59

Wa r e h o u s e
s pa c e c a lc u l at i o n s

Introduction
For those companies who do not have access to warehouse design programs
there are a number of simple ways to calculate the space required for specific
operations. In this tool we have included a calculation for dock space and
racked pallet storage.

How to do it
1) Calculation of dock space requirements
The formula for this is relatively simple as follows:

{Number of loads received × Hours/load}

Dock Space = Roundup ×
length of shift
(size of load × space/pallet)

Data
receiving 20 loads per day

each load is 26 pallets

each pallet is 1 m × 1.2 m

45 minutes per load to unload vehicle

30 minutes per load to stage prior to put-away

8 hours per day work shift

60 Warehouse Space Calculations

Calculation
{Roundup (20 × 1.25)/8} × (26 × (1.2 × 1.0))
= 3.125 × 31.2
= 4 × 31.2
= 124.8 square metres
Dock space = 124.80 sq. metres
Add double the space for working and travel area = 249.60 square metres
Total space required = 374.40 square metres

2) Pallet storage calculation

This tool enables operators to calculate the number of pallets which can be
stored within a particular cubic area.
It works on the basis of calculating width, length and height modules within
the warehouse.
A module width is calculated as follows:
Module Width = width of aisle + 2 pallet lengths (short side) + 100 mm
For example, given the following data
Aisle =
2,500 mm (variable with type of Mechanical Handling Equipment used)
Pallet size = 1200 mm × 1000 mm
Two pallets short side = = 2 × 1,000 mm = 2,000 mm
Clearance = 100 mm between back to back pallets
Therefore:
Width of module =
4,600 mm (the sequence is pallet – aisle – pallet – clearance)
 Warehouse Space Calculations 61

A module length is calculated as follows:

Module Length = width of upright + clearance + 2 pallets (long side)

Rack upright plus clearance = 420 mm (120 mm + 3 × 100 mm)
Two pallets (long side) = 2 × 1,200 mm = 2,400 mm

Therefore:
Length of module =
2,820 mm (the sequence is upright/clearance/pallet/clearance/pallet/clearance)

Module Height = Height of pallet + 150 mm

Pallet height = 1,350 mm

Clearance above pallet = 150 mm

APR beam width of 140 mm

Therefore:

Height of module =
1,640 mm (sequence is pallet and goods – clearance – beam height)
62 Warehouse Space Calculations

Total pallets stored within cubic capacity of a warehouse section, excluding

receiving and despatch areas, gangways and other areas

(No. of width modules × pallets in module width) ×

(No. of length modules × pallets in module length) ×
(No. of height modules) = No. of pallets into cube volume of warehouse

So for a warehouse section with a width of 48 metres, a length of 120 metres

and a height of 10 metres.

Width calculation =   48 m/4.6 m = 10 pallets

Length calculation = 120 m/2.82 m = 42 pallets
Height calculation =   10 m/1.64 m =   6 pallets

Therefore total number of pallets = (10 × 2) × (42 × 2) × (6) = 10,080 pallet

locations in this warehouse storage area.

There are a number of free resources which can also calculate the number of
pallets that can be stored within a specific area.

These are supplied, in the main, by the material handling and storage equip-
ment companies.

USA example – http://webtools.cisco-eagle.com/rack/

UK example – http://www.redirack.co.uk/palletcalc.php

A simple pallet calculation sheet using Excel can be downloaded from

http://www.appriseconsulting.co.uk/logisticstools