In most fulfillment and warehouse facilities, the operation begins with storing products, or SKUs, on industrial pallet racking. However, as you optimize your operation for speed, accuracy, and storage density, you’ll need to incorporate carton flow solutions to maximize space utilization, and ultimately, reach your goals.
Before you start your search for an off-the-shelf solution, did you know you can analyze your own operation and design your own carton flow solution based on your unique needs? All you’ll need is a tape measure, a calculator, and a little help from us.
In this article, we’ll cover the step-by-step process of designing a DIY carton flow system that will reduces pick times, reduce travel times, and dramatically improve the efficiency of your operation.
Follow these 3 steps to optimize your space with carton flow for existing pallet racks:
Not all pallet racks are created equal. While pallet racking may seem like a commodity product, every rack manufacturer's process results in slightly different finished products that aren’t always interchangeable. It’s important to keep your equipment consistent as your business grows. Understanding the specifics of your current pallet rack will help you determine how many additional beams you need.
Once you familiarize yourself with your rack manufacturer, you’ll need to focus on three additional items:
Once you’ve measured your dimensions and consulted with your rack manufacturer’s documentation to confirm beam styles and weight capacities, you can begin to analyze the throughput of your SKUs. The design of your carton flow system depends on your volumetric throughput - the rate of production or the speed at which something is processed. Building a carton flow solution without analyzing throughput could mean not having enough space to store your SKUs, or buying more or fewer carton flow lanes or wheel beds than you really need.
How to measure volumetric throughput:
Minimum length of SKU |
Maximum roller centers |
4” |
1” |
8” |
2” |
12” |
3” |
To learn more about understanding throughput and what it means for your operation, you can check out our free guide!
Properly capturing and analyzing your throughput data is critical in ensuring you are making informed decisions when designing your carton flow solution. This will help you avoid headaches and wasted costs down the line. By investing in a system that is tailor-made to your unique application and scrutinizing every detail, you’ll be sure to make the smartest investment possible.
Related Reading: Carton Flow Helps You Grow
Once you determine your existing pallet rack details and carton flow track requirements, it’s time to start designing your solution! We know this is easier said than done. That’s why our team of space optimization experts created the SpanTrack product configurator.
This tool makes it easy for you to build your ideal carton flow solution from scratch. Using your recorded pallet rack dimensions, the configurator will determine how many lanes or beds per level you can use, as well as the number of intermediary beams required. Identifying your rack manufacturer will automatically configure which style of hanger is needed to secure your carton flow system, as well as the total weight your solution can support.
You can then use inventory data and throughput to identify how many levels of carton flow you need, which also determines how many additional pallet rack beams are required and the total amount of carton flow lanes or beds you need. This allows you to ensure your slow, medium, and fast-moving SKUs are stored in their proper storage medium with the proper end style. When your work in the configurator is complete, it provides a customized configuration based on your inputs that increases your storage density and dramatically reduces your operation’s footprint.
No matter the size of your facility, your throughput, or your rack manufacturer, these are steps you must take to ensure your DIY carton flow project is a success. As always, our team of engineers and experts can help you make determinations based on your unique needs or special circumstances in your facility - things like pillars and low ceilings can throw a lot of variables into the mix. Give us a call at 800-334-8639 or click here to contact us and we’ll help develop the ideal carton flow solution for your specific application.