An Overview of Cantilever Racking Systems

If your operation handles lumber, pipes, plywood, steel plates, or other large items, you will require a specialized racking system to safely store these items. With so many racking systems available, it can be difficult to determine which option is best for your needs, budget, and available space. As a leading provider of quality racking products like cantilever racking, selective racking, and push-back racking, the team at Commander Warehouse Equipment knows how beneficial the right racking system can be for every operation. That is why we have provided an overview of cantilever racking systems to help you learn more about these products and determine if they are right for your needs.

Learn about 3 benefits of rack modernization for warehouses.

What are Cantilever Racks?

Cantilever racking systems are designed to allow for the storage and organization of long or oversized items that cannot be easily stored on pallets. Warehouses and industrial facilities will often use uprights that support cantilever arms, allowing for longer and heavier items to be stored horizontally across multiple arms. While cantilever racks offer different storage options than conventional pallet racking, each system can also store one row of pallets if it is configured to do so.

How do Cantilever Racks Work?

Cantilever racks are made up of four key components:

Base—typically made from steel, the base provides strong support and extends out from the bottom of the rack to counter and balance the heavy weight of the stored items.

Uprights—these are extremely strong vertical posts that are designed to provide support to the arms.

Arms—these act as the shelves for storing inventory, extending out from the uprights.

Supports—these work to connect the uprights, providing the racking system with extra strength.

These components work together to provide a high weight capacity, enhanced stability, and flexible configuration options to accommodate demanding materials of various sizes.

4 Benefits of Using Cantilever Racking

While cantilever racking systems are primarily designed to provide an easy storage solution for long and thin items, they provide several benefits that are not present on other systems. Some of the main benefits of using a cantilever racking system include:

1. Effective Storage for Hard-to-Shelve Items

Cantilever racking is designed to allow for the easy storage of long and thin items like steel racks, beams, lumber, and pipes. While these types of materials tend to be more difficult to store using traditional shelving systems, cantilever racks offer an open design and flexible configurations to ensure optimal stability and safety for the most demanding materials.

2. Enhanced Access

Since cantilever racking consists of two smaller racks on either side of a lengthy I-beam with nothing directly above them, this type of storage solution provides easier access to items via a forklift or other type of handling equipment. The simplistic design of cantilever racks also allows for more effective organization of long products/materials by eliminating the need to wrap and store them on pallets.

3. Easy Installation and Reconfiguration

One of the greatest advantages of using cantilever racking is how easily it can be configured and installed in any warehouse space. When compared to other types of racking systems, cantilever racking provides a high level of flexibility for organizing products of various sizes. These systems can also be easily stacked to allow for more vertical storage space, further increasing storage capacity without compromising existing floor/operating space.

4. Saves Time and Money

Installing cantilever racking in your facility can help save you both time and money by enhancing productivity, increasing safety, and allowing for more accurate picking/placing. Cantilever racking also enhances your storage capacity while freeing up room for other equipment and racking systems, allowing you to optimize other elements of your operation and further increase value.

To learn more about our selection of cantilever racking products or to inquire about our other solutions, get in touch with the team at Commander Warehouse Equipment. We can be reached through our online contact form and will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our products.

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