Case Picking Safety - Watch Pallet Flow Rack Solution Remove Back Pressure | Mallard Manufacturing

Safety is efficiency when you’re managing a high-volume case-picking application. Every corner cut can cost you big in terms of injuries, slowdowns, and inventory damage. Adding the Flex Separator to your pallet flow lane design is the best way to minimize those risks. Pallet separators deliver the perfect combination of safety and efficiency for your pallet flow rack system by physically isolating the front and rear pallets. Instead of adding back pressure from the force of the rear pallets in the downward-pitched lane, the separator holds the rear pallets back, allowing cases from the front pallet and, ultimately, the empty pallet itself to be effortlessly removed.

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Read the blog excerpt below:
Benefits Stack Up for Pallet Flow Rack Flex Separator
Recently, our Engineering Testing Lab put the flex separator through a series of tests for a food manufacturer with a wide range of potential pallet load weights --from 250 lbs to 3000 lbs. Flex separators are used exclusively in floor-mounted pallet flow and are manufactured to handle high back pressure levels.

The formula for calculating back pressure is approximately .06 lbs. multiplied by the pallet load weight and then by the number of pallets in the lane. Therefore, the heavier the pallet and the deeper the lane, the more back pressure builds up. But when it comes to high-volume case picking, you expect a worker to remove an empty pallet by hand --over and over each shift. Eliminating those back pressures is essential to safety and productivity.

As you’ll see from the video, the flex separator functions perfectly no matter the pallet load weight, and it resets quickly and easily with a simple foot pedal.

Pallet Flow Rack Test Things to Note

For the test demonstration, the team used a forklift to remove the pallets vs. case picking each load down to an empty pallet. If you check out our animated video, you’ll see how the flex separator is designed to work.

The team wanted to show that the flex separator can handle the load weight variation… and that even with 3000 loads behind the hold-back device, a simple foot depression is all it takes to release the pallet to flow. The wide foot pedal is designed for easy release even if the worker is wearing sneakers, and it is positioned up and away from the edge of the flow lane to prevent leg injuries.

The speed controller is also critical to the pallet flow lane design-particularly for managing the heavier weighted pallets. Drop-in speed controllers install quickly and are durably constructed to handle busy warehouse activity.

With the potential for load weights up to 3000 lbs, the Magnum wheel is a smart choice to ensure reliable flow day in and day out. Magnum is the industry’s strongest pallet flow wheel and is rated for 330 lbs per wheel and can withstand temperatures of -40°F without splitting or cracking. Magnum wheel is also .125” wider than I.E. wheels, providing more surface coverage for those heavy pallets.

Mallard offers a pallet separator tailored to the full range of pallet flow rack designs and applications, from case picking to layer picking and everywhere in between. Contact our team for expert gravity flow support and customized quotes. Don’t forget to schedule your flow rack system evaluation in our testing lab before finalizing your order!