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Check Fixture Storage

The company I work for has well over 100 part check fixtures of various sizes and weight. We currently keep most on carts and use a rack for fixtures not often used. The owner of the company wants to have the fixtures in an organized setup, like a shelving setup, remove most of the carts. What do you use for storage of your check fixtures? Note, we do not have extra space, this is a premium. I was thinking of a rack system along a wall or two using a hilo to place and remove fixtures. A fantasy would be to have a universal platform the fixture(s) would rest on in the rack. Have hilo fork access tubes for some form of security while lifting and moving. Have the platforms rest on any special cart made, (like a wire basket sitting on another for stacking) to secure the platform to the cart, when done, hilo lifts platform and places it in home cubical on the rack. There is more to this, but the big question is the cost, figure minimal to nothing. I am curious how other shops contain many check fixtures with easy access.
Thanks in advance, maybe this might help others with the same concern.
Odda
Parents
  • They tried something like that here. BIG huge rack (shelves) that could hold many tons and tons of weight. Steel pallets to put the fixtures on to load onto the shelves.

    We are not production, we are a build plant, so, fixtures rotate in and out in a matter of months. At least half the fixtures wouldn't fit between the shelves, so they couldn't be stored there. Also, it was a tight, TIGHT area, so they got a small fork truck to get in and out with the pallets. Yeah, then every time I needed to unload/load a pallet & fixture, I had to wander all over the shop (pretty big shop) trying to find the fork truck that was supposed to be left up there so I could get the fixtures on and off. Yeah, didn't work very well.

    Can't use a crane unless it is a single 'high' shelf with room under for carts, ya know, put the frequent fixtures on carts under the shelf, and the seldom fixtures on the shelf. You can buy/make a set of forks that hang from a crane, but you are limited to clear-above for those.
Reply
  • They tried something like that here. BIG huge rack (shelves) that could hold many tons and tons of weight. Steel pallets to put the fixtures on to load onto the shelves.

    We are not production, we are a build plant, so, fixtures rotate in and out in a matter of months. At least half the fixtures wouldn't fit between the shelves, so they couldn't be stored there. Also, it was a tight, TIGHT area, so they got a small fork truck to get in and out with the pallets. Yeah, then every time I needed to unload/load a pallet & fixture, I had to wander all over the shop (pretty big shop) trying to find the fork truck that was supposed to be left up there so I could get the fixtures on and off. Yeah, didn't work very well.

    Can't use a crane unless it is a single 'high' shelf with room under for carts, ya know, put the frequent fixtures on carts under the shelf, and the seldom fixtures on the shelf. You can buy/make a set of forks that hang from a crane, but you are limited to clear-above for those.
Children
  • We currently do as you say, fixtures used often are on carts, fixtures not used as often go on the racks. The owner wants to make the fixture area look neat and organized with only fixtures used as needed on carts on the floor, all others on shelves. Your statements reflect what we have here, find that hilo, cramp space, the list goes on. I am thinking of my idea, but I know that any budget will not really happen. Still hoping someone has an out of the box idea that they use for storage and retrieval.