Longspan shelving vs cantilever racking - warehouse storage

Storage

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If you&#;re a warehouse or business manager and are interested in optimising your storage solutions, you&#;re in the right place. First, we&#;ll compare the three most common warehouse storage solutions: longspan shelving, pallet racking and cantilever racking. We&#;ve broken down their advantages and disadvantages and have three tips for choosing the best warehouse storage solution &#; or if you&#;re looking for storage for your:

• Hardware store

• Shipping containers

• Distribution centre

• Manufacturing facilities

• Mechanical workshops

• Storage warehouse

• Mezzanine floor

Okay; let&#;s look at the three most common types of industrial shelving: 

Longspan shelving is a type of warehouse shelf that is designed for storing cartons and small items for picking by hand.

 

Pallet racking, such as APEX Selective Pallet Racking, is a system designed to store palletised goods, typical in distribution centres or manufacturing.

 

Cantilever racking has no cross-bars and is best suited for industrial environments as they are specifically designed to store long and bulky items such as board, sheet metal or structural members etc.

 

What is Longspan Shelving best for?

Longspan shelving consists of uprights (frames), beams, and shelves that can be adjusted to fit the size and shape of the stored items.

The advantages of longspan shelving include:

• Versatility: Longspan shelving can store various products, from small parts to large, bulky cartons or items.

• Customisation: Longspan shelving is easily configured to fit the size and shape of the stored items.

• Accessibility: Longspan shelving allows easy access to all products being stored.

However, there are also potential drawbacks to using longspan shelving:

• Space limitations: Longspan shelving over 3m tall must be anchored to the ground with appropriate floor anchors. With anything shorter, anchors are recommended but not a requirement. Even still, in most cases vertical space to the roof isn&#;t as well utilised as pallet racking.

• Weight limitations: Longspan shelving is generally rated for 150-450 kg per shelf, depending on the length and depth chosen &#; so not suitable for extremely heavy items.

 

When to use cantilever racking?

Cantilever racking consists of a series of arms that are attached to vertical columns. The height of the arms are adjustable, allowing you to store items of varying lengths and sizes.

The advantages of cantilever shelving include:

• Versatility: Cantilever shelving is best for storing very long items such as carpet rolls, timber, pipe, lengths of MDF, and even furniture.

• Easy access: With no vertical supports between the arms, loading and unloading with a forklift isn&#;t obstructed by solid shelves above. 

• Space utilisation: Extend your cantilever shelving to as long as your warehouse or yard, and store vertically for more floor space.

However, there are also potential drawbacks to using cantilever shelving:

• Regular inspections: Unreported damage may diminish the structural integrity or cantilever deflection, which increases the risk of stock collapse or serious injury.

• Corrosion: You&#;ll need to opt for hot dipped galvanised (HDG) finish for outdoor storage to avoid water penetration and rust.

• Installation:  It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure cantilever installation is done in accordance with FEM 10.2.09. We recommend liaising with a qualified installer, and can put you in touch with an experienced professional to manage the install..

 

Can Pallet Racking be a better option?

A pallet racking system can be configured to store goods on various pallet sizes, including Australian Standard (mm x mm, in various weight ratings), Export Standard (mm x mm), and Euro Pallets (mm x 800mm x 144mm).

The advantages of pallet racking include:

• Space efficiency: Pallet racking maximises vertical space, making it ideal for warehouses with limited floor space.

• Weight capacity: Pallet racking supports heavy loads, in most cases beyond 1,000kg per level, making it suitable for storing large quantities of heavy goods.

However, there are also potential drawbacks to using pallet racking:

• Limited accessibility: Safely reaching upper stock levels requires a forklift and for staff with an operating licence to be available to access it &#; often impeding product collection times

• Fixed hardware: Pallet racking must be affixed with floor anchors to meet workplace health and safety requirements. Installation typically costs more and reconfiguration can be a mammoth undertaking.

  For more information, please visit long span cantilever rack factory.

 

How to choose the best longspan system for your warehouse?

When choosing a longspan system for your warehouse, there are several factors to consider. Height and depth is a big consideration, as longspan shelving can be purchased in 900mm, mm, mm, mm and mm &#; with mm available in Melbourne only. 

Shelves are another consideration. At Global Industrial, you&#;ll find options for mesh decks, galvanised panels or particle board available in 460mm, 600mm and 900mm depths. The mm deep longspan shelving is only compatible with particle board.

Global Industrial longspan shelving is very easy to assemble and set up. In most cases the frames are pre-assembled for your convenience. Posts are punched with a 50mm pitch allowing for a shelf level to be moved if required. 

 

How to choose the best Cantilever Shelving?

Your storage layout will play a role in determining the best cantilever shelving system for your needs. 

Inside or outside: Our standard blue and orange finish makes the arms stand out visibly as a safety feature for indoor storage. However for outdoors, the hot-dipped galvanised (HDG) finish would be a better option.

Ceiling height: Taller ceilings may allow for taller cantilever shelving systems, which can help maximise storage space.

Aisles: If you plan to use forklifts or other equipment to move products within your warehouse, make sure to choose a cantilever shelving system that allows for adequate aisle space.

Obstructions: Take into account any obstructions such as columns or irregularly shaped spaces that may affect the layout of your cantilever shelving system.

 

Product Storage Suitability:
Longspan Shelving vs Cantilever Racking

 

Best for Longspan

Best for Cantilever

• Smaller pick-pack items

• Electronics, TVs, printers

• Automotive, machinery parts

• Cartons of all shapes and sizes

• Office supplies

• Raw materials

• Tools and equipment

• Copper pipes, plastic, conduit

• Lumber and timber

• Steel bars

• Carpet rolls

• Furniture (e.g. sofas, tables)

• Industrial equipment 

• Building materials 

 

Which is the right warehouse storage solution?

Choosing the right storage solution for your warehouse is an important decision that can have a significant impact on your operations. You&#;ll need to consider the size and weight of your products, the amount of floor space you have available, and the level of accessibility you require.

 

If you have any questions or would like more information on warehouse storage solutions, please contact Global Industrial today.

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In order to properly design a cantilever rack system, you must know what product (load) you are storing: the length, depth, height and weight of the product. Once you know this, designing the system is as easy as finding out the required number of arms, uprights and braces.

A. Determine the number and spacing of support arms.

1. The load must be supported by the proper number of cantilever rack arms to prevent deflection. Deflection causes undesirable side pressure on the arms, which may cause damage to load being stored as well as the arms.
2. To test the load for deflection, use two wood blocks on the floor under the load. If deflection is not present, a two arm system is acceptable as long as this does not cause an overload condition.
3. If deflection occurs, use three wood supports and continue adding supports until deflection is eliminated.
4. The product should overhang the end of the rack by ½ of the upright centerline distance. Failure to do so could cause an overload.

B. Determine the length of the arm.

1. Cantilever rack arm length should greater than or equal to the depth of the load. See diagrams below for proper and improper loading techniques.

C. Determine the height of the upright

1. It is important to check limitations in the building, items such as ceiling clearance, forklift height, sprinkler systems and local building codes.
2. To determine cantilever rack upright height, add up the base height, the height of all loads to be stored, the arm thickness and 4-6&#; handling clearance between all loads and arms.

D. Determine arm and upright capacities.

1. To determine required cantilever rack arm capacity, divide the load weight by the number of arms per level. (Based on an evenly distributed load.) The example is lbs. divided by 3 arms, so each arm is required to have lbs. capacity.
2. Upright capacity equals the number of arms per side X the load per arm (load on the base is not included for upright capacity). Divide the total by the number of uprights. In our example there are 12 arms multiplied by lbs. each, which equals 30,000 lbs. Dividing that total by 3 uprights gives us a minimum required capacity of 10,000 lbs. per upright. The total arm capacity must never exceed the total upright capacity.

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E. Determine brace length.

1. Cantilever brace length refers to the horizontal centerline of upright to upright to the next upright.
2. Choose the brace length that most closely matches the arm spacing selected in step A to prevent load deflection.

For more information on cantilever rack, visit Modern Equipment Company, Inc. Dennis McClintock has been with Modern Equipment Company for 27 years and is Vice President of Sales.

For more pallet rack calculatorinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.