DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR DRIVE-IN PALLET RACKS

Drive-In Pallet Racking Storage systems operate with medium or wide aisles between banks of racks that store pallets in a queue with Last-In First-Out (LIFO) inventory management.

Drive-In storage systems are commonly used and are most suitable for:

• High Volumes of the same SKU.
• Low range of Stock Keeping Units (SKU).
• Inventory management in batches of pallets.
• High through-put rates.
• High land cost.

Advantages

• Low cost of storage.
• Low cost trucks (Counterbalanced or Reach Type).
• Floor level is not critical (front loaded).

Disadvantages

• High rack cost (however, high cost savings result).
• Limited storage height (12m)
• Medium to wide aisles required for handling
• Direct access to every pallet.
• Loss of storage locations as only same SKU can be stored in a lane and incoming goods cannot be stored in the same lane. Recommended storage loss allowance 20-30%.

FOR REACH TRUCKS (medium aisles for medium Volumes.)

• Aisle widths – 2.8 to 3.2m
• Lift height (recommended) – up to 8.5m

FOR COUNTERBALANCED TRUCKS (medium aisles for low Volumes)

• Aisle widths – 3.8 to 5.5m
• Lift height (recommended) – up to 8m
• (Cubic capacity is based on pallet height and available clear storage height).

SUMMARY
Whilst Rack costs are highest and Truck costs are lowest, storage unit cost is low when building, racks and trucks are taken into consideration.

Products and Quantity (PQ) must be evaluated and storage lane quantity and quantities of lanes must be carefully formulated if the storage system is to be effective.