Carton flow rack can be a valuable tool that allows users to save space and increase efficiency in order fulfillment operations. The key is selecting the right type of carton flow rack for your facility. There are several options to choose from, and there are several factors that must be considered to find the best solution for your current and future system. This can include selecting your preferred type of frame, shelving, and track. Here are some of the key questions you need to ask in order to evaluate what will be the best carton flow solution for your operations.

Carton Flow Rack Considerations

1. How many SKUs do you expect to handle with your carton flow rack system?
   • The number of SKUs plays a critical role in defining system configuration, including the number of lanes and shelves needed per bay. Bastian Solutions has several types of carton flow available to accommodate just about any requirement.
2. What is the velocity of SKU fulfillment?
   • SKU velocity is another major design factor needed to further define your carton flow configuration. For example, the number of lanes dedicated to a particular SKU is based on its order throughput. We’ll help you determine the best layout for both your fast moving SKUs and the slow moving items.
3. Are the containers a consistent size or does size vary?
   • This might be the most important design question. The answer will help us narrow down the carton flow track type(s) you need. Whether it be cartons or totes, Bastian Solutions has carton flow solutions designed for consistent widths and other varieties to handle varying shapes and sizes of product.
4. What future growth can we plan for?
   • Though we can’t predict the future, with a good idea of your long-term plans, our design team can help design a carton flow system to handle the current volume and accommodate product you may have in the future.
5. What is the container weight range that will be loaded in the system?
   • Different product weight ranges can be accommodated as long as the right carton flow rack is selected. The total loading of the system will not only determine the type of carton flow but will also help determine the size and capacities of the rack that houses the flow rack.
6. What are the surface areas of your containers?
   • The product surface area will determine the appropriate wheel configuration, wheel spacing, and type of wheel that is required to make your product flow.
7. Will the system require brackets and connection methods?
   • Bastian Solutions offers carton flow systems to handle a variety of picking and storage needs within shelving, pallet rack, and pick modules. We offer mounting solutions that will fit existing storage equipment and don’t require tek-screwing during installation.
8. What carton flow accessories would make your operations more efficient?
   • Dividers can provide a quick visual product separation that make SKU locations easily visible from both the pick and replenishment ends of the system, boosting accuracy and lowering pick times. Dividers are designed to simply lock into place, making them an easy tool to re-profile your system as your product sizes change.
   • Pick trays can be added to the front of carton flow systems to make product more easily visible to pickers and also makes containers easier to pick out of. Pick trays can be mounted to the front of carton flow systems or be contained within the shelving or rack.
   • Label holders can be added to the front of the carton flow tracks to allow product to be labeled with names, SKU numbers, and/or bar codes to aid in picking operations.
9. Consolidating SKUs into a pick module?
   • A pick module combines pallet rack, pallet flow and carton flow with other material handling products like conveyor and pick-to-light to create a complete system designed to optimize product throughput. Bastian Solutions can design and provide materials for a system tailored to your needs.

Selecting the right carton flow rack system is not an easy process on your own. We can assist you in selecting the proper options for your needs. For more information, please contact us.

Author: Evan Daily