Carton flow, also known as flow racking, roller racking, and gravity flow racking, is a dynamic storage solution that can dramatically improve space utilization and order picking efficiency within warehouses, order fulfillment centers, retail stores, and manufacturing facilities. Carton flow tracks are conveyors - either roller or wheel-based - that are cut to a size that will span the length of a bay of pallet racking. Carton flow tracks create storage lanes within pallet racking designed to increase material flow, enhance space utilization, and improve efficiency throughout a facility. Carton flow uses gravity to flow products through the rack, allowing for streamlined replenishment, storage, and order or part picking.
There are many different capacities and styles of carton flow, making it a very dynamic storage system that can meet the needs of operations across industries. That said, with the ability to create tailor-made solutions comes a set of important decisions like, what capacity do I need? Do I need carton flow rollers or wheel beds? What roller centers will work best? What are roller centers?! Well, lucky for you, you’ve come to the right place. As the makers of The Original Carton Flow Track, SpanTrack, our team of experts at UNEX are uniquely qualified to answer all the nitty gritty questions you have about carton flow. In this article, we will answer the question, “What are carton flow roller centers?” and provide some deeper details that will help you choose the right roller centers for your carton flow applications.
Learn how to Design Your Own Carton Flow Solution! Download our step-by-step guide to designing carton flow systems.
What Are Carton Flow Roller Centers?
When someone mentions carton flow “roller centers,” they are referring to the spacing between each roller in a carton flow track. As products or cartons increase in length, additional space can be added between rollers to optimize flow. Other factors like humidity, condition of boxes, bottom surfaces of totes, the weight of your boxes, and more can influence your decision in choosing the correct roller centers for your carton flow tracks.
Choosing the Right Carton Flow Roller Centers
To promote optimal flow within your carton flow applications, you will want to dial in a number of different settings when selecting your tracks. For instance, do you require light, standard, or heavy-duty tracks? Rollers or wheel beds? Straight track or tracks with knuckled end treatments or pick trays to angle parts toward pickers? One critical factor in designing the best carton flow tracks for your operation is choosing the right roller centers.
Selecting the correct roller centers may seem like a small detail, but it is not to be overlooked! Roller centers can impact how fast or slow objects roll along the tracks. Items that flow too fast can cause damage, whereas items that flow too slow - or not at all - well, they may not even reach the point of pick! The pitch of your tracks also plays a huge role in creating optimal flow, but it is pitch and roller centers that really allow you to fine-tune your carton flow tracks to work with the utmost precision.
Having closer roller centers will increase the conveying surface and make the system more flexible. Analyzing your inventory and throughput will allow you to identify the dimensions of your SKUs that need to be placed in carton flow and help you make the best choice for roller centers.
SpanTrack Carton Flow
UNEX SpanTrack is an industry-leading carton flow solution that drops into existing structures to create a robust flow system for any operation. SpanTrack full-width roller lanes and universal wheel beds are engineered-to-order to create the ultimate picking environment. Let’s take a quick look at what options you have for choosing roller centers with SpanTrack Lane and SpanTrack Wheel Bed:
SpanTrack Lane Roller Centers
SpanTrack Lane roller centers are offered in standard 1”, 2”, or 3” spacings. Below is a quick breakdown that can help guide you on roller center selection based on the minimum length of the objects you’re flowing:
- 1” Roller Centers: 1” roller centers offer very minimal spacing between rollers. We recommend a minimum carton length of 4” and a maximum of 8” for flowing objects on 1” roller centers.
- 2” Roller Centers: 2” roller centers offer a moderate amount of spacing between rollers. We recommend a minimum carton length of 8” up to 12” for flowing objects on 2” roller centers.
- 3” Roller Centers: 3” roller centers offer a significant amount of spacing between rollers. We recommend a minimum carton length of 12” for flowing objects on 3” roller centers.
SpanTrack Wheel Bed Roller Centers
SpanTrack Wheel Bed roller centers are offered in standard 2” or 3” spacings. Below is a quick breakdown that can help guide you on roller center selection based on the minimum length of the objects you’re flowing:
- 2” Roller Centers: 2” roller centers offer moderate spacing between axles. We recommend a minimum carton length of 8” up to 12” for flowing objects on 2” roller centers.
- 3” Roller Centers: 3” roller centers offer a significant amount of spacing between axles. We recommend a minimum 12" carton length for flowing objects on 3" roller centers.
Trust The Carton Flow Authority with Your Next Project
Whether you’re optimizing a single flow-through workstation in a manufacturing facility or outfitting a massive order fulfillment center with hundreds of carton flow bays, the team at UNEX is here to help. We offer full, free engineering support for all projects. So, if you still have questions about how to build the best carton flow solution for your unique needs, contact UNEX today. Our team of carton flow experts will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
