WOI Risk & Reward Series – Carton Flow Rack

Are Good Things Flowing Your Way with Carton Flow Rack?

Carton flow rack is a gravity flow product most often used in pick areas for medium-turn inventory. The flow rack is ideal for cartons, totes, and flat-bottomed products fulfilled individually or in small quantities. Access to the rack is from opposite aisles for loading and picking. This design allows for simultaneous load and pick functions while minimizing congestion around the system. Carton flow is a beneficial warehouse tool… for the right applications. Take a look at the Rewards and Risks of this system to see if it is the right storage rack solution for you.

Pick Me! Carton Flow Rack Rewards

• Increase storage capacity up to 50% vs. static rack or shelving
• Improve pick accuracy with segmented SKU lanes
• Save up to 75% labor costs vs. picking from static rack/shelving
• Eliminate wait time with automatically-filled pick faces
• Support worker ergonomic positioning for order picking

Carton flow rack supports first-in/first-out (FIFO) inventory rotation for all goods, including perishable, date-sensitive products and supplies. Carton flow rack is designed to fit into storage racking and can be used as a lower level pick area below full pallet storage, alone as a concentrated pick area, as part of a pick module, and even as a mobile cart.

Carton flow concentrates your pick area to a smaller footprint while increasing SKU volume for individually picked items. It is often paired with conveyor for high-volume picking and efficient take-a-way. Alternatively, you can use carton flow on the go with mobile work cells. Mobile carton flow is ideal for short-run manufacturing, light assembly, automotive, and small-parts packaging.

Drop-In Carton Flow Rack

Mobile Carton Flow Rack

Carton Flow & Conveyor Pick Area

Customize Your Carton Flow Rack

Carton flow rack is customizable to accommodate your inventory specs. Systems are comprised of wheel beds or rollers and can be as deep or shallow as your inventory needs, and rack space will allow. Talk to the WOI rack design team to ensure your system meets your needs.

Wheeled systems are typically best for inventory that varies in size from item to item. Wheels staggered across the carton flow level lets you create the SKU lane widths you need for all your inventory. Where you have consistent carton or tote widths, roller flow track is likely the more economical option. In essence, your goal is to closely match the carton size to the roller width for the most effective flow.

Additionally, accessories such as angle trays and lane guides can further improve the productivity of your gravity flow system. Angle trays attach to the pick-aisle side of the carton flow system. They can create the most ergonomic position for your workers and enable them to better see the items for greater pick accuracy. Similarly, lane guides provide a physical barrier between SKUs to keep lanes organized for faster, more accurate picking. Lane guides are also recommended for regulatory compliance if needed.

Risks – Carton Flow 

• Fast turn inventory – if your inventory is going faster than you can load your flow rack, it’s more economical to pick directly from the pallet. Consider pallet flow for high-volume case picking.
• Oversized inventory – long and/or wide items, totes, etc., may be better served with pallet flow rack vs. carton flow. 
• Non-flat-bottomed items – good, consistent contact with the wheels and rollers is critical for safe, consistent flow. Flanged wheel carton flow may be the solution here — talk to an experienced carton flow design team.
• Lipped totes – totes can hang up on each other when they are lipped. Skid plates are a cost-effective solution, as are angle trays. Again, an experienced design team can make this work for you. 
• Tall, unstable loads – a safety concern that will need design attention, i.e., lane dividers to help stabilize the load.

Carton/Tote Flow Installation

Proper installation of carton flow racking is critical to performance.  Installation of the system should be square, level,  and checked for plumbness. All containers should be loaded and tested for proper flow before commissioning. Shelf adjustment and placement may be necessary for proper safe flow. The WOI professional rack installation crew is OSHA-10 certified. To obtain that certification, each person must complete at least 10 hours of training and demonstrate an acceptable level of performance, competence, and professionalism. OSHA training includes safety guidelines, proper accident reporting, ladder safety, tie-off guidelines, PPE use, and general safe construction practices.

Before you hire your next installation crew, check out our tips of the 10 Most Valuable Questions to Ask. 

Risk & Reward – Carton Flow Rack Design

You may have noticed a similar thread through the review of the carton flow rewards and risks… a lot of the success of your system comes down to the system configuration. There are a lot of ways to make the system work for your inventory. A team that knows gravity flow rack, like the WOI team, is your most economical choice to deliver the results you expect.

WOI is dedicated to complete customer satisfaction in all our projects. We abide by our 5-Step Total Satisfaction Experience™.

WOI will:

1. Listen to your needs
2. Execute your project with special attention to your unique application
3. Stick to project timelines
4. Ensure a safe environment
5. Pay close attention to the detail  of the finished product

Call Warehouse Optimizers today to discuss your storage and processing needs. Let us help you find the most productive and cost-effective resolution. Call (865) 540-4004 for a prompt response. We proudly serve customers throughout the Southeast, including KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, NORTH CAROLINA, ALABAMA, AND FLORIDA.