Cantilever racking is a helpful storage solution for businesses that need a way to store long and awkwardly shaped items. These items include timber, steel bars, pipes, tubes, sheets, furniture components, and many other materials. These items are not able to be stored in traditional beam-and-frame racking due to their length. When it comes to choosing this type of racking, it is not as easy as selecting some racking and having it shipped. Each specification such as arm length, arm spacing, column height, and load distribution need to be aligned to what is being stored. Having these misaligned can create multiple safety hazards for employees in a warehouse or storage yard.
Arm length is the first specification that must be decided, and often times people make the mistake of choosing the longest arms in order to maximize storage. However, this is not a good practice. If the arms are too long, they create an overhang which increases the risk of items not being supported. This is especially true for lighter and more flexible items like timber or sheets of plastic. The general rule that people use is that two-thirds of the arm needs to be supported in order to store the item being supported. In the case that you are storing items of greatly vary in length, it is generally more cost effective to use two different lengths of arms rather than over-specifying every arm for the longest item.
Arm spacing is determined by the stock material and its method of loading and unloading. For example, a rigid steel bar usually can be stored on arms with greater spacing than a plastic pipe, which will sag between supports if the spacing is too wide. It is also necessary to consider the access needed by forklifts or cranes to the rack. Spacing that is ideal for storage can create problems when it does not provide clear views and safe clearances during the loading process, particularly in the case of side loading and multi-directional reach trucks.
Equal attention is required for column height and the base design especially in the case of single sided cantilever runs against a wall as well as double sided runs placed back to back in open areas. Single sided units require adequate base depth and often ground fixing to counter the tipping moment caused by heavy loads on one side. Double sided cantilever racking is more stable because loads are balanced on both sides, but it still needs precise calculations of the load points for each column and base, especially where there is a mixture of heavy and light materials on either side.
After installation, many businesses run into problems at the load configuration stage. Regarding cantilever racking, loads should always be taken from bottom arms up, and stock should get progressively lighter the higher up the arms. This is a stability requirement since heavy loads at height shift the system’s centre of gravity and increase the risk of tip over. Managers should supply Safe Load Limit signage, and training should ensure employees look at the signage before making any attempts at guesswork.
Make a habit of reviewing the racking over time, just as you would with pallet racking. Check for bent arms, corrosion, and lost base fixings. Regular visual inspections should be complemented with more thorough checks by a qualified inspector. Long-length or irregular stock businesses often enjoy the positive return of a specified system, including improved cantilever racking which is calibrated to their true load profile. It decreases product damage, improves order picking time, and increases safety for employees.
When considering an installation, whether it be new or revising existing, you should have your stock profiles, weights, and dimensions evaluated specifically instead of using standard models. This will be beneficial because the appropriate specifications will determine whether you have a system that will operate seamlessly for years, or one that creates continual safety and handling issues.
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