties in the process of assembling the system. However, with the strength and carrying capacity of domestic racking systems there is absolutely no problem.

However, in the segment of specialized shelves, for example, gravitational or mobile, the domestic manufacturer was not able to kill the proposals of competing foreign companies.

Therefore, any non-standard designs, dimensions or characteristics of which differ from ordinary values, it is better to purchase from foreign companies. After all, homegrown manufacturers simply do not have equipment for the production of racks of this type.

However, according to experts, the need for extraordinary shelving does not exceed a few percent of the annually sold products. In addition, over the past few years, equipment and specialists capable of producing non-standard racks have appeared in Russia. So, lately, very good versions of designs on hooks have appeared on the market for racking systems, which were previously purchased only from foreign manufacturers.

Well, to be specific, the following domestic companies can be singled out among the leaders in the segment of the production of warehouse metal structures: Miloran, DiKom, Belmetizdelye, Maxstor, Warehouse-Interior, Polymetal. You can trust the products of these companies completely.

Rack- a piece of furniture consisting of shelves mounted on racks or side walls. Used for orderly storage of various things. Due to the absence of doors and side walls (in some types), the rack saves space in the room, which is important in cramped conditions. In addition, it will cost less than the cabinet.

Shelves are used in both residential and office space. This piece of furniture is widely used in the arrangement of the interior of a country house or studio apartment.

The rack is perfect for an ordinary apartment: in the kitchen, it will replace the wall cabinets and shelves, in the living room - the classic “wall”;

By means of a rack without a back wall, it is convenient to zone a room. For example, the living room is easily divided into a recreation area and a dining room, a study into a work area (desk with a PC) and a library, and an office into areas for each employee.

The lack of doors in the rack facilitates access to stored items, but does not protect them from dust and unauthorized persons.

Depending on the destination, there are household, office, archival, warehouse, exhibition racks.

Type of

Shelf- the classical rack intended for storage of various objects on shelves. It occurs most often.

There are such types of shelving racks.

  • Light- to store items of low weight. Used in apartments for arranging a balcony or pantry (household), in offices, banks, archives for placing documents, stationery and office equipment (office).
  • Averageand heavy- for storage of more massive items (including food, tools, industrial equipment, household appliances). Such racks are found in shops, warehouses, shops, car service stations.

Some types of shelving for the home:

  • standard- symmetrical shelving with rear and side walls;
  • wall rack  - a wide rack with a niche for a TV or aquarium, drawers and doors;
  • rack-lattice  - consists of shelves and partitions, devoid of the back and side walls, often has an asymmetric shape;
  • rack cylinder  - rotating model, which is found in stores. A good option for collectors.

Warehouses are equipped with pallet, ramming, cantilever, multi-tier racks.

Pallet- designed for storage of goods in boxes on pallets (barrels, containers, rolls).

Trade (pallet-shelf)  - combines the features of bookshelf and pallet. At the top of the shelves are placed goods on pallets, and below - items on the shelves. Such racks are used in large supermarkets.

Stuffed (deep, entry)  - used for storage of homogeneous and similar cargo on pallets.

Cantilevered- used for storage of elongated cargo of large sizes (including pipes), large-sized products and items of non-standard sizes.

Multi-tiered- used to store a large number of small items.

Design

Whole  - monolithic rack of maximum strength. Its transportation is seriously difficult.

Prefab  - consists of separate parts connected by fasteners. This rack is easy to transport and allows you to change the design and dimensions (in particular height), but the strength is inferior to the integral counterpart. However, in most cases, this minus is not critical.

Installation

Floor- the classic version, easy to install, but requires a certain place in the room.

Suspension- suspended on the wall, which significantly saves space in the room, but is difficult to install.

Built  - mounted in a niche. This solution also saves space, but cannot always be realized.

Execution

Wall (one-sided) - is installed close to the wall. If the rack has no back wall, then its function is performed by the wall of the room. Wall shelves are located in the room around the perimeter and are most common.

Island (two-way)  - installed anywhere in the room. Island racks are used for zoning the space of the room, the equipment of the trading floor. Such models are impractical to install near the wall.

There are also end racks, combining the features of the near-wall and island. Used in salesrooms and stores.

The form

Linear  - the classic version of the rack, which occurs most often. You can arrange it almost anywhere.

Corner (L-shaped)  - allows you to fit the rack in the corner, thereby saving space. Minus - the angular model can not be placed anywhere. This is the optimal solution for small premises.

U-shaped  - surrounds on three sides of the space of the room. This rack is most often used in the bedroom: it "covers" the bed.

Material

Plastic  - easy, steady against the increased humidity, cheap material. In addition, the plastic can be given any shape and color, which allows to realize interesting design solutions.

The weak point of the plastic rack is its fragility - significant loads in the form of many books or folders are contraindicated in it. This rack is well suited for storing shoes and other small items.

Tree- eco-friendly, spectacular in appearance and quite durable, but expensive material. Sensitivity to moisture and susceptibility to fire wood significantly limit the scope of such a rack living space and office.

Chipboard and MDF  - act as a substitute for wood, combine affordable price and acceptable quality. In this case, the rack of chipboard is cheaper, but more toxic and sensitive to moisture than a similar product from MDF.

Important: choosing a rack of chipboard note the labeling of environmental class (E1; E2 ...). The safe product has class E1.

Metal- the most reliable material capable of withstanding severe loads. Unlike a wooden rack, the metal analogue is fireproof and less sensitive to damp. Minus - a lot of weight, because of which the metal rack is difficult to rearrange from place to place. Such models are widely used in industry, warehouses, shops.

Metal racks are made of two materials:

  • aluminum- relatively light and corrosion resistant, but expensive material;
  • steel- harder, but cheaper and more durable than aluminum.

Important: for rooms with high humidity, you should choose racks made of galvanized or stainless steel.

Metal + other material  - a combined solution to reduce the weight of the structure without compromising strength. Shelf frame is made of metal, and the shelves are made of wood, chipboard, MDF, glass, plastic. The combination of different materials improves the decorative qualities of the rack, making it a brighter and more noticeable element of the interior.

Load capacity

The maximum permissible load on the rack, at which it can be used without the risk of structural failure. The higher this parameter, the more massive items can be placed on the rack. However, with increasing load capacity increases the price and weight of the structure.

Load capacity depends on the type of rack:

  • shelf–120-800 kg (light - up to 120 kg, medium - up to 400 kg, heavy - up to 800 kg);
  • pallet- more than 4500 kg;
  • printed- up to 1800 kg;
  • cantilevered- more than 16,000 kg;
  • multi-tiered- from 4000 kg;
  • trade  - 500-1500 kg.

Important: the manufacturer indicates both the load capacity per shelf and the total load capacity of the rack. Before you buy, be sure to check this item.

Do not load the rack more than indicated in the parameter of carrying capacity, even if at first glance its integrity does not threaten - the structure can collapse at any time, and this is fraught with unpredictable consequences. Remember that the load should be distributed evenly on each shelf.

Dimensions

The dimensions of the rack allow us to estimate the place that he will occupy in the room. More capacious design has the appropriate dimensions.

  • height  - up to 2.5 m (office), 1.8 m (for home);
  • shelf depth  - 35-50 cm (office); 25-30 cm (for books);
  • width  - determined by the area, the amount of furniture in the room and the location of the rack. The standard width is 90 cm; for a wall-shelving, this parameter reaches 2-3 m.

Note the distance between the shelves. The best option is 35-40 cm (for books and other things).

Weight

The weight of the rack depends on the material from which it is made, and the estimated carrying capacity. This parameter is important in cases where the rack is planned to move from place to place, for example, when the situation of the room changes. If the rack is designed for stationary stay, then the weight can be neglected, especially since the reliability and durability of the structure always weighs it down.

Location

In the living room, the rack plays the role of an ordinary wall or window display with a slide. Therefore, it is installed along the wall, has a large length and is complemented by cabinets, sideboards and niches for appropriate equipment, first of all, a TV.

In the kitchen, the rack replaces the cupboard or the top cabinets (hanging). In the kitchen interior is convenient to use a mobile design with wheels.

In the bedroom, the rack is often located at the head of the bed, which allows you to effectively use this place (U-shaped shelving).

In the nursery, a low rack is appropriate so that the child has free access to toys and other things. Landmark - no higher than raised children's hands. In addition, to increase stability, the design is rigidly fixed to the wall or floor.

Style

Classicalthe rack looks much more modest than the cabinet due to the lack of doors and rear walls. Therefore, such a piece of furniture will be in conflict with the rich furnishings of the interior, designed in the classical style (Baroque, Rococo, Classicism), but it will perfectly fit into the ascetic modern hi-tech or minimalism.

For the interior in a classic style fit symmetrical wooden  rack with rear and side walls, with some shelves closed by doors. This model is not much different from a bookcase or mini-wall. But in modern  interiors will be organic asymmetricrack with metal racks and glass shelves.

In the interiors decorated in ethnic  style or country musicit is better to install rattan and bamboo shelving.

Colour

The color of the rack should be in harmony with the main color of the interior of the room. True, another option is possible - the rack turns into color spotContrasting with the decor of the room. For example, a white rack will merge with a white wall, creating the effect of "floating" objects in space, and the same white rack will look advantageous against the background of a bright wall.

The color scheme depends on the purpose of the rack. Restrained tones (brown) are good for an office or a classic interior, but a bright rack is better suited to the children's room. Shelving in the office or office is matched to the color of the desktop.

Equipment

Wheels  - facilitate the movement of the structure, which is useful when changing the interior space. Mobile shelving is especially good for small studio apartments - they allow you to quickly change the layout of the room depending on the situation.

Shelf height adjustment  - allows you to store items of different heights, such as books or folders. This option allows the most efficient use of rack space.

Drawers / doors  - protect important things from dust and prying eyes. In such compartments it is convenient to store small items that can easily be lost on the open shelves of the rack.

Backlight  - will make the rack more attractive and facilitate the search for the desired item in the dark. The backlight will give an interesting look to the stored items.

Mirror- visually expands the space of the room and doubles the items on the shelves. The mirror is placed on the side or rear wall (inside the compartment), sometimes on the facade. Shelving with mirrors need more thorough care.

  • Before buying a rack measure the space where you plan to install it. Knowing the parameters of width, length and height is much easier to choose a suitable model.
  • Consider the features of the room in which the rack will be located. If you choose a model for the kitchen or bathroom, then the material should be moisture resistant (glass, plastic) and easy to wash.
  • Decide on the things that will be stored in the rack. If these are figurines, awards, collectible items, then a light rack made of wood or its substitutes (chipboard, MDF) with illumination is suitable for them. If we are talking about spare parts, then in this case the heavy metal construction will be the best choice.
  • It is better to purchase a quality rack of famous brands than cheaper products, questionable in terms of safety and quality. The good rack has the certificate of quality and the hygienic conclusion.
  • Inspect the product for defects (chips, deformation, scratches).
  • Check the reliability of the doors and drawers (if any). Doors must open freely and do not creak. Make sure the drawers close and open silently and easily.

Shelving in recent times are very popular, being the most convenient and versatile means of storing various valuables at home. Books, magazines, photo albums, clothing, food, anything can be conveniently placed on the shelves. Shelves help not only ergonomically use the space, but also advantageously decorate any interior of the living room, children's room, dressing room.

About what are the racks, and how to choose the right rack, which is suitable exactly in your apartment, will be discussed in this article.

Choose a rack

The variety of shelves, their functionality and convenience favorably distinguishes them from other furniture for everyday use.

Shelves can be equipped with drawers, pallets, boxes and shelves. Different types of shelving can be used in different rooms.

The design of the rack is so simple that it does not constitute special problems in the care and operation. The rack has no doors and side walls. Thus, you have the opportunity to install a rack on any wall in your apartment, while not cluttering up living space.

As you can see, there are many advantages in this type of furniture in order to select and install a convenient shelving in your home.

In addition, the rack can easily be used as a means of zoning rooms. So in the living room you can create a recreation area, separated from the working area. In the nursery - a rest area from the gaming area.
   Currently, manufacturers offer a wide selection of racks of various configurations and configurations. So the most common are stationary racks and mobile racks.
   Stationary racks, as a rule, are mounted on the wall using a special frame.
   Mobile racks are equipped with wheel supports. If you expect to make a permutation after some time and change the location of the rack, then the mobile shelving will definitely suit you.

Entrance hall

For the hallway you should choose a flat and low rack in which you can store a lot of things: hats, shoes, bags, and so on.

Kitchen

For the kitchen, choose a versatile shelving unit with small shelves and wall cabinets. This rack is suitable for storing various kitchen utensils.

Living room

For the living room, you can choose a stele, which will be an analogue of the wall to which we are so used. In such a rack you can place books, souvenirs, TV, paintings and other trifles. Choose a living room rack without bulky cabinets and cabinets in order not to clutter up the free space of the room.

Children's room

In the nursery, it is better to install a rack of simple design with open shelves. Avoid hinged doors so that the child can easily get any item that is on the rack.

Shelving materials

For the manufacture of shelving used the most common furniture materials. For the manufacture of countertops and shelves using tempered glass, natural wood, wood-based panels, MDF and chipboard. To increase the operational life of the tabletop covered with special impregnations. Chrome-plated aluminum and steel are used for the frame.

Before you buy a rack, determine the location of the rack. After that, make basic measurements in width and height. Determine the number of shelves, cabinets and cabinets. After that, feel free to go to the nearest furniture store or studio for the manufacture of furniture.

We hope that the installed rack will elegantly decorate your apartment and will serve you for many years.

When organizing a warehouse, the question arises how to choose racks for a warehouse, primarily taking into account the load they must withstand. It is also important to determine their type, to assess the ease of placement, build quality and overall efficiency of the rack. All of the above components are required when choosing shelves to order, because the purchase of this equipment is carried out for many years. All of this in more detail and will be discussed below.

The most important characteristics of shelving

How to choose racks for a warehouse, if there are so many varieties of them, they have different structural and functional characteristics? For the proper selection of shelving systems, it is necessary to take into account a number of nuances:

  1. Design features. Each rack is designed for a specific load of one shelf or the entire section. Depending on its purpose, type of products or goods that will be stored on it for a short-term or long-term storage and the desired parameter is selected. Whether the structure will withstand the loads that are assumed to occur during its use depends on whether it has a safety margin or not.
  2. Dimensions. One of the most important indicators, which is determined by the height of the rack, as well as the depth of its shelves. Accordingly, according to the first parameter, the loading equipment will be selected or vice versa - under the existing loader a certain maximum height of the upper shelf will be needed. Depth determines how large-scale products, pallets with goods can be stored on them. The distance between the shelves (shelf height) and between the supports of one section (shelf width) should also be considered for this reason.
  3. Security. How to choose a rack for a warehouse and be as confident as possible that under the imposed loads it will not collapse and will not bring great losses. With the weighing of all data on design and use, elementary calculations are made of the volume and weight assumed for each "reference point".
  4. Quality of equipment. Almost all factors of successful and long-term use depend on the quality of materials for shelving. When using high-quality materials, the equipment is able to withstand the masses much more than stated in the passport data on it and be operated in conditions deviating from the normalized ones.
  5. Operating conditions. So how to choose the racks in each case is necessary for certain conditions (humidity, temperature, need for rearrangement in the future), then all these data also affect the requirements for them. If necessary, the use of auxiliary equipment should pay attention to the design, compatible with it, so that later there were no problems with the movement of goods and goods.

Features of the choice of shelving for home

How to choose shelving for the home is a task similar to warehouse shelving. But more advantageous characteristics will be: functionality, portability and spaciousness of the rack. At home, the requirements for maximum strength, due to extremely heavy loads are absent. And they are used for the storage of "improvised" materials, which may come in handy in a short time. When ordering racks, the customer needs how to choose racks for the house inexpensive and extremely high-quality, with the aim of their long-term use and minimal investment in maintaining performance.

Why do you need professional advice

How to choose racks, as well as determine from which material and where they are best placed for maximum convenience and functionality, our experts will tell you.

When ordering shelving with us, you get the following benefits:

  • high quality equipment, time-tested;
  • individual approach to the solution of each task;
  • free measurement and design by our specialists;
  • high-quality and inexpensive installation of your chosen racks in the shortest possible time.

Still suffering the problem "how to choose a rack"? Call us right now, our high-class craftsmen team is at your service!

Also, on our website, you can learn how to choose office furniture.

Considering the question of how to choose a rack for a warehouse, first of all you should pay attention to the storage room, and specifically to its design, which will house the storage of goods and cargo. The construction of the warehouse begins with the structure of the building in which it will be located. Shelf equipment should be selected for the existing room design (project).

In this review, we will consider the sequential steps for the selection of a storage rack, taking into account the structure of the building, ranging from a wide variety of rack structures to the physical characteristics of the rack. This review will allow you to understand which racks to choose for your working conditions, learn how to evaluate the racking for durability and of course how to find a reliable supplier of warehouse equipment.

How to prepare a warehouse logistics project?

First of all, you need to prepare a project on the arrangement of storage space:

  • First you need to measure the storage room and determine the characteristics of the room (the characteristics of the foundation, the insulation of the walls, the temperature in the room, and so on). The best will cope with this specialist designers.
  • The next step is to plan the warehouse with its size and location of communications.
  • The next step is planning the location of the storage racks. At this stage, you should take into account your own opinion, the opinion of experts and determine the possible ways of moving warehouse equipment.
  • At the final stage, the program stock of the warehouse is prepared, which is necessary for the convenience of the staff.

By the end of the work done, the customer will have a plan for the location of the racks, the overall characteristics of the warehouse, the carrying capacity of individual places in the warehouse. After receiving this information on your hands, proceed to the selection of warehouse furniture.

What are racks?

The choice of the rack is directly based on the parameters of the warehouse. Specialists divide warehouses into many types and subspecies (large, small, warehouse complexes, production, food, trade, pharmaceutical, etc.) and in each individual case their equipment is selected. An important factor when choosing warehouse equipment is the dimensional characteristics of the goods (goods) stored in the warehouse. Consequently, in order to properly organize the warehouse process, it is necessary to select shelves for warehouse premises, taking into account the dimensional parameters of the stored goods and materials.

When choosing warehouse furniture, you should consider the safety of shelving and the safety of the warehouse as a whole. Therefore, choosing a rack, consider the weight of inventory items (TMC), which will be stored on it, as well as their dimensions. Otherwise, the load may not fit on the rack or simply destroy it due to its weight.

In practice, in the warehouse establish several types of warehouse furniture. Each warehouse equipment has its own characteristics and features, affecting the storage of goods and materials. Shelf parameters directly affect the working environment in the warehouse (convenience for access to goods and materials, area, etc.).

Thus, choosing a rack, you should first of all take into account all the characteristics of the warehouse and goods and materials that will be stored on it.

Types of racking designs

It is necessary to distinguish the following types of shelving designs:

  • Mezzanine racks. These racks have a distinctive feature - the ability to complete the tiers of the rack. Bearing racks mounted both in the floor and in the ceiling - this is necessary for greater security. It is because of the design of such racks are often called ceiling. This is one of the most reliable and efficient storage racks.

  • Pallet racking. Such racks are mainly focused on loading pallets with cargo in the frontal position. Pallet racks provide an opportunity for the location of both the same type of goods, and different in their characteristics. Such racks are most often installed in warehouses where equipment is used in the form of forklift trucks and stackers, and in large warehouse complexes where there is a large freight traffic.
  • Console racks. A huge advantage of this type of shelving is the possibility of their location in non-standard warehouse space. Conventional cantilever racks can withstand weight up to 2 tons, but reinforced versions are used for storing heavy goods and materials.
  • Deep racks. Mainly used to store large quantities of TMC. They are created and assembled by special order of the buyer, can also be installed in non-standard warehouse facilities. Sections of such shelving can be made according to special dimensional parameters and have the desired depth.
  • Shelving racks. A kind of universal warehouse furniture. Differ primarily the possibility of non-standard parameters of the shelves. In this case, the buyer can choose the desired dimensions of the shelves of the rack. That is why such racks are universal.

The widest range of warehouse furniture, which can be located in standard and non-standard warehouses, is on the warehouse equipment market. Most importantly, different racks can be used in different sections of the warehouse.

Rack strength indicator

The strength of the racking design also affects the choice of type of shelving. When manufacturing technology bearing structures often use the same materials, but this does not prevent the racks to have their own characteristics, which are determined by the manufactured design. Characteristics of strength or capacity of the storage rack depends on the material of manufacture, on the geometry of the rack, shelves, on the distance between the bearing supports and on the cross section of the transverse beams.

Most often, the lower tier of the rack up to 2 meters is made of high-strength structures. Bearing supports and beams of the rack must withstand not only the declared weight of inventories, but also the weight that arises, generated when the rack and the loader collide. The loads arising from such impacts are most often extinguished by bump stops.

Based on the above conditions, it is necessary to choose a rack taking into account 125% strength (of the maximum load). The first assessment of strength is carried out according to the passport documents on the design of the rack. The maximum load values ​​must be indicated here.

Where to buy storage racks?

Most often, the acquisition is made in the company that developed the design plan of the rack. But there are also tender purchases of warehouse equipment. First of all, it is necessary to compare commercial offers and, in turn, choose a cost-effective offer.

It should be noted that tenders usually win the cheapest offers. But as you know, cheap does not guarantee quality. This is due to the fact that cheap design shelves do not have sufficient wear resistance, they are usually made with metal savings. Therefore, more expensive storage racks can withstand a large load.

Warehouses equipped with more expensive shelving systems may accept for storage a greater number of inventories than warehouses with a budget version of the racks.

Purchase racks from suppliers who have offered the best price and good quality.

Should I buy domestic racks?

Today's domestic warehouse suppliers collect designs using foreign technologies, but there are also domestic technologies that are virtually indistinguishable from foreign ones and, on the contrary, even better in some aspects.

Foreign designs differ in technical capabilities, overall dimensions are maintained everywhere, thereby ensuring high quality of assembly. Domestic designs are more focused on strength and carrying capacity, and not on the accuracy of assembly. But there are exceptions.

In some areas of warehouse furniture, domestic manufacturers still cannot compare with their foreign competitors. For example, in the segment of mobile and gravitational (non-standard) racks.

If your warehouse has non-standard parameters, then it is best to purchase rack equipment from foreign suppliers or their dealers in the Russian market.

According to experts, for 2014-2015, the need for non-standard storage racks fluctuates at the level of a couple of percent. Our manufacturers also do not sit still and some are already able to compete with foreign suppliers.

Choose warehouse equipment correctly, taking into account all the details. Do not pursue cheapness.