Stacking height

Stacking height is the distance between the floor and the lowest point of overhead obstructions (maximum height of stacking). Overhead obstruction means:

• joists,
• sprinkler heads,
• rafters,
• roof trusses,
• beams,
• lighting fixtures,
• duct work .

Other definition says, it s determined number of pots (shipping boxes or carrier pallets) that can be stacked together. Stacking height may be transferred into cost factor - higher stacking is possible, more goods will fit in. Cost factor is one of the most important factors when stacking place is designed

Maximum stacking height

Maximum stacking height depends on :

• general conditions,
• heights of the pallets,
• load weights,
• safety limits,
• clearance height of the warehouse,
• honeycombing,
• fluctuations in the inventory level
• the length of the lanes,
• stacking rules,
• the lane width and length,
• type of product,
• type of equipment (automated or manual).

Stacking strategy

Stacking strategy influence the final design of stacking place and costs which warehouse will produce. The main objectives of stacking strategy are :

1. Storage space should be used in efficient way,
2. Transportation time from quay to stack and beyond, (and vice versa) should be limited - usually four time dimensions are calculated: long term (years, decades), medium (months), short (days) and real (minutes and seconds),
3. Reshuffles should be avoided - when bottom container is taken, top container has to be moved somewhere else which is called reshuffle or unproductive move and it takes time.

Depending on chosen stacking strategies, different products will land on different high:

• category stacking strategy will group products in categories and stack them accordingly,
• residence time stacking will stack products depending on arrival or departure time.

Author: Jolanta Lesnicka

Examples of Stacking height

• Stacking height in a warehouse is the maximum height at which palletized goods can be stacked. This is usually determined by the height of the rack support beams, and the height of the storage area. For example, if the beams are 10 feet high and the storage area is 15 feet high, then the stacking height would be 10 feet.
• In a retail store, the stacking height is often determined by the height of the shelves and display units. For example, if the shelves are 6 feet high and the display units are 10 feet high, then the stacking height would be 6 feet.
• Stacking height can also refer to the maximum height of a stack of boxes or items in an office environment. For example, if the ceiling height is 12 feet and the stack of boxes is 6 feet tall, then the stacking height would be 6 feet.

Advantages of Stacking height

Stacking height is an important consideration when it comes to warehouse management. It ensures that products can be stored safely and efficiently, while providing the necessary clearance for personnel and equipment. The following are some of the main advantages of stacking height:

• Maximizing efficiency: Stacking height enables warehouses to store more products in a limited space, thus increasing efficiency and productivity.
• Minimizing risk: A properly defined stacking height helps to reduce the chances of injury and property damage.
• Easy accessibility: Stacking height ensures that products can be easily accessed and stored, thus reducing the time and energy needed to get products in and out of the warehouse.
• Improved safety: By regulating stacking height, the risk of injury due to falling objects is minimized.
• Cost savings: By maximizing the use of the available space, stacking height helps to reduce operational costs.

Limitations of Stacking height

Stacking height is the distance between the floor and the lowest point of overhead obstructions (maximum height of stacking). Overhead obstruction can include, but is not limited to: *structural beams, *support columns, *ceiling heights, *mechanical or electrical equipment, *drop ceilings, *stairs, *fire sprinklers, and *other elements of the building structure. In addition, the stacking height must also take into account any applicable building codes or fire regulations that may impose restrictions on the maximum height of stacking.

Other approaches related to Stacking height

Stacking height is the distance between the floor and the lowest point of overhead obstructions (maximum height of stacking). Other approaches related to Stacking height include:

• Overhead clearance - the minimum vertical distance between the overhead obstruction and the floor. This helps to ensure that materials stored in the area can be accessed safely and easily.
• Rack height - the height of the racks used to store materials should be such that it enables easy access to the materials stored.
• Vertical space - the vertical space between the top of the racks and the overhead obstruction should be maximized to provide extra storage space.
• Height of materials - the height of the materials stored should be such that it does not interfere with the overhead obstruction.

In summary, Stacking height is the distance between the floor and the lowest point of overhead obstructions and other approaches related to Stacking height include overhead clearance, rack height, vertical space, and height of materials. These approaches help to ensure that materials stored in the area can be accessed safely and easily.

Footnotes

Stacking height — recommended articles

Tertiary packaging — Weep hole — Operating supplies — Internal transport system — Criteria for warehouse location — Transloading — Loose cargo — General cargo — Public warehouse

References

• Borgman B., Asperen E., Dekker R., (2010), Online rules for container stacking in "OR Spectrum (2010) 32:687-716 DOI 10.1007/s00291-010-0205-4"
• Derhamia S., Smith J. S., Gue K. R., (2016), Optimizing Space Utilization in Block Stacking Warehouses in " International Journal of Production Research"
• Engelmann S., (2012), Advanced Thermoforming: Methods, Machines and Materials, Applications and Automation, Wiley Series on Polymer Engineering and Technology, John Wiley & Sons
• Güven C., Eliiyi D. T., (2014), Trip allocation and stacking policies at a container terminal in "Transportation Research Procedia Volume 3, 2014, Pages 565-573"
• Manoj1 B., Kunjomana A. G., (2012), Study of Stacking Structure of Amorphous Carbon by X-RayDiffraction Technique in "Int. J. Electrochem. Sci., 7 (2012) 3127-3134"
• Us Department Of Defense, (2008), AR 740-1 08/26/2008 storage and supply activity operations, United States Government US Army, United States Army, Department of the Army, U. S. Army, Army, DOD, The United States Army