Drive-In/Drive-Through Pallet Racking
How it Works:
- Lift truck drives directly into the bay
- Pallets are held up by side rails rather than crossbeams
- Drive-in contains one end that's closed off, while drive-through is open on both sides
Product Features
Advantages
- High storage density due to lack of aisles
- Virtually unlimited storage depth (Normally 6-8 pallets deep per bay)
- Cheaper alternative to Flow Rack
Disadvantages
- Racks are often abused by lift truck drivers
- Relatively low accessibility for pallets not on the outside of a rack
- Susceptible to "honeycombing," which results in unused storage space and subsequent loss of storage capacity
Applications
Best for LIFO inventory management, high-volume and low SKU warehousing, and inventory with a long shelf life
Examples:
- Mass-produced inventory warehousing
- Freezer storage of non-perishable items
- Operations only manufacturing a limited number of unique items
