Forklifts Aisle Dimensions for Material Handling and Storage
In a warehouse environment, it is virtually to carry on everyday operations without the use of forklifts. This is why knowing the forklift aisle width is a crucial part of your warehouse’s overall storage/material-handling strategy. Aisle with decisions must be made with the goal of successfully combining space utilization, flexibility, productivity, and safety for optimal performance and cost-effectiveness.
Companies pay for warehouse space by the square foot. Because of this, proper and efficient use of allocated warehouse space reduces the amount of space required and hence lowers cost. Failing to consider proper aisle width configurations to optimize the performance of forklifts in your warehouse can be detrimental to the overall work process and can ultimately prove very costly.
Three Common Aisle Widths
When constructing rack storage to maximize the available space in the warehouse, there are several factors to consider in establishing aisle widths to accommodate the various types of forklifts.
Wide Aisles are used primarily for counterbalanced forklifts. In general, when sizing a lift truck, such as a sit down 4-wheel or 3-wheel fork truck: Head length of the lift truck (meaning the distance from the back of the forklift to the front of the load back rest) plus length of load (the length of the pallet down the stringer)plus 12″ for maneuverability plus 6″ pallet overhang.
Keep in mind that pallets sit on a beam and overhang the beam by 3″(usually if it’s a 48″ long pallet), Generally, 4 wheel counterbalanced trucks have aisle sized for 12 to 14 feet. With 3-wheel counterbalanced forklift, many warehouse managers use 11 to 12 foot aisles, and for stand up counterbalanced trucks, 10.5 feet to 11.5 feet.
Narrow Aisles refer to reach trucks and deep reach trucks. Generally, narrow aisles are thought of as 9-foot aisles. However, it is important to size the aisle both for storage and productivity when using reach trucks.
Very Narrow Aisle operate in aisles less than 6′ and often use guidance systems like a wire, rail system, or an optical system, to travel within the aisles.There are different types of VNA trucks, such as order selectors, swing mast, and turret trucks. Turret trucks use 30%-40% less aisle than a narrow aisle reach truck, but the cost of the truck can be double.
Rack Storage Construction and Aisle Width
the above is an approximate guide for the various types of forklifts. Keep in mind that “clear aisles” means the dimension between pallets stored in the aisle. This is generally 6″ narrower than where the rack is placed in what is known as rack-to-rack or steel-to-steel aisle dimensions.
Considering aisle width in your rack storage construction configuration is critical to ensure that your warehouse space is being used in the most cost-effective and efficient way. Take a close look at your rack storage and your aisle widths to ensure optimal performance and effective use of warehouse space.
