Cantilever racks
Light- & heavy-duty cantilever racks: convenient, robust & safe
Cantilever rack design
The cantilever rack is a type of storage shelf. It is characterised by only having connection elements on the reverse side which are attached perpendicularly. To the front, the cantilever rack is accessible horizontally and access is only restricted by the shelves placed upon them. There are a few key features of cantilever rack design that any operator will need to know.
Cantilever rack structure and individual components
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Cantilever racks and the lever principle
For regular shelving systems, such as pallet racks, the shelve bottoms rest on at least four support points, which lead the pressure forces downwards onto the floor. While being easy to assemble, standard shelving is prone to toppling sideways, which is why appropriate reinforcement is needed, i.e. diagonal bars, sturdy angular brackets or back walls across the entire reverse side.
Cantilever racking does not feature vertical posts on the front side. This places double the amount of stress on the sections of the reinforcement bar on which the shelves are resting: the forces on the reverse side of the shelf are fed downwards, as usual, into the ground.
On the front side, however, the forces of pressure work in the opposite way: they create a torsional load which turns the reinforcement bars into very effective levers. The wider the shelve bottoms, the strong the lever effect. In terms of statics, cantilever racks are thus subject to very particular requirements.
Cantilever rack statics
Since the cantilever arm within the racking system is only attached to a supporting structure on the reverse side, the vertical retaining elements (and the entire system) must be designed in an especially robust way. This is where sturdy pipe or crate sections come into play, made from highly resilient steel. In the case of light-duty cantilever racks, the reinforcement bars are manufactured from triangularly cut sheet metal. These bars are at their widest where they meet the upright retaining rod, and are narrowest on the front side.
A common application for cantilever shelving is as a wall-supported storage system. Once attached to a stable structural wall, the rack becomes able to handle very heavy loads with ease.
On the other hand, if there is sufficient space, free-standing cantilever shelves can also pull their weight by featuring a double design where the cantilever arms are attached on both sides to provide good stability and prevent the risk of toppling. This design, however, is more suited to light- mid-weight shelving, such as office cantilever racks made from wood. If they are going to be filled using floor conveyors/forklifts, there should be sufficient anchoring to the floor.
Benefits of cantilever racks
Cantilever racking are best suited to the storage of long products/materials, boards and plates. This is because these types of materials can be placed in and removed entirely from the front of the rack without requiring any cumbersome pushing to and fro from the side. As such, this storage solution particularly ideal for companies which have to deal with a wide range of materials with vastly differing sizes. Cantilever racks are therefore found in large numbers in car recycling plants and industrial operations which need a heavy-duty solution.
What do I need to know before buying a cantilever rack?
Double-sided cantilever rack
As with any purchase, buyers need to consider what their future needs may be before deciding on a cantilever rack. The suitability of a particular racking system can be identified by looking at the following cantilever features:
Overall and axis dimensions of the shelving system
Usable depth of cantilever arm
Cantilever arm connections and carrying capacity
Number of shelves
Overall width/height, axis dimensions, and usable depth are key for working out whether the rack will provide enough space for the intended materials. If the materials placed on the shelves are too heavy for the design, there may be a loss in stability, which is why the load specifications of the cantilever arms must be observed.
If careful attention is not given in advance, there may even be a risk of the arms breaking. The way in which the arm is connected to the shelf is also crucial: designs using screw connections are capable of holding greater loads than welded versions.
Another advantage of screwed-on vs welded cantilever arms is enhanced flexibility in terms of how the shelves are arranged. When welded to the structure, careful thought should be given to shelf arrangement to ensure the system is capable of meeting the operator’s needs.
Used cantilever racks
Buying a cantilever rack second-hand is generally a simple affair. However, a known weak-point in used models is the point at which the cantilever arm is attached to the upright bar. If damaged by overloading, the effects will be clearly visible. If the second-hand rack can be easily disassembled and its support bars look straight and in good order, the overall shelf should be in a good working condition.
Heavy-duty cantilever racking is mainly produced from thick sheet steel to ensure it can withstand the strong forces involved. Cantilever systems are also frequently fully galvanised, but scratches or a dull surface should not be seen as a loss in quality or resilience; they are simply superficial damage that can be easily rectified. Second-hand cantilever racking is often available at particularly low prices: if a company becomes insolvent or is forced to auction its assets, cantilever racks are often the last piece of equipment to be taken and are available at scrap prices.
Used cantilever racks can be acquired from a professional trader for between 20% and 30% of the price when new (depending on condition). Choosing a used rack system made by a renowned manufacturer is an especially wise choice because big brand producers often keep a stock of replacement parts to ensure their products can be fully overhauled years after they were built.
Manufacturers of cantilever systems
The best-known manufacturers of cantilever racks are BRUCKAMP, JUNGHEINRICH, SSI SCHÄFER, KAISER SYSTEME, META and STEGER.
Used cantilever racking systems from these and other well-known manufacturers can often be found at Surplex industrial auctions. The inventory on offer is continually expanding, which is why it worth visiting our used machinery platform regularly. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Surplex Customer Care team.
