Mobile shelving system: more storage capacity in fewer square meters
A mobile shelving system is a set of shelving units mounted on rails that move sideways, so the installation works with a single shared aisle instead of a fixed aisle for every shelving unit. The operator opens only the aisle that needs to be accessed, and the rest of the units stay closed and compacted. It is the standard solution for concentrating large volumes of files, documents, samples or small parts in the smallest possible space.
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How does mobile shelving work?
The shelving units are mounted on carriages that run on rails, either recessed into the floor or surface-mounted. To reach a unit, the operator moves it (with a mechanical handwheel or a handle, depending on the configuration) and opens the aisle at that point. When finished, the aisle closes and all the units come back together. Since there is only one aisle at a time, the space that a traditional file room loses to dead aisles becomes storage capacity.
How much space does it recover compared with fixed shelving?
The savings come from eliminating redundant aisles: in a conventional installation every shelving unit needs its own aisle, whereas with mobile shelving they all share one. How many meters you recover in each case depends on the length of the rails, the number of units and the required aisle width, which is exactly the calculation DEVA makes when designing the layout.
Key features
Rail-guided movement: the units roll sideways to open the aisle where it is needed.
A single active aisle: eliminates the fixed aisles between shelving units.
Manual or mechanical drive: with a handle or a geared handwheel, depending on the weight and how often the files are accessed.
Adjustable levels: shelf height adapts to the box, binder or file format.
Orderly safekeeping: keeps the files closed and protected from dust and unnecessary handling.
Fits any space: it is sized to the available area, including existing file rooms.
Mobile shelving or mobile racking? They are not the same
They share the same principle (shelving that moves to eliminate aisles), but they address different scales, and it pays not to confuse them when specifying a project:
| Mobile shelving system | Mobile racking | |
|---|---|---|
| What it stores | Files, documents, small parts | Pallets and heavy loads |
| Structure it moves | Light-duty shelving | Selective or cantilever racking |
| Who operates it | Staff, by hand | Forklifts |
| Where it is installed | File rooms, offices, laboratories | Industrial buildings, cold rooms |
Benefits · Impact on your operation
It multiplies storage capacity without enlarging the premises, frees up square meters that can be reassigned to productive operations, improves the organization and traceability of documents, and protects the files by keeping them compacted and closed when not in use.
Ideal applications
Corporate and human resources file areas, medical records and laboratories, law and accounting firms, quality files and regulatory documentation in pharma and food, libraries and storage of samples or small spare parts.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a mobile shelving system?
- It is a set of shelving units mounted on rails that move sideways to open a single aisle at a time, eliminating fixed aisles and concentrating more storage capacity in the same space.
- How much space does mobile shelving save?
- The savings depend on the number of units, the length of the rails and the aisle width needed; they are calculated during layout design, comparing the resulting capacity with that of a fixed shelving installation in the same area.
- Is mobile shelving moved by hand?
- Yes. Depending on the weight and how often it is accessed, it is operated with a handle or with a geared handwheel that makes it easier to move loaded units.
- How is it different from mobile racking?
- Mobile shelving moves light-duty shelving for documents and small parts, with manual operation; mobile racking moves pallet racking and is operated with forklifts.
- Can it be installed in an existing file room?
- Yes. The system is sized to the available area; the critical point of the project is the levelness and load capacity of the floor where the rails are fixed, which is verified during design.
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