Creform has designed and built a stair-stepped mobile flow rack to be used lineside by an automotive parts supplier, perfectly suited to reusable containers.
Flow rack enables lean manufacturing principles by providing a seamless and organized flow of materials and helps reduce waste while improving overall efficiency in the production process.
Greer, SC—Creform Corporation, a manufacturer of unique products for material handling structures, has designed and built a stair-stepped mobile flow rack to be used lineside by an automotive parts supplier. The flow rack enables lean manufacturing principles by providing a seamless and organized flow of materials and helps reduce waste while improving overall efficiency in the production process. The gravity flow rack assists first-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory management, ensuring that materials are used in the order they are received. The compact design allows for lineside placement, minimizing the need for excessive floor space.
The pictured unit is 63″ T x 66″ D x 66″ W, can hold up to 1500 lb., and is built using Creform 28 mm pipe, providing the user flexibility and reusability. However, higher capacity and custom rack sizes and configurations are possible with Creform’s 42mm product line of pipe and joints. Further, the 42mm product line can integrate seamlessly with the 28mm system.
The flow rack features three supply levels and one return level for product presentation in a stair-stepped setup. Each level has four lanes utilizing Creform skate wheel conveyors for shallow flow lane angles suitable for plastic returnable totes and cardboard containers. Creform conveyors are sturdy and made with durable materials to ensure a robust and long-lasting flow rack. They are designed to withstand the demands of the toughest industrial environments.
Lane dividers are located in the middle of each section of the rack and are used to organize the boxes into a specific lane. Each of the cart’s levels can be repositioned with only simple tools. With the stair step design, each level can be raised or lowered without changing the length of the conveyor. This greatly simplifies adjustment.
The unit features six swivel-lock casters and three fixed in the center, which allow for stability and ease of movement. Each caster can be locked in place when necessary.
The unit is built with blue pipe color, but as with all Creform flow racks, a wide variety of pipe colors are available, and accessories can include information sheet holders, label holders, tool storage, hooks to hang tools and other supplies. It is also built with feet rather than wheels. Creform Structures can be built for ESD for anti-static applications. The unit is available as a kit, assembled structure, or component form for a complete DIY solution.
The Creform System is used to create an array of material handling and efficiency-enhancing devices and is a proven component in continuous improvement and lean manufacturing programs. The company partners with customers in developing and implementing these programs.
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Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
