Palettenregal
Also: Palettenregale, Paletten-Regal, Selektivregal, Selective Pallet Rack, Hochregal, Palettenstellplatz, EUR-Palettenregal
AI-generated
A pallet rack is a racking system for storing pallets, consisting of frames and beams, and operated using industrial trucks or storage and retrieval machines. It is the most widely used storage system for pallet-bound goods in industry and commerce.
Key facts
- The pallet rack is the most widely used storage system for pallet-bound goods and, in its basic configuration, provides direct access to every individual storage position.
- Variants such as double-deep storage, drive-in racks, and gravity flow racks increase storage density but reduce direct access or assortment flexibility.
- Load capacity, aisle width, and the material handling equipment used must be coordinated with one another as an essential part of planning.
- Pallet racks are subject to statutory inspection requirements and must be regularly checked for damage.
- Impact protection and fire protection requirements are safety-critical planning components that must be considered at an early stage.
What is a pallet rack?
A pallet rack is a modular racking system designed specifically for storing Euro pallets, industrial pallets, or other standardized load carriers. The system consists at its core of vertical frames and horizontal beams on which pallets are placed. Each rack bay typically accommodates one or two pallets, with access from the aisle end. Since every pallet is directly accessible, the single-deep pallet rack is considered the standard form of selective storage, offering the highest level of access.
Variants and how they work in practice
In practice, several configurations are available, each deployed according to requirements for storage density, accessibility, and material handling equipment:
- Single-deep pallet rack: Every pallet is immediately accessible. Suitable for heterogeneous assortments and FIFO logic.
- Double-deep pallet rack: Two pallets are stored one behind the other, increasing floor space utilization, but requiring a reach truck or double-deep forklift and limiting direct access to the rear pallet.
- Drive-in/drive-through rack: The forklift enters the rack channel. High storage density, but only suitable for homogeneous, time-insensitive inventory.
- Gravity flow rack: Pallets are loaded on one side and roll on roller tracks to the retrieval side. Supports a consistent FIFO principle.
- Mobile racking (Movirack): Rack blocks are positioned close together and moved apart as needed to create an aisle. Significantly increases floor space utilization.
Depending on the variant, operation is carried out using counterbalance forklifts, reach trucks, narrow-aisle trucks, or fully automated storage and retrieval machines in high-bay warehouses. Aisle width, lift height, and beam load capacity are the key planning parameters and must be coordinated with one another.
What to consider when selecting a system
When planning and procuring a pallet rack, several factors should be taken into account. The load capacity per bay level and per rack frame must be designed to match the actual pallet weight and must be permanently labeled. In Germany, racks are subject to DGUV regulations and must be regularly inspected for damage — an aspect that is often underestimated during ongoing operations.
Fire protection requirements affect the permissible storage clearance and sprinkler system design. Impact protection on frames and uprights in forklift-operated aisles is not optional but a safety requirement. The system's reconfigurability — such as adjusting beam heights when the assortment changes — varies by vendor and should be evaluated before purchase. Finally, lead times are a consideration: steel supply bottlenecks can significantly delay projects.
Related terms
- Automatiklager
An automated warehouse is a fully or partially automated storage system in which the receipt, retrieval, transport and management of storage units are carried out without manual intervention, using conveyor technology, storage and retrieval machines, and a higher-level control software.
- Automatisches Kleinteilelager (AKL)
The Automated Small Parts Warehouse (AKL) is a fully automated storage system for totes, trays and small parts, in which storage and retrieval operations are performed without manual intervention by stacker cranes or shuttle systems.
- Bestandsführung
Inventory management refers to the system-supported administration and continuous updating of all warehouse and material stocks within a company. It forms the basis for planning, procurement and accounting – and ensures that the book inventory and physical inventory are in agreement at all times.
- Blocklager
A block storage system is a storage method in which load units — typically pallets — are stacked directly on the floor in rows and blocks without any racking structure.
- Bodenlagerung
Floor storage refers to the storage of goods directly on the floor, without the use of racking systems. Pallets, stacks, or marked floor positions serve as the basic structure for area organization.
- Business Case Automatisierung
The Business Case Automation evaluates, from an economic and operational perspective, whether an investment in warehouse or intralogistics automation is justified. It summarizes costs, benefits, risks, and assumptions in a structured way, forming the basis for management approval decisions.
- Chaotische Lagerhaltung
Chaotic storage is a warehousing principle in which items are not stored in fixed, pre-assigned locations, but are instead dynamically placed in any available, suitable slot in the warehouse. A warehouse management system handles the control and tracking of all storage locations.
- Dimensionierung
Dimensioning refers to the systematic design of warehouse capacities, material handling equipment, and logistics systems based on volume frameworks, throughput requirements, and peak loads. It forms the planning foundation for investment decisions in intralogistics.