06 Mar Are Factory Racking and Warehouse Racking the Same?
The truth is that looking for factory racking on the Internet can be very disconcerting because it is unclear if warehouse pallet racks are the same as factory racking. You are in luck though. The simple truth is that they are one in the same thing. That does not mean that you should rush out and buy your factory racking just based on the first thing that you see available in the marketplace. There are still other questions that you need to ask in order to get the best pallet rack for your factory. We will try to help you through this process in the paragraphs to come below.
“A good question to narrow down which kind of rack you need or want is if you have to follow an inventory system like FIFO or LIFO. FIFO stands for first in – first out. LIFO stands for last in – first out.”
The first question to ask is what type of warehouse racking do you actually need for your business. Most people do not realize that there are many different types of racking available in the marketplace. A lot about what you use as your factory racking has to do with the system you use to store your inventory. For example, if you have a product that is long and heavy like steel pipes or lumber then you will want to use a cantilever rack as that was designed to hold your product specifically. If you do not have products like those then you have a wider selection of racks you could select for your business.
A good question to narrow down which kind of rack you need or want is if you have to follow an inventory system like FIFO or LIFO. FIFO stands for first in – first out. LIFO stands for last in – first out. Obviously, these two inventory methods are basically the reverse of the other one. Therefore, you can narrow down the type of pallet rack you want in your business by figuring out which one of these two methods you can follow. If you are a food business or a medical business then you may need to follow the FIFO method. If you do need to follow the FIFO method then a pallet flow rack is probably the best rack for you. It follows first in – first out rules by design. If you do not need to follow FIFO roles then you can use LIFO as your inventory method. If you can use LIFO then you have the option of using a drive-through rack, a pushback rack, or a selective rack. Actually, you can use a selective rack with either the LIFO or FIFO method.
Selective Rack:
A selective rack is just like the shelving you have in your home. You can choose to put the product up on your shelves in whatever configuration you find necessary. It is the reason that it is called selective rack. It offers the most selectivity out of any rack type. Notwithstanding, you can select an appropriate pallet rack for that purpose once you figure out what inventory method you have to follow. If you are just looking for high-density storage then a pushback rack may not be a bad idea for you. You should be aware that it follows the LIFO methods of storage, however.
“If you had a storage problem before the rack got in your business then you will have it again now. It could be even worse because you will have to store the products you had on the rack and the rack itself. You are better off dealing with a company that knows if you need calculations.”
Finally, the question you should ask is what do you not know about getting a pallet rack in your factory. The one thing you should be aware of is that local governments have specific rules about pallet racks. It is especially true if that area has seismic activity happening underneath it. If that is the case for a location that you do business in then you need to be aware that they may be requiring businesses to show that the pallet racks they have in their factories and warehouses have seismic calculations. They do this because of safety. They need to know that the warehouse rack can withstand the amount of seismic activity underneath it for safety reasons. It is an understandable requirement when you think about it. Not every rack is going to come with the calculations attached. It is because not every area has rules for this, therefore, it is unnecessary and avoided in some areas. If you get one of these racks then you will have to pay for the calculations.
Modifications:
Rack that does not meet the code will need modification. You need this to make sure that it does fit the code. Products stored on that rack will need removing. You will be asked to store the rack as well. You could be asked to disassemble it and then store it. A storage problem will find itself amplified. It is worse because you will have to store the products you had on the rack. You will have to store the rack itself. You are better off dealing with a company that knows if you need calculations. They should also know what those calculations need to be so that you do not have to figure this out on your own. It could cost you money and time. Both of those things are precious. They are better for pushing your business to the next level.
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