Group of shelf bins and containers in several sizes and colours

Medical shelf bins are the cheapest change you can make to a supply room and the one staff notice first. An open hopper front, a label in the same place on every bin and a fixed home for each item turns a shelf of loose boxes into something a nurse can pick from without searching. This page covers the shelf bin families we supply, the sizes the manufacturer publishes, and how to work out which depth and height belong on your shelving. It sits under our medical bins and containers hub.

Range of plastic shelf bin sizes and colours stacked together
4, 6, 8 inpublished shelf bin heights
12, 18, 24 inshelf depths the bins are designed for
7colours published for the 4 inch family
Freesizing, layout and label planning

Three bin heights, one shelf pitch decision

Height is the decision that sets how many shelf levels you get. Everything else follows from it.

Quantum publishes shelf bins in three heights. The Economy 4-inch family (model numbers beginning QSB1) is listed in 15 sizes and 7 colours. The STORE-MORE 6-inch family (QSB2) is listed in 14 sizes and 4 colours. The STORE-MAX 8-inch family is the newest of the three, and the manufacturer describes it as offering 95 percent more storage capacity than the 4-inch bins and 65 percent more than the 6-inch bins. Those comparisons are the manufacturer’s own published figures for its own products.

All three families share the same make-up: high-density polypropylene, a moulded-in label holder, a rear hang-lock that lets the bin tilt out for access while it stays on the shelf, a wide hopper front, and reinforced edges. The manufacturer states they are designed for 12-inch, 18-inch and 24-inch deep shelf units, racks or standard shelving, and describes the polypropylene as impervious to most chemicals. We publish that as their description; decisions about cleaning agents and disinfectants belong to your facility.

Red plastic shelf bin with an open hopper front and moulded label slot

Published sizes we quote most

Bin length matches the shelf depth: an 11-5/8 inch bin suits a 12-inch shelf, 17-7/8 inch suits 18-inch, and 23-5/8 inch suits 24-inch. Width is what you vary to fit the item.

Model Published size (L x W x H) Suits shelf depth Divider
QSB101 11-5/8 x 4-1/8 x 4 in 12 in DSB101
QSB109 11-5/8 x 11-1/8 x 4 in 12 in DSB109
QSB104 17-7/8 x 6-5/8 x 4 in 18 in DSB104
QSB110 17-7/8 x 11-1/8 x 4 in 18 in DSB110
QSB204 17-7/8 x 6-5/8 x 6 in 18 in DSB204
QSB210 17-7/8 x 11-1/8 x 6 in 18 in DSB210
QSB206 23-5/8 x 6-5/8 x 6 in 24 in DSB206
QSB216 23-5/8 x 11-1/8 x 6 in 24 in DSB216
Where these numbers come from. Every model number, dimension and finish on this page comes from the manufacturer’s current published literature or a live product page loaded on 5 August 2026, and is quoted as the manufacturer’s own figure. Where a configuration is not published we say so rather than estimating it. The full published tables run to 15 sizes in the 4-inch family and 14 in the 6-inch family; the rows above are the ones healthcare customers order most. Bins are sold in carton quantities, which is worth knowing before you count.

Dividing a bin instead of buying a smaller one

Most shelf-bin problems are really subdivision problems. One bin holding four similar items becomes a picking error; the same bin with three dividers becomes four labelled positions.

Two published options do that job. Dividers drop into a bin lengthways and each bin size has its own divider model, listed in the same table as the bin (DSB101 for a QSB101, and so on). Bin cups sit inside the bin as small open boxes: the manufacturer publishes how many QBC111 and QBC112 cups fit each bin, from 3 cups in the smallest 4-inch bin up to 41 in the largest listed size. Cups suit ampoules, connectors, caps and anything small enough to disappear into a corner.

For larger open-front bins the manufacturer publishes the Magnum family (QMS531 through QMS843MOB, 19-3/4 x 12-3/8 x 5-7/8 inches up to 29 x 18-3/8 x 14-7/8 inches). It lists a double wall thickness with a preformed lip that allows up to 150 lb stack capacity, a temperature range of -40 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and optional dividers and windows. Those are the manufacturer’s published figures for that family, not for the shelf bins above.

Long red shelf bin divided into sections holding small clinical supplies

Colour and labels

  • One colour per meaning — service line, par level, owning department or single-use versus reprocessed. Decide it once and write it down; ad hoc colour choices do not survive staff turnover
  • Use the moulded label holder, not tape. It puts the label in the same place on every bin, which is what makes a wall of bins scannable
  • Label the shelf as well as the bin so an empty bin still shows what belongs there
  • Keep one spare width in stock — the item that changes packaging mid-year is the reason people rebuild a whole shelf

Where shelf bins do the most work

Long narrow yellow shelf bin sized for an eighteen inch deep shelfClean utility and unit supplyNarrow bins on 18-inch shelving give every fast-moving item a labelled position at eye level and stop deep shelves swallowing stock.
Blue moulded bin cup used to subdivide a shelf binSmall-item and par-level pickingBin cups and dividers subdivide one bin into several counted positions, which is what makes a two-bin or par-level count quick and honest.

They also carry procedure-room top-ups, pharmacy pick faces, and the shelf-level detail of a bin shelving system built as a complete unit. In sterile processing the same bins organise instrument accessories and consumables on the clean side — see sterile processing storage for the wider picture.

How to specify shelf bins without rework

1Measure the shelf, not the binShelf depth decides bin length: 12, 18 or 24 inch shelves take the 11-5/8, 17-7/8 and 23-5/8 inch bins respectively. Measure the clear opening between shelf levels too.
2Pick the height that fits the pitchA 4-inch bin lets you run more shelf levels; an 8-inch bin holds far more per position. Mixing heights level by level is normal and usually the right answer.
3Choose width per item, not per shelfCount how many of the item you want visible at once, then choose the narrowest published width that holds it. Mixed widths on one shelf are fine.
4Add dividers and cups lastSubdivision is cheaper than a second bin size and easier to change when packaging changes.
5Write the colour and label convention downThen order in carton quantities against it, so replacements match years later.

Estimated figures only. Quantities, footprints and capacities we produce during planning are estimates for discussion. Final specifications and dimensions are confirmed on the quote and field-verified before installation.

Labs USA is a supplier and project partner, not the manufacturer. We supply Quantum Medical storage products, help size and configure them for the room and the workflow, and coordinate delivery and installation.

Lay out a bin shelf before you order

The Shelving and Bin Configurator lets you build a shelving unit, choose bin sizes level by level and see how many bins fit each shelf, with the arithmetic on screen. Send us the layout and we will turn it into a quoted parts list.

Resources

Medical shelf bin FAQ

What sizes do medical shelf bins come in?
The manufacturer publishes three heights. The 4-inch family is listed in 15 sizes, the 6-inch family in 14, and there is an 8-inch family as well. Lengths follow shelf depth: 11-5/8 inches for a 12-inch shelf, 17-7/8 for an 18-inch shelf and 23-5/8 for a 24-inch shelf, with widths from 2-3/4 up to 16-1/2 inches depending on the family. We confirm the exact model and its dimensions on the quote.
Which bin height should we choose?
Work back from the clear opening between shelf levels. A 4-inch bin lets you run more levels in the same upright, which suits small packaged items and high SKU counts. An 8-inch bin holds much more per position, which suits bulkier items and fewer SKUs. Most supply rooms end up mixing heights level by level.
Can bins be subdivided?
Yes, two published ways. Each bin size has a matching divider model, and bin cups (QBC111 and QBC112) sit inside the bin as small open boxes. The manufacturer publishes how many cups fit each bin size, from 3 up to 41.
What are the bins made of, and can we clean them?
The manufacturer describes them as high-density polypropylene and says the material is impervious to most chemicals. We pass on their description and do not make cleaning, disinfection or infection-prevention claims; your facility decides the cleaning agents and protocol, and we design to the criteria your team provides.
Do bins tilt out or lift off the shelf?
Both. The rear hang-lock is designed so the bin tilts out for access while it stays located on the shelf, and it lifts clear when you want to carry it to the point of use.
How many colours are available?
The 4-inch family is published in 7 colours and the 6-inch family in 4. That is enough for a real convention: one colour per service line, par level or owning department. Decide the convention before ordering, because bins are sold in carton quantities.
Do you help work out the bin layout?
Yes, at no charge. Send shelf dimensions and a list of what has to live on them and we will come back with bin sizes per level, quantities, a label plan and a quoted parts list. The Shelving and Bin Configurator does the same arithmetic if you would rather try it yourself first.

Get a medical shelf bin quote

Tell us the shelf depth, the clear opening between levels and what has to be stored. You get bin sizes per level, quantities in carton multiples, a label plan and a quoted parts list at no charge.