Jun. 30, 2025
High-density racking based on the storage-by-accumulation principle. Designed to store homogeneous goods and make maximum use of available space.
The drive-in racks have made great use of our available space and significantly boosted our storage capacity
Drive-in racking is ideal for companies that manage homogeneous SKUs with a large number of pallets per SKU and want to maximise their available surface area and storage capacity.
Drive-in warehouse racking is especially suitable for a small variety of SKUs and many pallets per SKU.
The space savings makes these racks a perfect fit for warehouses in areas with high logistics real estate costs.
This solution is extremely common in cold storage rooms that need to leverage all space allocated to controlled temperature storage.
In its drive-through configuration (two aisles), the racking system functions as a buffer.
In a high-density racking system, load management depends on the configuration of the racks. With drive-in pallet racking, storage and retrieval are carried out from a single working aisle. With drive-through pallet racking, two different aisles are used.
The forklift enters the rack storage lane with the pallet raised above the level on which it will be placed.
The pallet is placed in the deepest free location, beginning at floor level and moving upwards until reaching the highest level. Each lane stores the same SKU.
With the drive-in modality, operators work from a single aisle. Thus, unloading follows the reverse order of loading. The highest pallet is removed first, finishing with the pallet at floor level.
The drive-through configuration works with two aisles, with pallets extracted from the aisle opposite the loading aisle. The highest pallet is removed first, working downwards to floor level.
With drive-in racking, we’ve improved our storage density. Since renovating our warehouse, we’ve ramped up our capacity. Now, we can continue growing as the opportunity presents itself.
The advantage of drive-in racking is that it makes the most of all the available surface area to increase the storage capacity. We’ve boosted our warehousing capacity by over 50%.
We opted for a drive-in storage system because it’s designed to increase capacity and improve warehouse organisation. It’s enabled us to expand storage capacity in our centre considerably.
Warehouse with Coca-Cola soft drinks of Refrescos Bandeirantes in Brazil
Coca-Cola Refrescos Bandeirantes has expanded the storage capacity of its centre in Trindade (Goiás, Brazil) with two high-density solutions from Mecalux: drive-in racks and racks run by the Pallet Shuttle system, which includes a tunnel with live channels to speed up order preparation. Read more
Mecalux drive-in racks have demonstrated their earthquake-proofing in the plant that the frozen fruits and vegetables producer Alifrut has in Quilicura (Santiago de Chile)
Earthquake resistance meets drive-in racks at the Alifrut frozen storage installation in Chile, developed by Mecalux. Read more
INCASA boosts the storage capacity of its detergent warehouse
Mecalux, the storage solutions provider, will install drive-in pallet racking in the INCASA warehouse in Barcelona where the company will store detergents and personal care products. This system makes full use of the available space to provide a storage capacity for more than 4,800 pallets. Read more
Selvafil modernises and leverages all its warehouse space
Yarn manufacturer Selvafil has opened a new warehouse in Girona in order to increase its storage capacity and provide its customers with optimal service. Mecalux has installed six high-density drive-in racking units offering a total capacity of 2,700 pallets. Read more
See more case studiesThe structure of drive-in racking is made up of a set of frames that provide the system’s vertical support. These frames incorporate interior lanes equipped with support rails, i.e., horizontal profiles on which the pallets are placed.
Mecalux drive-in racking has a series of components — some optional — that reinforce the safety of the system and help to prevent accidents when forklifts operate inside it.
Consisting of two uprights with the corresponding diagonal bracing, footplates and accessories. They are slotted every 50 mm to fit the upper beams and supports/brackets.
Horizontal profiles that connect the frames at the top, forming a portal frame structure. They are placed in all storage lanes.
Exclusive to Mecalux. These support rails enable pallet centring with minimal loss of space in height (only 50 mm). Ideal when all pallets stored have the same dimensions.
C-shaped support rails that do not allow self-centring. They are used for pallets with different frontal measurements or unit loads requiring greater support clearances.
Orange metal parts that connect the rails to the frame uprights.
Components forming part of the frame and that are designed to be fitted with two anchor bolts and levelling plates.
Stiffness is obtained through the connection between the uprights and beams, plus the extent to which the upright flootplates are embedded into the floor, using two anchor bolts.
The spine bracing installed in the lanes and top spine bracing transmit horizontal forces directly to the floor.
Spine-braced lanes are replaced by vertical spine bracing at the back (in single-access racking units) or in the centre (in double-access racking units). Only for drive-in configuration.
Optional. Fitted to the front of the first upright of each row of frames to guard them against possible minor impacts.
Optional. These facilitate the movement of forklifts and prevent accidental blows against the side of the racking structure. Depending on the type of forklift truck used, there are two models (LPN or VGPC).
With GP rails, each load level is equipped with two yellow centring devices placed on the front end of the rails. They help to guide the pallet at the entrance to each level.
Attached to the end of C rails, they restrain loads and prevent them from protruding.
Optional. These prevent pallets from overhanging the lane or touching the wall. They also protect the vertical bracing at the rear.
This details the storage system’s technical information. It includes the technical inspection sticker, which indicates the due date of the next service. These notices are placed in easily visible areas at the ends of the racking.
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DownloadOperation, use, inspection and maintenance of drive-in/drive-through racking systems
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DownloadDrive-in racking, also known as drive-in and drive-through racking, is a high-density pallet racking system made up of multiple racks that form internal lanes with support rails to hold pallets. Forklifts enter the structure, moving inside these lanes to load and unload goods. Thanks to the height and depth of the lanes, this solution makes excellent use of the available space and increases storage capacity compared to conventional pallet racking.
Depending on the type of load management strategy required, this high-density storage system can be configured in two ways: drive-in or drive-through racking. In the first and most common variety, loading and unloading operations are carried out from the same working aisle. Thus, stock is managed following the LIFO (last in, first out) principle. With drive-through storage, on the other hand, pallets are deposited and retrieved in two different aisles: goods go in on one end and are removed from the other. In this case, the loading/unloading sequence is done in line with the FIFO method (first in, first out). This configuration is typically employed when the system is used as a buffer or interim warehouse to effectively regulate flows between two work areas (for example, between production and dispatch or between different manufacturing stages).
The drive-in/drive-through racking system is a compact storage solution that meets a wide range of requirements. Its storage capacity is greater than that of conventional racking. Additionally, it is the simplest and most affordable system compared to other high-density storage solutions. However, since the forklifts have to enter the racking, more manoeuvring time is required for storage and removal operations. Furthermore, as each storage lane is reserved for a single SKU, drive-in pallet racking is not recommended for warehouses that manage a broad array of products. For these scenarios, Mecalux has other compact solutions that facilitate the management of more diverse goods. These include Pallet Flow Racking, Push-Back Pallet Racking and the Pallet Shuttle system.
There are no structural limitations to a drive-in racking system design. However, the maximum height of these racking units will be conditioned by the maximum lifting capacity of the handling equipment employed and by the manoeuvring assistance systems they incorporate (camera, height pre-selector, etc.).
The height of each drive-in racking storage level will depend on the height of the pallets and the type of construction system used to build the racks (with GP rails or with C rails). In the first case, the height of the storage level is equal to the height of the pallet plus 150 mm. For systems using C rails, the height of the storage level is equal to the height of the pallet plus 200 mm.
The depth of each lane is the sum of the depth of all the pallets (including the load dimensions if the goods protrude) plus a clearance per unit load of at least 25 mm. Meanwhile, the number of pallets stored in each lane is usually a multiple of the production batches or of the pallets that fit in a lorry. For instance, the lanes of a drive-in unit used to store finished orders could be designed to hold 11 pallets deep and 3 high. This would add up to the 33-pallet capacity of a trailer.
To achieve maximum efficiency, all pallets deposited in the same storage lane should have the same SKU. This avoids unnecessary handling.
As opposed to conventional pallet racking, with compact drive-in racking, pallets are handled from the wider side, with their bottom deckboards perpendicular to the support profiles. That is, the forklift truck deposits the pallet by resting its bottom deckboards at a 90° angle to the support rails.
Counterbalanced forklifts and reach trucks are used with drive-in racking. While counterbalanced forklifts do not usually surpass 7.5 m in height, reach trucks can exceed 11 m in height.
Given that forklifts drive inside the storage lanes, adequate clearances must be calculated to allow them to work safely, (e.g. a minimum clearance of 75 mm between each side of the forklift and the vertical elements). Likewise, the first level of support rails must be positioned at a height that does not interfere with forklift components (such as the chassis).
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The most important thing to remember about warehouse design is that every space must be utilized fully and efficiently.
Making better shelf and rack selections is the first step in optimizing the use of a warehouse. This requires a deep understanding of warehouse space and knowing which areas to optimize, where to add or remove, and what is most efficient.
A wide range of pallet racking systems are available; some provide greater storage density, while others allow for efficient product movement and picking. There tends to be an inverse relationship between product storage density and product movement with the result that greater storage density can lead to slower product movement, and vice versa. Two types of pallet rack systems commonly used where storage density is the priority are drive-in and drive-through racks.
Because loads are stored one in front of the other, drive-in pallet racks are best suited for inventory with a low turnover rate, similar SKUs, and full pallet load selection as access to loads is limited. The back of the system is loaded first, with successive loads stored in front, of the last load, thus the first pallet stored is the last pallet out (FILO), and the last pallet in is the first pallet out.
To load or unload pallets from drive-in racks, the operator must enter the storage lane and drive to the back face of the storage bay to load or unload pallets. This system is best used when space efficiency is the priority. Because there are no aisles between rows of racks, more pallets can be stored per square foot as more space is dedicated to storage as opposed to travel aisles.
Unlike drive-in pallet racks, drive-through racks have two loading/unloading aisles accessible from either side. This allows for faster stock rotation because pallets can be loaded from one side and unloaded from the opposite side.
First-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory management is possible with drive-through racks. Because of the two aisles, drive-through racking requires more space than a drive-in system.
Forklift drivers place pallets of goods on rails at the rear of the system. Operators then load new products in front of older ones.
Because only one side is available for loading or unloading, the back of the system can be installed against a wall. If you have aisles on either side, you can have the horizontal supports installed in the center of a system to provide for dual-sided access, but some space will be lost to the access aisles.
Because the rails in drive-in rack support the outside 3” of the pallets, the pallet becomes the means of support for the load. Having good pallets is important in a drive-in application. The dimensions for a drive-in rack are designed specifically for one pallet size – typically GMA pallets that are 40 inches wide. The space between the vertical legs of the pallet guide angles is 42 inches, and the pallet guide rails are three inches wide. This allows for one-inch of space on each side of the pallet in order to ensure that it is securely in place. Anything smaller than this may fall if the pallet is not centered perfectly, and anything larger would not fit on the rails and could impact the uprights and damage the rack.
When configuring a drive-in rack system, it is important to consider the height and width of the facility, as well as the type and size of the pallets that will be stored. Because drive-in racks are a good solution for increased density, drive-in applications tend to be tall. The most common sizes for drive-in rack upright heights are 16’ and 20’, but they can be shorter.
The core components of a drive-in racking consist of uprights, upright frames, rails, horizontal beams, arms, and row spacers. Below we will go into more detail.
The Upper longitudinal beam is in charge of connecting the frames in the upper area to give the structure more stability and keep everything together. You will need to place these beams in all compact racking aisles.
The horizontal brace is a conventional selective rack beam that reinforces the compact structure and helps keep the rack stable. This vital part is located at the top and back of the drive-in rack and is essential for lateral stability.
The frame is the backbone of a compact drive-in rack. It consists of two uprights, corresponding diagonals, baseplates, and anchors. The frame’s job is to support the load and keep everything in place.
Forklift guide rails are optional but can be a critical part of a drive-in and drive-through system. Made of sturdy steel, these rails run the depth of the aisle and protect the upright frames when inside the structure.
They also can protect the forklift against possible impacts with. The guide rails help separate the forklift from the drive-in compact racking, making it a safer and more efficient operation.
The frame and upright protectors help to keep the installation safe from damage that a forklift may cause when entering and exiting the system.
The welded baseplate is a specially designed component, ideal for frames with high loads. It is made with welded steel for extra strength and durability and has been tested to withstand even the most strenuous conditions.
Single upright posts may be utilized in addition to frames to create depth to the system.
When loading and unloading loads, the pallet guidance system helps to ensure accurate pallet placement and protect the structure from potential damage.
Pallet beams or support rails are the horizontal profiles on which the pallets on each level of the drive-in racking system are supported. They are typically selective rack beams and are secured to the upright using conventional endplates.
The arm is a metal component that attaches to the upright and supports the rails on each level. This, in turn, supports the pallets sitting on the rails.
Pallet backstops are an important part of any warehouse or distribution center. Their primary function is to prevent the pallet from falling at the back of the aisle due to any inappropriate maneuver. They help create a safer work environment for employees and reduce the risk of product damage.
Before investing in a drive-in pallet rack system, there are several things to consider.
First, you need to make sure that your product is compatible with the LIFO storage method and your application requires little to no order picking. Time-sensitive or perishable goods, and fragile product loads are not good candidates for this type of system. You also need to have pallets that are a consistent size and can support the load, and you will need operational discipline to avoid honeycombing.
Finally, you need to consider the cost of the system. Drive-in racks are more expensive than some other storage systems, so you need to make sure that the storage density benefits justify the cost.
For more drive in racking systeminformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
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