Mobile racking: eliminate fixed aisles and multiply your capacity
A mobile racking system (mobile bases) mounts selective racking or cantilever racking on a motorized chassis that travels along rails fixed to the floor. Instead of keeping a fixed working aisle for every run of racking, entire blocks move sideways to open only the aisle you need at any given moment, eliminating fixed aisles and significantly increasing the storage capacity of the same space.
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How does a mobile racking system work?
Each block of racking sits on a motorized base that travels on rails fixed to the floor, driven by an electric motor, travel components and a central control panel. The operator activates the system (from a push-button station or a remote control) to open the aisle needed; when finished, the blocks close up again, recovering the space that fixed aisles used to take up.
Safety: the element that makes movement possible
Because these are large structures in motion, the system includes several layers of safety:
Light barriers/proximity photocells along the front of each block, which stop the movement if they detect a person or an obstacle in the aisle.
Limit switches, which control the travel limit of each base.
Emergency stop button or mushroom switch, which stops the system in the event of any incident.
Automatic locking of the bases during loading and unloading, so the structure cannot move while the forklift or operator is working inside the aisle.
Two configurations, depending on your load
Mobile bases with selective racking: for pallets and palletized loads, keeping the direct access typical of selective racking but with many more positions in the same space, by reducing fixed aisles.
Mobile bases with cantilever racking: for long, bulky loads (pipes, profiles, lumber, bars), combining the versatility of cantilever racking with the density of a mobile system.
Key features
Eliminates fixed aisles: only the working aisle needed at each moment is opened.
Compatible with selective or cantilever racking: it adapts to the type of load you handle.
Motorized, guided travel: rails fixed to the floor, an electric motor and centralized control.
Built-in safety: photocells, limit switches, emergency stop and automatic locking during operation.
Benefits · Impact on your operation
Greater storage capacity in the same space, fewer aisles to keep clear, and a flexible base for operations that need density without losing the accessibility of a selective system or the versatility of a cantilever system.
Ideal applications
Warehouses with limited space that want to maximize capacity without additional civil works. It is especially valued in cold storage and freezer rooms, because eliminating fixed aisles reduces the volume of air that must be kept at a controlled temperature, with the resulting energy savings.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a mobile racking system?
- It is a system in which a racking structure (selective or cantilever racking) is mounted on a motorized, rail-guided chassis, so the blocks can be moved to open only the aisle needed, eliminating fixed aisles.
- Is mobile racking only for pallets?
- No. In addition to the configuration with selective racking for pallets, there is a configuration with cantilever racking for long, bulky loads.
- Is it safe to work near racking on mobile bases?
- Yes. The system includes photocells that stop the movement when people or obstacles are present, limit switches, an emergency stop and automatic locking of the bases during loading and unloading.
- Does mobile racking help in cold rooms?
- Yes. By reducing the number of fixed aisles, it reduces the volume of air that must be kept at a controlled temperature, which makes it a highly valued option for refrigerated and frozen storage.
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