What Is Narrow Aisle Racking?
Narrow aisle racking serves as an optimized pallet storage solution designed for maximum space utilization. This system helps companies boost their warehouse inventory levels, making it ideal for facilities with constrained ground areas, all while ensuring quick and straightforward retrieval of individual pallets for order fulfillment, handling, or distribution tasks.
Why Choose VNA Racking?
Space Optimization
Narrow-aisle racking maximizes floor and height space, providing up to 50% additional storage capacity for a variety of operations.
Improved Cost Efficiency
Leveraging the vertical capacity of narrow-aisle racking, you can fit more pallets per space, reducing the cost per storage unit.
Minimized Shelf Wear
VNA forklifts navigate the aisles without manual controls, significantly reducing the risk of collisions and shelf damage.
Increased Speed
Narrow-aisle racking paired with high-speed VNA forklifts simplifies retrieval and placement tasks, resulting in safer, faster workflows.
How Narrow Aisle Pallet Racking Works
Narrow aisle pallet racking allows forklift operators to navigate aisles 50% narrower than standard adjustable pallet racking, freeing up significant space for expanded racking and inventory placement.
Narrow aisle racking enhances vertical storage potential by optimizing load height. The combination of high-bay stacking and compact row and column configurations achieves excellent warehouse floor utilization.
For optimal performance, narrow aisle racking should be installed on a flat, high-grade concrete floor and supported by a sturdy foundation capable of withstanding the rigors of vehicle movement.
Very Narrow Aisle Racking
Very narrow aisle storage solutions, often abbreviated as VNA, refer to specialized racking setups where shelving units are arranged with minimal spacing between rows, ensuring straightforward access to individual pallets without compromising efficiency.
These narrow pathways between shelving rows are optimized to be exceptionally tight, allowing for the greatest possible utilization of warehouse floor area and delivering ultra-compact, high-capacity pallet accommodation.
Features of Narrow & Very Narrow Aisle Racking
Narrow aisle racking systems are engineered with smart elements that prioritize optimal space management for superior performance.
Beyond achieving impressive storage volumes through tightly positioned pallet shelving, these narrow aisle and very narrow aisle configurations can be tailored to leverage the full vertical dimensions of a facility, amplifying the overall pallet density from the existing footprint.
What Are The Benefits Of Narrow Aisle Racking & Very Narrow Aisle Racking VNA?
Narrow aisle racking systems, such as very narrow aisle racking, deliver key advantages in optimizing space utilization and operational performance. These solutions are ideal for companies aiming to boost warehouse efficiency while working with constrained layouts.
- Enhanced storage capacity that fully utilizes ground space and vertical dimensions
- Closer pallet arrangement achieved by narrowing aisles by as much as 50%
- Full access to all stored pallets via specialized narrow aisle equipment
- Faster processing times and efficient item retrieval
- Effective inventory turnover management
- Lower risk of product damage through wire- or rail-guided narrow aisle vehicles
What is the aisle width of a VNA system?
The aisle dimensions and maximum rack height of a very narrow aisle (VNA) setup are influenced by factors such as ceiling clearance, available floor space, workflow requirements, inventory levels, and overall cost.
For example, while traditional wide-aisle racking typically requires 3 to 3.5 meters between racks, a VNA configuration can reduce this spacing to just 1 to 1.5 meters, significantly improving space efficiency. A balanced alternative is narrow-aisle racking, which, at approximately 3 meters wide, is narrower than a standard setup to increase storage density but still wide enough for traditional forklifts to safely operate.
If you’re evaluating narrow-aisle racking options, it’s crucial to differentiate between it and VNA systems in terms of access and operational flexibility.
What are the comprising components of VNA Racking?
Narrow Aisle Racking, often referred to as VNA Racking, shares foundational elements with conventional or broad-aisle storage solutions. At its core, the setup relies on sturdy frames, vertical uprights, and horizontal beams to form the essential framework. Beyond these basics, specialized navigation aids are essential for forklift operations, typically involving either physical rails or embedded wire systems to ensure precise movement.
For mechanical guidance in Narrow Aisle Racking, a durable rail is installed along the perimeter of the racking array, serving as a protective divider that keeps the vehicle safely separated from the shelves. The compact forklift, equipped with specialized guide wheels that pivot and track the rail, maintains distance so the main chassis never touches the guide path directly.
Alternatively, wire-based guidance for Narrow Aisle Racking uses a slender inductive wire laid flush in the center of the walkway floor. This wire interfaces with the forklift’s onboard sensors, providing real-time directional signals to steer the vehicle accurately through tight spaces.
How Safe Is VNA Racking?
Narrow Aisle Racking systems can reach impressive heights limited only by the facility’s overhead clearance, allowing for pallet handling at significant elevations. Paired with these setups, specialized Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) forklifts offer advanced features that prioritize safety during elevated operations. Various VNA truck models are available, such as the operator-ascending type, where the driver rises with the load for better oversight at upper levels.
For extra safeguards against high rear structures in Narrow Aisle Racking, rear barriers can be installed to avoid unintended pallet overhangs, while protective netting helps secure loads by enclosing the rear area and minimizing fall risks.
