The typical image of a cantilever rack design is a free-standing storage device with a single vertical upright and several horizontal arms that hold products. It is useful for storing long and round objects like tubes, fabric rolls, and pipes.
With so many cantilever pallet racking options available, choosing the right inventory system for your warehouse is a relatively complex task, as it requires careful assessment of many factors. However, if done correctly, you can considerably improve your facility’s efficiency, safety, and productivity.
This in-depth article will walk you through everything you need to know about the topic of cantilever rack design. After reading, you will thoroughly understand what this system is and how many types it has. The guide also touches on the core components and important factors to consider when choosing cantilever racks.
Cantilever Rack Design 101
The first step in getting to know cantilever rack design is to understand what it is. This structure is a warehouse inventory system for holding long, big, or odd-shaped items that do not fit into standard pallet racking options.
Unlike standard pallet racks, which employ vertical frames and horizontal beams, cantilever rack design utilizes a series of uprights, braces, and extending arms at various heights to support the products.
What sets cantilever racks apart is their open design, which not only offers quick access to the stored items but also enables forklifts to quickly remove and reload them. The system is also scalable thanks to its modular nature, thereby facilitating simple extension if storage demands change.
Weight Capacity Of Cantilever Racks
After understanding the typical cantilever rack design, it’s easy to know that the cantilever arms determine the system’s load capacity. Depending on the number and length of the arms, each cantilever rack can withstand a certain weight, and the products must never exceed this limit.
The more arms you place on a single row of a cantilever rack design, the more evenly distributed the weight will be, meaning each arm carries a smaller portion of the total load. Setting up your cantilever pallet racking systems requires careful calculations to establish how many arms you need and how long each one should be to accommodate the required weight.
Oftentimes, a normal cantilever rack can hold from 500 to 2,000 pounds per arm. This range represents the maximum weight that a single arm in a row can support. Overloading a cantilever arm increases the likelihood of deflection.
Benefits of using cantilever racking
Cantilever rack design is a brilliant innovation that offers numerous advantages to whoever utilizes it. The following is a brief compilation of the top benefits you can reap by deploying these unique storage systems:
- Facilitating instant access: With no front columns, cantilever pallet racking systems offer easy and quick access to stored commodities, resulting in faster loading and unloading processes and increased operating efficiency.
- Offering top-notch flexibility: The cantilever rack design also provides versatile storage by accepting a wide range of products of various dimensions and weights. This makes these structures excellent for housing long and heavy objects, such as lumber, pipe storage, and metal sheets.
- Having adjustable arms: Cantilever arms are what set cantilever racks apart from other storage systems. The better news is that these arms are adjustable, thereby allowing you to customize the inventory space to suit different-sized items while also maximizing vertical areas.
- Optimizing space utilization: In addition to the above benefits, these storage solutions also make the most of your warehouse’s available footprint, both horizontally and vertically. They do that by neatly arranging huge and oddly shaped objects that cannot fit on conventional selective pallet racks.
- Providing large load capacity: Cantilever racks have a sturdy design that can withstand enormous loads, which really improves your storage capacity. This also ensures high durability and safety for storing large and oversized products.
- Easy to reconfigure: In addition to the typical double-sided configuration using I-beams, you can also utilize the single-sided cantilever rack design by attaching it to the walls. This way, it’s more space-saving and easy to reconfigure to meet your changing inventory demands.
Drawbacks of using cantilever racking
Despite the various benefits above, cantilever racks also have certain drawbacks. Knowing them should not discourage you from using the solution. Instead, it can help you utilize the cantilever rack design in the right way!
- Posing stability concerns: Improperly loaded cantilever racks can lead to stability issues, particularly under large or uneven weights. To maintain safety, you should carefully design the system and pay attention to its weight limitations.
- Incurring relatively high costs: Compared to regular pallet racking structures, cantilever racks are frequently more expensive. This is due to this system’s specific design and the materials necessary to handle long and heavy products.
- Requiring regular maintenance: This racking design might demand frequent maintenance to preserve its safety and lifespan. Although regular inspections and upkeep are good practices, they may increase operating costs and time commitment.
Exploring The Most Popular Types Of Cantilever Rack Design
Did you know that there are multiple cantilever rack designs besides the typical version? In this part, you’ll discover the top three cantilever pallet racking systems that most warehouses are using right now.
#1: Light-Duty Cantilever Racks
For manual handling of small and easy-to-handle objects, light-duty cantilever racks are the ideal solution, especially for compact warehouses. This cantilever rack design is both space-efficient and cost-effective, making it a preferred option for many small companies.
Light-duty cantilever racks are very beneficial in hand-loading scenarios, where staff can reach products without using forklifts. In addition, they’re simple to construct, which further improves operating efficiency. However, their relatively low weight capacity (under 5,000 pounds) limits their use to lightweight materials only.
PROs:
- Affordable for smaller enterprises.
- Well-suited for compact warehouses.
- Offering fast and straightforward assembly.
CON:
- Having limited load capacity, thus not suitable for very heavy products.
#2: I-Beam Cantilever Racks
If you need to store heavier commodities, let’s give I-beam cantilever racks a try! This efficient system provides solid support for handling items like timber on either side of the rack. This design not only enhances space utilization and flexibility but also has an impressive load capability of up to 20,000 pounds.
Plus, these freestanding racks can reach heights of up to 20 feet and need little upkeep. They’re also adaptable and long-lasting, but their increased price compared to light-duty cantilever racks can be a drawback for budget-conscious organizations.
PROs:
- Ideal for a wide range of industrial applications.
- Robust and long-lasting.
- Providing high strength that can support heavy loads.
CON:
- Slightly more expensive than light-duty cantilever racks.
#3: Structural Cantilever Racks
You can call structural cantilever racks a heavyweight champion, as they’re capable of withstanding extremely large masses. That’s why we also often call it heavy-duty cantilever racking. Their maximum load capacity is 6,600 pounds per arm, which explains why big enterprises with bulky products favor the structures.
Made of heavy-duty steel and high-strength bolts, structural cantilever racks are built to last. Besides their impressive durability, their cantilever arms are also customizable, allowing them to be functional even in really harsh industrial settings. You can also install a canopy roof in case the racks are placed outdoors.
PROs:
- Capable of handling extremely heavy commodities.
- Highly customizable to meet changing storage demands.
- Suitable for outdoor applications.
CON:
- Demanding more time and expertise to set up.
Key Components Of A Cantilever Rack
Now that you know the various types of cantilever racks, it’s time to dive into the system’s composition. In order to be functional, a basic cantilever rack design must have the following key elements:
Cantilever Uprights
Also known as the cantilever rack design’s backbone, cantilever uprights comprise vertical columns and horizontal bases connected together. Each column has vertical holes punched on 3-inch centers, enabling either single- or double-sided layouts. A storage bay requires a minimum of two uprights.
To ensure safety and stability, cantilever uprights should not be linked to walls or other structures. The uprights’ capacity is determined by the number of arm levels and the weight that each arm can hold.
When deciding on the height of cantilever uprights, keep ceiling height, truck reach, and facility requirements in mind. To provide proper clearance and safety, the upright’s top should be 4 to 6 inches higher than the tallest object housed.
Cantilever Arms
If uprights are the backbone, then arms are the heart of your cantilever rack design. To be functional, a cantilever rack must have extruding arms to successfully hold stored products. Cantilever arms are adjustable on 3-inch centers up and down the vertical uprights, and they’re available in lengths up to 60 inches.
The following are two popular configurations of cantilever arms:
- Straight arms: You can utilize these arms for storing stable loads like timber and steel sheets. Their lengths are usually 48 inches, 54 inches, and 60 inches, with a pitch of either 3/8 inches or 5/8 inches per foot to compensate for deflection.
- Inclined arms: With a pitch of around 4.36 inches per foot, this arm configuration is well-suited for housing cylindrical items that roll forward. You can add hair pin holders to inclined arms for fast adjustment of arm height, as well as lips on to prevent objects from coming off.
Brace Sets
To provide lateral stability for the cantilever racking structures, brace sets are the solution. They are fastened between vertical uprights, and the distance between one upright’s midpoint and the centerline of the next upright determines the brace’s width.
Depending on your required load capacity (light-duty, medium-duty, or heavy-duty), you should choose the appropriate brace pattern. Typically, there are four common brace sets as follows:
- Two horizontal braces (2B): Applicable for medium-duty uprights whose height is from 6 to 10 inches, or for 8-inch heavy-duty uprights.
- Three horizontal braces (3B): Applicable for 12-inch medium-duty uprights.
- Four horizontal braces with one X (4BX): Applicable for heavy-duty uprights of all structural cantilever rack designs, whose height is from 15 to 20 inches.
- Four horizontal braces with two X (4BXX): Applicable for all uprights whose height is from 15 to 20 inches, and the brace length is more than 84 inches.
Cantilever Base
This element is critical for ensuring the cantilever rack design’s stability by equally dispersing the weight of stored objects over the warehouse floor. The cantilever base must be bolted or otherwise securely attached to the vertical uprights to provide support for the whole structure.
This component removes the front posts and columns along the aisles, thereby increasing warehouse space efficiency and offering direct access to stored merchandise.
Other Important Elements
Beside the aforementioned components, there are a wide range of other accessories and add-ins you can consider employing for your cantilever rack design. Each element plays a unique role and offers special benefits for the structure.
- Arm poles: These pieces are bolted at the end of the cantilever arms to support loads on the arms.
- End caps: These soft plastic protective caps help safeguard the racks against impact and accidents.
- Canopies or shed roofs: You can consider adding these options to your cantilever pallet racking system in case it will be placed outdoors. As the name suggests, the accessories offer an overhead cover for the stored items below.
Essential Considerations When Designing A Cantilever Rack
The guide would be incomplete without some essential tips to help you pick the right cantilever rack design. This section will help you understand the various aspects of planning a cantilever pallet racking system. By assessing them properly, you can build a well-suited structure for your storage demands.
Figuring Out The Number Of Cantilever Arms
To avoid load deflection, make sure you install an adequate number of cantilever arms to support the weight. Deflection can cause harm to both the arms and the load. Therefore, to prevent this phenomenon, let’s place the weight over two blocks of wood (imitating cantilever arms). If deflection occurs, use three or four blocks.
One crucial practice is that the products should overhang the cantilever arms by half the gap between upright centerlines. This helps prevent overload conditions, ensuring the integrity of your racking structure.
Once you have the number of cantilever arms, you can proceed with calculating each arm’s capacity by dividing the total loads by the number of supporting arms. But there’s another crucial element here that you should carefully assess: the arm’s length.
Determining Cantilever Arms’ Length
As mentioned above, there are two arm configurations you can consider: straight arms and inclined arms. Depending on the characteristics of your stored items, you can pick the more well-suited arm design.
However, aside from that factor, you should also make sure that the arm’s length can at least match or exceed the load’s depth. For instance, a 24-inch-wide steel sheet requires a 24-inch-long arm, or a 48-inch-wide plywood bundle needs a 48-inch-long arm.
Deciding Cantilever Uprights’ Height
Another important factor to consider is the cantilever uprights’ height. When deciding this figure, always take into account the ceiling height, sprinkler systems, forklift reach, and building codes, as these variables determine the maximum permissible height of your cantilever uprights.
Regarding the minimum upright height, you should sum all the arm’s heights, the base height, the space between arms, and at least 4-inch clearance above the top arm. In case your cantilever racks can support the top weight, don’t forget to add the product’s additional height.
Maintaining Top-Notch Safety
Figuring out all the essential factors above is only half of the equation. To facilitate top-notch safety for both your products and the cantilever rack design, it’s important to adhere to the following details:
- Load flexibility: To maintain this feature for your cantilever arms, you’ll need the assistance of certain specialized equipment. This is especially critical when you’re housing really lengthy products.
- Uniformly distributed loads: Achieving this is the only way to avoid arm overload and deflection. Thus, pay attention to how you place items on cantilever racks, ensuring they’re stable and lying across multiple arms.
- Down-aisle impacts: With cantilever racks, you’re mainly dealing with lengthy and heavy items. Therefore, make sure you prepare enough horizontal space to prevent collisions when handling the products.
- Indoor or outdoor: This is another crucial decision to make. Although most cantilever rack designs are suitable for indoor settings, some heavy-duty cantilever racking versions with canopies can withstand the harsh outdoor conditions.
- Geographic location: If you’re installing cantilever racks in a seismic area, remember to reinforce the structure securely. One key element to consider is the cantilever base, which helps boost your racking system’s stability.
- Assembly procedure: Always hire a reliable and competent cantilever racking manufacturer to assemble your cantilever racks. Despite the higher fee, it’ll guarantee a safe and functional system in the long run.
Conclusion
Congratulations! Reaching here means that you’ve mastered all the key points about cantilever rack design, from the system’s pros and cons to its categorization. The article also introduces the top three cantilever pallet racking types, as well as the key elements of the structures.
Understanding the topic in question is critical for those who are considering utilizing cantilever racks for their warehouses. Going over all the important factors in this writing guarantees you can find the best storage solution that fits your specific storage demands and environmental situations.
