Creating Functional Storage Solutions with Modular Rack System
When it comes to manufacturing solutions, sometimes the devil’s in the details. You can have a great production model that’s well designed to handle your process and keep producing high-quality products, but if you don’t have the right kind of storage, your line won’t run well, and there’s a chance it may not run at all.
Storage is one of those details. Regardless of the configuration you’re using, if you don’t have parts, tools and materials close at hand and available, you’re not going to be able attain the efficiency and quality level you’re seeking.
A modular rack system can help. Modular rack systems aren’t high-profile products, but they’re a key ingredient when it comes to getting your storage needs right. They can also help you with your inventory management needs, and in some manufacturing applications they can become a modular solution in their own right.
What is a Modular Storage System?
On the surface, a modular storage system is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a storage system that consists of modular components that can be configured and even customized to help you meet your storage needs on the factory floor.
But how does that modularity happen, and what are the components of a modular system? The answer varies according to your industry and product needs, of course, but here are some of the most common components.
Storage Racks
Typically, racks are vertical structures, and they’re normally used for storing the more bulky items in your process, i.e., think large tools, pipes, rods, etc. They often have hooks or adjustable arms that can be shifted around or repositioned to accommodate items that are particularly awkward, and these hooks and arms are one of the keys to their modularity.
Frames
Frames form the backbone of a typical manufacturing storage system. They’re usually made of metal—steel and aluminum are common choices, and they provide stability and support for the other components in the storage system. In a modular rack system, frames are often modular as well.
Shelving, Drawers, Cabinets and Bins
These items are the nuts and bolts of a modular storage system. Shelves can be solid, perforated or arranged in a geometric configuration (e.g., rows), while drawers have to slide in and out easily to hold tools, small parts and other components.
Bins are usually open on top, and they’re another key to a modular rack storage system. Stacking them or fitting them onto shelves can help keep your storage system ergonomic, and a proper arrangement makes it easier for workers to do their jobs.
Cabinets play a slightly different role. They’re usually used to store items that need to be protected in some way (e.g., doors), and some of these items need to be kept out of sight as well. They can contain shelves, drawers and even bins, although the openness of bins usually runs counter to the normal role that cabinets play.
Elite Storage Includes Accessories
As their name implies, accessories run the gamut. They can be organized by labeling systems, hooks, tool holders and so on, but the overall goal is to improve the efficiency and design of a modular rack storage system.
Storage Rack vs Shelving as a Modular Storage Solution
Shelves and racks both play an important role in a typical modular rack storage system, but their specific role is slightly different. Racks tend to be open in the side and back, while shelves usually have a solid base. Shelves are usually adjustable in height to increase modularity, while racks are generally used to handle bulky or awkward items.
Capacity-wise, racks tend to win the storage contest when it comes to the amount or size of the items they contain. Shelves are usually used to store smaller items, and they’re vital when it comes to providing accessibility and tight organization in any modular system.
Accessibility is an important consideration in the racks vs shelves debate. The openness of racks usually makes it easier to access bulky items, but those items are often exposed to dust and debris. Shelves offer a bit more protection, which is why they’re used for smaller items.
The biggest advantage of racks and shelves is that they fit well together in a modular rack system. You choose and set up your level of modularity by selecting racks for the areas where access and openness are important, then use shelving for smaller components and tools that need a bit more protection.
Use Storage Drawers to Get Even More Modules
If you’re choosing between racks and shelves and you can’t get the right fit for key items that need to be stored effectively, drawers provide yet another excellent choice.
They come with the ability to slide in and out, which makes them more versatile than shelves, and they offer more protection than racks. And if you do have somewhat bulky items that are essential to your process but also need protection, a sliding drawer can be a solid choice that covers you in both respects.
How A Modular Rack Systems Can Make Your Process More Efficient
In today’s manufacturing environment, modular approaches are everywhere. They’re essential in any kind of lean manufacturing, and they’re also vital when it comes to the efficiency and effective functioning of workstations, cells and the production line as a whole.
That modularity applies to storage as well. There are workstations, cells and smaller processes where you can take a one size fits all approach to your storage, but the versatility and flexibility offered by a modular rack system is a key component to effective cell and workstation design that’s often underrated.
Worksmart Can Help You Build the Ultimate Modular Rack Systems for Your Mixed Model Line Assembly
At Worksmart Systems, we offer a high level of expertise for companies seeking both specific and comprehensive manufacturing process solutions. That includes modular rack systems that can help you implement modular solutions and make inventory management easier, and you can find these products showcased at our related website, www.quixxsmart.com.
You can learn more about our overall approach at www.worksmartsystems.com. Both websites are designed to help you find the ideal inventory management system, and you can also reach us by phone at (978) 356-5000 to get more information, or you can call us with Quixxsmart questions at 978-536-9992. We’re also available via email at sales@worksmartsystems.com.
