SK ADVANTX™ Modular Racking System is Designed to Meet the Needs of Cold Storage & Automation Facilities

Replace Traditional Racking with Purpose-Built Systems in Cold Storage, AS/RS Facilities

 

Operators of cold storage facilities or distribution centers where Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) are used require a modular racking system that allows for very tall and deep designs, greater customization, and much simpler replacement of damaged components.

“Steel King’s SK ADVANTX^TM delivers those benefits. All the upright components in SK ADVANTX are bolted together on-site, removing some of the limitations of racking that utilizes welded together components,” notes Amit Kutumbale, Director of Engineering at Steel King Industries.

Benefits of SK ADVANTX as Cold Storage Racking or Automated Racking System

Steel King engineers designed SK ADVANTX as a solution for cold storage and automated facilities, where maximum use of square footage and cubic footage is paramount. SK ADVANTX includes several targeted design and performance features to address the key issues that cold storage environments face:

• Tight, very narrow aisles (VNAs)
• Heavy forklift traffic
• Extreme temperatures
• Integration with automation

Easier Repair & Replacement of Damaged Parts

Cold storage facilities often utilize Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) style fork trucks with low visibility, slick floors from condensation, and slower equipment and worker reaction times due to frigid temperatures — all factors that lead to frequent rack impacts by forklifts. The SK ADVANTX system’s modular bolt-together structural design makes it far easier and faster to replace individual damaged components (like braces or posts) compared to traditional welded racks, which reduces downtime and maintenance costs.

“If a component is damaged by an impact, the piece can be unbolted, removed and replaced. That’s an especially important advantage in food storage facilities where welding might not be permissible,” Kutumbale notes. “The risk of impact damage can be reduced by the inclusion of offset sections which can provide space for lift trucks to more easily access upper levels.”

Easy Customization for Unique Facilities

The bolted method allows Steel King to design storage and retrieval systems that are very tall and very deep – key features of cold storage systems. That’s accomplished by splicing together components for lengths that cannot be achieved with welded frames.

In storage facilities with sloped roofs, SK ADVANTX systems can easily include sloped roof trusses that would be difficult to make in welded systems, since all the braces need to be different lengths to match the roof slope.

The modular design also makes it easier to create conveyor windows, apex frames and to otherwise customize or expand the storage system as storage needs evolve.

In seismic areas where racking must be designed with additional considerations, or where wind loading is a factor, X-braced paneling and custom brace paneling can be included in SK ADVANTX systems to provide the required additional strength, something difficult to provide on traditional, structural racking.

Reduced Downtime & Delivery Costs

Because the components are bolted together on-site, lead times for production are reduced, and thanks to the much denser packaging of individual posts and braces, fewer truckloads are needed for delivery. Steel King uses only U.S. manufactured steel which, for SK ADVANTX, has a minimum yield of 55,000 PSI.

SK ADVANTX meets cold storage racking needs by combining durability, modular flexibility, damage reparability, cost-efficient logistics, and support for automation, making it well-suited to environments where rack damage is frequent and dense, and efficient storage is essential.

Kutumbale noted that Steel King is the only U.S. company that designs and manufactures bolted brace structural rack systems. The patent pending design of SK ADVANTX meets the rigorous ANSI safety, design, and seismic RMI R-Mark standards of the Rack Manufacturers Institute.

Working with experienced rack manufacturers and system designers ensures that both the racking system and lift equipment are properly aligned with your facility’s operational needs.

Need help designing a racking system for your automated or cold storage facility? Contact Steel King Industries with any questions about storage rack design.

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