The challenge in any warehouse is to maximise capacity in the minimum floor space whilst optimising accessibility to ensure efficiency is never compromised.
And whilst many companies focus on their pallet storage, one of the most challenging areas of business, particularly for Engineering and Automotive businesses, is how to store small parts.
Typically, small parts such as fixings, tools and small components are strewn across standard shelving or mobile shelving solutions with no real organisation and only really put into some sort of shape to satisfy the stock taking process.
At Thistle Systems, we look at how we can use the most effective solution for every project.
And when it comes to small parts, there is nothing more effective than our high density drawer cabinets which can contain anything from 10-100 locations per drawer.
The rule of thumb for designing drawers is to make the individual drawer height the size of the biggest part to be stored.
And with drawers available as little as 50mm in height, that provides the opportunity to store vast amounts of components in a drawer cabinet.
So for example, a small drawers such as a 1000mm wide x 500mm deep drawers you could easily have 40 locations per drawer. And with 18 drawers featuring in a 1000mm high cabinet, that is 720 locations.
When you take the designs to larger cabinets, the storage capacity increases drastically. So, if we increase the size of each drawer to 1450mm wide by 725mm deep, you could enjoy 136 locations per drawer. And if we increase the height of the cabinet to 1450mm, you could have 27 drawers measuring 50mm high each.
That equates to 3672 storage locations for small parts in a footprint of just over 1 square metre!!
Now you are really starting to Max the Cube.
The principle behind the high density drawer cabinets can also be applied to mobile shelving systems, using small parts storage containers in drawers located within a mobile shelving system.
When you combine high density drawer units with shelving above, you can then accommodate a wider variety of products to be stored, with larger parts on the shelving and small parts in the drawers.
In certain instances, the drawer units can be retro-fitted to existing mobile shelving systems however it is very much dependent on size and load capacity.
At Thistle Systems, we have developed a reputation for designing projects which truly Max the Cube by using a combination of storage solutions, each customised to suit the products being stored and the accessibility required.
We have combined high density drawer cabinets with traditional shelving systems, industrial mobile shelving solutions and longspan shelving systems to create uniquely effective solutions.
This is just one of a number of ideas we can provide you with to help with 5S requirements & making more of your valuable space resource.
To find out more, head to https://thistlesystems.co.uk/solutions/high-density-drawers-cabinets/ or contact us now to find out more.
High Density Drawer Cabinets | 5S Storage Solutions | Small Parts Storage
