5 Design Elements for Safe, Heavy-duty Racking

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L O A D R A C K S POORLY DESIGNED RACKING IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULDN’T BE OVERLOOKED HEAVY-DUTY RACKING Most fabricators have some type of It’s easy to assume they can handle heavy-duty racking, and the specifics the same weight—especially if the behind their design shouldn’t be advertised steel sizes and weight overlooked. Poorly designed racking capacities are the same. can be one of the most dangerous hazards on the shop floor. The truth, however, is that just like pickup trucks, you need to do more What exactly makes a Ford F-250 than kick the tires to ensure you’re cost more than an F-150? From the getting a racking system engineered outside, they look pretty much the to safely handle your required loads same, right? It’s not until you lift the over years of use. The racking you hood and check the undercarriage select should contain five critical that you notice what makes the F- design elements: 50-KSI I-beams, 250 capable of handling higher A325 bolts, a 100 percent load payloads. That’s what makes it utilization, fully welded arms, and worth more of your hard-earned full load-bearing cradles and shelves cash. (where applicable). The same idea applies to structural Let’s have a look under the hood to storage racking. When comparing see how each of these design different systems at face value, you aspects affects how effective and see I-beam construction, heavy-duty safe your racking can be. bolts, and structural bracing.
Strong Rack Materials Choose it comes to storing heavy When the shape and type of steel materials, for columns, arms, and shelf used significantly affect the racking beams performance. Hot-rolled, system’s or standard-shape I- wide-flange, offer sufficient mass to handle beams loads. They also resist damage high material handling equipment. from cold-rolled or roll formed Thin-gauge relies on its shape to support the steel Once this type of steel is weight. it becomes compromised damaged, may no longer support its and weight capacity. designed soda can trick illustrates this The When executed carefully, a concept. person can stand on a soda small without crushing it—not because can extremely sturdy but because its it’s in an undamaged state, can design, the weight. However, push a handle dent in its side and the can will small same principle applies to roll The steel in racking. Its design can formed certain thresholds of weight, but hold steel members are susceptible to the which can compromise the damage, system’s integrity. racking in racking systems is normal. Deflection heavy material is loaded and As the racking shelf or arm will unloaded, from holding heavy material and deflect to its original position when return This can happen thousands of unloaded. stronger the steel is, the more The it can support before product deformation becomes permanent Over time, as products are evident. loaded and unloaded, repeatedly will begin to appear in a deformation grade of steel, whereas 50-KSI cheaper will continue to bring the shelf or steel benefit to using steel with a Another KSI is that the rack design can higher heavier loads with less mass. handle example, a cantilevered arm made For a lower-KSI steel will need to be of to handle the same weight as larger arm fabricated out of 50-KSI steel. an a system built with 50-KSI Choosing L O A D R A C K S C H O O S E S T R O N G 1 R A C K M A T E R I A L S Choose Strong Rack Materials When it comes to storing heavy materials times over the life of a rack. collapse under the same weight. arm back to its original position. steel can help save space.
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Page 5 and 6: commonly applied to cantilever rack
Page 7 and 8: heavy-duty racking should have full

5 Design Elements for Safe, Heavy-duty Racking

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