4 Material Types Best in the Manufacture of Boltless Rivet Shelving

Boltless rivet racks are gaining popularity due to their versatility and adaptability. These rivet racks function really well in different environments, making them an ideal solution for maximizing space. 

However, selecting the appropriate construction materials for your boltless rivet racks is crucial.

Different materials have different characteristics, which means that every storage need requires a certain kind of material. For instance, a metallic boltless rivet rack is designed to carry heavier loads as compared to the one made of plastic.

In this article, we will discuss the different materials used to manufacture boltless rivet racks. 

What Materials are Used in the Manufacture of Boltless Rivet Racks?

In the strive to offer the best storage solutions, manufacturers use various materials to construct boltless rivet racks, each having its unique strengths and weaknesses. Understanding how the properties of different boltless shelving construction materials align with your specific storage needs will help you select the most appropriate boltless rivet rack. 

Metal 

Warehouses emphasize on the use of metallic boltless rivet racks if they want to store heavy and bulky goods. Stell and aluminum are two main framing materials used to make a metallic boltless rivet shelving

Merits of Aluminum

  • Light Frames: Aluminum frames are lighter compared to steel frames, making them easier to move and rearrange. 
  • Rust Resistant: Aluminum is naturally resistant to corrosion and rusting.

Demerits of Aluminum

  • Low Strength: Compared to steel, aluminum rivet racks have less strength, thereby limiting the amount of loads the racks can hold without failing.
  • Cost: Aluminum frames are more expensive than both the particle board and plastic racks.

Steel 

Steel is ideal where one intend to store bulky goods.

Merits of steel

  • Strength: Steel has the structural strength to carry heavy and bulky loads, making steel rivet racks ideal for industrial use.
  • Durability: Steel frames can withstand wear and tear for a long time, which prolongs the lifespan of a steel rivet rack.
  • Fire Resistance: Steel is less flammable compared to other materials, such as plastic

Demerits of Steel

  • Weight: Steel frames are very heavy and pose a challenge when you want to move or rearrange the steel rivet rack.
  • Cost: Steel is more expensive than other framing materials.

Plastics

Plastic boltless rivet racks are ideal for household applications, such as in kitchen settings.

Merits 

  • Affordable: Plastics are pocket-friendlier compared to other rivet racks, such as steel rivet racks. 
  • Rust Resistant: Plastics are resistant to rusting and corrosion with most chemicals, which makes them ideal for storing chemical solutions in a laboratory.
  • Lightweight: A plastic rivet rack is easy to move around and install due to its lightweight.

Demerits

  • Reduced Strength: There is a limit to the amount of load a plastic rivet rack can carry if you compare it with a steel or aluminum rack.
  • Less Durable: Have a short lifespan, especially if you subject the rivet racks to high temperatures for a long time.
  • Reduced Structural Integrity: Once you subject the plastic rivet rack to heavy loads, the frames warp and lose structural integrity, and the plastic rack fails.

Particle Boards

Particle boards are made of wood chippings that are compressed and fused together under high temperatures and pressure.

Merits

  • Affordable: Provides the most affordable industrial boltless industrial shelves.
  • Aesthetics: Have a smooth finish that is physically appealing.
  • Available and Versatile: Used in different environments interchangeably. Additionally, the materials are easy to source and replace if a replacement need arises.

Demerits

  • Particle boards have a reduced lifespan when subjected to high humidity for a long time.
  • It cannot support heavy and bulky goods.

Wire Mesh

Wire mesh rivet shelves and racks are ideal storage solutions for storing perishable goods that require a specified degree of freshness before packaging, such as flowers.

Merits 

  • Good Airflow: Wire mesh enhances proper air circulation in between the goods and reduces dust and moisture accumulation.
  • Lightweight: Wire mesh rivet racks are lighter, making them easier to handle and install compared to metallic rivet racks.

Demerits

  • Big Gaps: The decking platform in a wire mesh rivet rack has big gaps that hinder the storage of small-sized items that would fall through them.
  • Additional Support: Wire mesh is very light and flexible, and requires additional support in case you want to store heavier goods on the system. As such, the additional support adds more cost to the initial installation costs.

Conclusion

Fundamentally, different materials have different structural characteristics. As such, ensure that you properly evaluate your storage needs and align them with the most suitable boltless rack construction material.