Pallet rack beam, if you are someone who is in regular contact with pallet rack or warehouse shelving, then you will never be unfamiliar with it because pallet rack beam is an indispensable component of pallet rack. The significance of its existence is to connect the columns of the rack, provide storage area for pallets and keep the rack stable and strong.
What is the pallet rack beam?
Pallet racking beams are a structural component of pallet racking made of steel. It serves to support and carry pallets and the goods on them, as well as acting as a connector for pallet racking.
Next, let’s talk about the several types of common racking beams:
Box Beam
This is a kind of pallet rack beam which is widely used in heavy duty pallet racking systems, and its cutoff is presented as a closed box shape, or similarly closed square or rectangle. It is usually manufactured by bending and welding two pieces of cold rolled steel of uniform thickness.
Its advantage is that it has high load bearing and bending resistance, which is why it is widely used in heavy duty pallet racking.
Step Beam
The name step beam has a lot to do with the shape of its cross-section, as the cut-off is in the shape of a step, with a raised area for pallets or other support accessories.
However, the step beam is only suitable for light and medium duty racking, but has the advantage of being very flexible and can be used in many types of storage systems.
I-Beam
I-Beam is characterized by a cross-section that resembles a capital I. See also the shape of an I-Beam in industrial construction. This type of racking beam is commonly used in cantilever racks, a heavy-duty racking system that requires high strength and stability.
The advantage of this type of racking beams is that they have high strength and rigidity and are perfectly suited for heavy loads.
What is a pallet rack beam used for?
Cargo carrying is the main purpose of the pallet rack beam. Pallet rack beams form a complete set of pallet racking by connecting the columns and related accessories, and its existence can not only provide space for the storage of palletized goods, but also transfer the weight evenly to the entire racking, which makes the entire racking more sturdy and safer.
How thick are pallet rack beams?
The thickness of pallet rack beams is mostly determined by the weight to be borne, and also varies according to some design and application environment specificities.
Generally speaking, the thickness of light duty pallet rack beams is 1.5mm-2.5mm, medium duty pallet rack beams are 2.0mm-3.0mm and heavy duty pallet rack beams are 2.5mm-4.0mm.
However, it should be noted that different materials manufactured by the standard may be different, the higher the strength of the steel to face the same load demand when the thickness may be thinner.
So, the actual data of thickness needs to be combined with your design, material and application to decide.
How tall is a pallet racking beam?
Before I start this topic I need to state here that the height I am referring to is the height of the vertical cross section of the pallet rack beam.
The height of pallet rack beams varies slightly from pallet rack manufacturer to pallet rack manufacturer and is basically designed for several reasons: load requirements, rack design, safety codes and industry standards.
However, as a racking manufacturer for over twenty years, we have learned about a very large number of different brands of pallet racking, and the common height data is this:
Light duty pallet racking: 50mm – 100mm;
Medium duty pallet racking: 100 mm – 150 mm;
Heavy duty pallet racking: 150 mm – 200 mm;
What is the longest pallet rack beam?
What we know as manufacturers is that there are pallet rack beams that are 12 meters or even longer, but what you need to be aware of with this length is that there are special reinforcements that need to be made to ensure safety and stability.
But here I would like to give you an overview of the common lengths of pallet rack beams in order to have a more comprehensive understanding. In terms of length, we also need to choose according to storage needs, warehouse layout and safety norms.
Most common: 2 meters-3 meters, which is the most common length of pallet rack beams and also suitable for most of the pallets (parameter 1200mm x 1000mm);
Large span racking: 3 meters – 4 meters, this length is generally what large span racking will use.
Special needs: 4 meters – 6 meters, this is generally the storage of large goods will need, but this length of pallet rack beams cost will be correspondingly increased a lot.
Are pallet rack beams interchangeable?
Whether pallet rack beams are interchangeable or not depends on several factors: design, specifications, connection method and load capacity, the core purpose of which is to confirm the compatibility of different pallet rack beams.
However, there are a few things to keep in mind before interchanging pallet rack beams:
Safety
Before interchanging pallet rack beams, you have to make sure that the pallet racks after interchanging racking beams can meet the requirements of the original design in terms of load capacity and stability, and make sure that it is compatible with the original design.
Inspection and verification
Before interchanging the racking beams, we need to check the dimensions, linkage and material strength of the racking beams as racking beams are one of the main components of pallet racking and need to be made sure that they are compatible with the existing racking system.
Consult the manufacturer
You can consult the manufacturer or supplier of your racking to find out if your racking is interchangeable with racking beams as no one will know your racking better than them.
How do you measure a pallet rack beam?
Measuring pallet rack beams is a job we all need to do when we accept or make adjustments, so how do you measure correctly? Let me tell you the answer now!
Tools to be used
There are three tools we need to prepare for this job: a tape measure (a tape measure is the most convenient and accurate when measuring longer lengths), calipers (the most accurate for measuring thicknesses), and paper and a pen (or anything you can write down).
Measurement Methods
Length Measurement
We use a tape measure to measure the total length of the pallet rack beams by pulling it from one cross section to the other.
It is important to note, however, that it is best to measure from the inside, so that the tape measure can be stuck in the gaps of the cross-section. In addition, the tape measure should be straightened during the measurement process, and should not be bent or loose.
Height measurement
To measure the height we use either a tape measure or a steel ruler, align the top of the racking beams and calculate the distance from the top to the bottom.
However, we need to take measurements at multiple locations to see if there are any inconsistencies in height.
Width Measurement
We usually measure the width as the distance between the two sides of the racking beams, and we still use a tape measure or a steel ruler to measure the distance between the two sides.
However, if your racking beams are irregularly shaped, such as a step beam, then we need to record the points of different widths.
Thickness Measurement
To measure the thickness of the racking beams we use calipers, which are inserted into the inner wall of the pallet rack beam to measure its thickness.
The calipers are inserted into the inner wall of the pallet rack beam to measure the thickness. We also take measurements in several places on the inner wall to make sure that there are no significant thickness errors.
How do you stack pallet racking beams?
Preparation before stacking
Cleaning the stacking area
The area where the pallet rack beams will be stored needs to be clean, flat, dry and free of obstacles for ease of handling.
Checking the pallet rack beam
Check the pallet rack beams for rust, deformation and damage before storage.
Prepare protective materials
We don’t store pallet rack beams directly on the floor, most of the time we will put a pallet or wooden board under the racking beams, but we also recommend pallets because it will be easier for forklift trucks to handle.
Stacking steps
Placement of bottom supports
Place pallets on the ground, or if you don’t have a forklift to handle them, then wooden planks or metal supports are fine. We do this just to keep the racking beams at a distance from the ground to prevent it from moisture and damage.
Staggered and overlapping
The connectors of racking beams are all raised, so we can save a lot of space by staggering them together, and also maximize the protection of the connectors of racking beams.
Stacking Height
If you are storing on pallets, we usually do not exceed eight layers, but if you do not have the need for forklift trucks, we do not recommend exceeding a height of two meters.
Fixing
We generally have six racking beams in a row, then stacked four layers, and then we tie these to the pallet. This makes it very stable and secure when moving.
Precautions
Stacking
We usually recommend stacking the racking beams flat, if you have limited space you can also stack them vertically, but be sure to store them parallel to the ground, not diagonally, so as not to damage the connectors at the bottom. Secondly, they also need to be properly secured.
Weight limit
If there is a weight limit in your storage area, you need to calculate how many racking beams you can store to avoid overweight storage.
Stacking environment
Be sure not to store it in open air or in a damp environment. Even though racking beams are coated with a rust-resistant material, there is no guarantee that they will not cause problems if stored for a long period of time in such an environment.
Your pallet rack beam team of experts
Finally, please allow me to introduce our team to you. We are a professional rack manufacturer from China, if you have any needs and questions about pallet rack beams, welcome to contact us! I think with more than 20 years of manufacturing experience and a team of professional engineers can surely provide you with the best solution.
