Overhead track shelving hangs the moving units from an aluminium rail above them instead of running them on a track laid across the floor. The units still slide sideways so one aisle serves the whole bank, but the floor underneath stays completely clear: nothing to sweep around, nothing for a cart wheel to catch. Labs USA is a supplier and project partner, not the manufacturer. We supply Quantum Medical storage products, help configure them for the room and the workflow, and coordinate delivery and installation.
Floor track or overhead track?
Same objective, opposite mounting. The choice is usually made by the floor, the ceiling and how the room is cleaned.
Overhead track carries the moving units from a rail supported by the end units, so the aisle floor is uninterrupted. The manufacturer describes the design as providing a clear walkway and clear aisles underneath, with the track extrusion manufactured of heavy-duty aluminium, and publishes a load capacity of up to 1,200 pounds per unit. Kits include the track sections needed for assembled lengths from 8 to 24 feet; posts and shelves are quoted separately.
Floor track is the retrofit: skates under the existing posts, v-track on the floor, published at up to 1,500 pounds per unit. It is quicker to add to shelving you already own, and it puts a low rail across the aisle. Covered on the sliding track systems page.
In practice: choose overhead where the floor must stay clear for wet cleaning, floor scrubbers or heavy cart traffic, and choose floor track where the shelving already exists and the change has to be reversible.
Published track, brackets and rollers
From the manufacturer’s current wire literature. Note that their live web category for this family was not reachable when this page was written, so everything below comes from the dated printed literature and we re-confirm availability, current model list and lead time with them on every quote.
| Model | What it is | Published ship weight |
|---|---|---|
| TK-2 | One track section, 2 feet | 7 lbs |
| TK-26 | One track section, 2-1/2 feet | 9 lbs |
| TK-5 | One track section, 5 feet | 17 lbs |
| TK-6 | One track section, 6 feet | 21 lbs |
| TK-7 | One track section, 7 feet | 24 lbs |
| TK-EP | Track end plates with hardware, set of 4 | 1 lb |
| TK-CA | Track connector with hardware, set of 4 | 6 lbs |
| TK-STB18 / 21 / 24 | Single sided track bracket pair, 18″ / 21″ / 24″ | 4 / 5 / 6 lbs |
| TK-DTB18 / 21 / 24 | Double sided track bracket pair, 18″ / 21″ / 24″ | 4 / 5 / 6 lbs |
| TK-CBW | Set of 4 track rollers for a mobile unit | 2 lbs |
End unit, single sided bracketThe stationary units at each end of the bank carry the rail on single sided brackets.
Intermediate, double sided bracketWhere the rail continues past a unit, a double sided bracket pair carries it in both directions.
Mobile unit on rollersFour track rollers per moving unit. The manufacturer publishes 5 by 1-1/4 inch rigid thermoplastic resin casters in this family.What it does to the floor plan, worked out
The figures below are arithmetic from the stated example only. No published percentage from any source is repeated here, and your room will produce different numbers.
The example. A store room 20 feet (240 inches) deep in the direction the runs travel, 18 inch deep shelving units, and a 36 inch working aisle.
- Stationary today. Each run needs its own aisle: 18 in of shelving + 36 in of aisle = 54 in per run. 240 ÷ 54 = 4.4, so 4 runs.
- On overhead track. One aisle serves the bank: 240 − 36 = 204 in of usable depth. 204 ÷ 18 = 11.3, so 11 runs.
- The result for this room. 11 runs where 4 fit before, in the same floor area. Change the unit depth to 24 in and it is (240 − 36) ÷ 24 = 8 runs; widen the aisle to 42 in and 18 in units give (240 − 42) ÷ 18 = 11 runs still.
- Linear feet, if that is the unit you think in. Eleven 48 in long runs = 11 × 4 ft = 44 linear feet of shelving per level, against 16 linear feet stationary, on the same footprint.
The High-Density Storage Calculator does this on your dimensions in the browser, and the space savings guide compares stationary, mobile and track approaches with the same arithmetic.
Planning an overhead track bank
Posts and shelves are quoted separately from the track kit, which is useful: you can specify chrome, epoxy or stainless wire, or solid shelves, on the same track system. See healthcare shelving for the shelf and finish options.
Where it works in a hospital
- Bulk supply rooms. Case-quantity stock picked in batches, where a shared aisle costs nothing and density is worth a great deal.
- Rooms cleaned wet. A clear floor is easier to mop or scrub than a floor with a rail across it, which is the usual reason to choose overhead.
- Rooms with heavy cart traffic. Nothing crosses the aisle for a cart wheel or a wheeled bin to catch.
- Archive and low-turnover storage. Records, implants held on consignment, seasonal and disaster stock – anything that is stored more than picked.
- Central supply storage — bulk stock and restock routes.
- Sterile processing storage — staging and storage on the clean side.
- Facilities and support areas — plant operations, linen and stores.
- New construction and expansion — getting density into the room programme before the walls go up.
See what your room would hold
The High-Density Storage Calculator runs the arithmetic above on your dimensions and shows the working. Send us the output and we will come back with track sections, bracket pairs, roller sets and quantities.
Overhead track shelving FAQ
How long can one bank be?
How much does a unit carry?
Do the shelves and posts come with it?
Is the floor completely clear?
What has to be checked in the ceiling?
Can an existing room be converted?
Get an overhead track shelving quote
Send the room dimensions, the ceiling constraints and the aisle width your team needs. You get a layout, the track and bracket schedule with quantities, freight and lead time at no charge.