Gravity flow racks are a derivative of the beam rack, with a similar structure but featuring roller tracks installed on the beams, inclined at 3-5°. Pallet goods are transported to the loading entrance of the rack using forklifts, and then, utilizing their own weight, the pallets automatically glide from the loading entrance to the picking exit at the other end.

Gravity Flow Racks - Rack Features

1. Gravity flow racks offer high throughput, allowing simultaneous storage and retrieval, thus enhancing the speed of goods turnover.

2. Goods retrieval strictly adheres to the order of storage time, enforcing a first-in, first-out system. The storage area requires only two channels: one for incoming and one for outgoing goods. The incoming and outgoing areas are strictly separated to avoid unnecessary safety hazards from cross-operations.

3. Ideal for storage operations with pallets as the carrier, ensuring tidy stacking of goods and providing an excellent solution for storing large and heavy items.

4. Gravity shelves are highly eco-friendly, utilizing a completely passive design with zero energy consumption, low noise levels, and are safe and reliable for operation under full load.

Gravity Flow Shelving - Working Principle

Each compartment of a gravity flow rack is a storage slide with a certain slope. Goods units loaded onto the slide by an incoming crane can move automatically from the incoming end to the outgoing end under the force of gravity until they reach the end of the slide or encounter an existing goods unit. After the goods unit at the outgoing end of the slide is removed by an outgoing crane, the subsequent units behind it move one compartment forward to the outgoing end under gravity. Rollers or wheels are installed on the storage slide to reduce friction between the boxes and the rack.

Gravity Shelving - Application Range

Gravity shelves are ideal for FIFO storage of large quantities of similar goods, offering high space utilization. They are particularly suitable for products with a certain shelf life that are not suitable for long-term accumulation.

Gravity Shelving - Precautions

Total shelf depth (i.e., track length) should not be excessive, otherwise the unusable upper and lower "blind spots" will be larger, affecting space utilization. Additionally, a long ramp will reduce the controllability of the descent, causing greater downward force, which may lead to不畅下滑, blockage, and overturning of the palletized goods. To ensure smooth descent, if the ramp is lengthy, a damping device should be added in the middle. To prevent overturning of the palletized goods at the bottom due to excessive impact force, a buffer and picking separation device should be placed at the lower part of the ramp. This design, manufacturing, and installation is more challenging and costly. Such racks should not be too tall, typically within 6 meters, and the weight of a single pallet should be generally under 1000KG to maintain reliability and operability.