Teardrop Pallet Rack: Classic and Convenient

The teardrop pallet rack may be the most common industrial design when it comes to shelving. It is almost an indispensable storage system in virtually any industrial setting like warehouses and factories. These racks provide a very efficient and cost effective way to save time and space. You will be surprised to know the versatility of these when it comes to handling goods.

Why is It Called Teardrop?

The term "teardrop" originally came from the shape of the hole pattern on the front upright column of the rack. A lot of teardrop pallet rack designs can easily be assembled without the need of tools since beams should perfectly fit in the teardrop holes. This can be a disadvantage if you are trying to add new beams into an old rack since the holes may not be compatible. On most occasions, manufacturers and brands coordinate in order to have universal teardrop sizes so that buyers can choose a variety of compatible brands without any worries about size and fit.

Selectivity

The selective aspect of a teardrop pallet rack remains to be one of its main strengths. You can easily access every pallet or item stored in a selective rack system. This way you can easily categorize items for quick storage and retrieval. The system is especially helpful when you're handling perishables like food and medicine. Different sizes, shapes and types of items can be stored in the system without any problems.

Dimensions

Beam lengths of the racks can measure anywhere from 4 to 12 feet long or more depending on your specifications. Regardless of length, there may be high-strength button head studs attached to beam connector plates, self-locking safety auto-locks on beam connector face or additional uprights located every 3 feet or so along the beam to ensure that the beams stay with the upright columns and items are well placed. Step downs measuring 1/2 to 1 inch may be present for crossbars, wood decking and wire decking. Step beams can support loads weighing around 2000 to 4000 pounds per pair of beams. Each shelf may hold anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 pounds. For heavy duty purposes, a structural steel rack is the best option.

The Features

The upright frames of teardrop pallet racks are usually made of tubular steel with additional diagonal and horizontal braces. Foot plates are also available. The foot plates are helpful in anchoring into concrete floor. Larger sizes are preferred to withstand seismic applications and tremendous amounts of pressure. Usual load capacity will be based on beam level spacing every 4 feet. Heavy duty construction provides added resistance and less torque for greater resistance against forklift truck damage. Rack reinforcement is very helpful for durability and unnecessary repair or replacement.

There are also rack accessories available depending on the type of load you wish to store. Wire decking is advantageous since it is self-cleaning and you can easily identify items stored due to the mesh design and light dispersion. Row spacers are very useful when connecting uprights together in a back-to-back position. Wall spacers easily secure the teardrop pallet rack to a wall but are not as reliable for seismic applications. You will find different colors available plus hazard tones for added safety. It is ideal to pick rack components which follow the standards set by the Rack Manufacturer's Institute to minimize hassle on replacement and accessorizing in the future.