1) Shelf
A storage surface located above the floor level and usually contained in shelving system or rack system.
The formed steel sheet which attaches horizontally to the posts and supports the load. Shelves are available in many sizes and a number of capacities.
Shelves should be specified based on the customer's requirements and uniform load capacity that the shelf must support. Steel gauge, shelf formation and reinforcing varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and thus determines shelf capacity.
2) Shelf reinforcement
A variety of flat bars, angles, channels or other formed sections which are placed within or under the shelf to reinforce the shelf and prevent damage due to shock loading.
3) Shelf divider
A formed steel partition placed within the shelf opening to subdivide it into smaller compartments. Some types of dividers include: full height, angle, tapered, sliding, floating.
4) Shelf depth
The horizontal distance measured between the outside faces of beams.
5) Shelf opening
The basic shelving compartment formed between two shelves within a unit of shelving.
6) Rack
A single or multi-level structural storage system that is utilized to support high stacking of single items or palletized loads
7) Cantilever rack
A rack, utilizing "arms" cantilevered from columns, used where there is a need for a full clear shelf that can be loaded from the front without obstruction from rack support uprights.
8) Mobile rack
A rack with wheels at the base that permit movement of the entire rack structure along tracks.
9) Reel racks
A storage rack configuration (one or more levels high) that is designed specifically to store reels of materials such as cable and cord. The reels are "cradled" in the rack.
10) Rack Association
The Rack Manufacturers Institute, Inc. is an independent incorporated trade association affiliated with the Material Handling Industry. The membership of RMI is made up of companies which produce the preponderance of industrial storage racks.
11) Flow rack
Storage rack that utilizes shelves (metal) that are equipped with rollers or wheels. Such an arrangement allows product and materials to "flow" from the back of the rack to the front and therein making the product more accessible for small-quantity order-picking.
12) Rack standards
Authoritative guides, or directives, used in the manufacture, sales and use of storage rack systems and components.
13) Structural rack
Steel storage rack made from hot rolled steel shapes, generally conforming to the requirements of AISC, such as angle, beams or tubing.
14) Portable rack
Self contained steel rack units made up of bases and/or decks and posts. Portable rack may be welded or collapsible units either having a knockdown feature which can be a space saver when units are not in use.
15) Drive in rack
This type of rack utilizes upright frames, rails, and ties to allow a vehicle to enter a storage rack structure from one side only and pick up or deliver pallets on continuous rails. Drive-in rack is used to address repetitive products and serves to take advantage of cubic space available for storage, when such unit loads do not lend themselves to block stacking.