Open-Top or Stackable Bins for Parts Access
Decide whether each bin will sit on its own shelf or whether the arrangement requires one bin above another. An open top describes where contents are reached. A stackable designation describes a separate construction feature. Neither term alone establishes that a picker can reach the lower bin in a proposed arrangement.
Keep the two descriptions separate
BINMT412 is a white ECT-32-B corrugated bin listed at 4 x 12 x 4.5 inches. Its product description identifies an open top and front-panel space for labeling. BINB418 is an ECT-32-B corrugated bin listed at 4 x 18 x 4.5 inches, explicitly described as stackable, with writable front panels. Each is supplied in bundles of 50.
The listings do not provide an allowable stack height, loaded capacity or dimensioned access opening for a stacked arrangement. Do not convert the shared board designation into any of those specifications. They also differ in depth, so a comparison of their access arrangements must retain the correct footprint.
Show what supports each bin
For a hypothetical shelf layout, draw the shelf beneath each bin and the shelf above it. Mark where the hand enters and where a retrieved part travels. A bin can occupy the space while the picking motion extends beyond it, especially when the part must be lifted before it can be pulled forward.
For a proposed stack, draw the upper bin as well as the lower one. Identify the actual stacking interface and the remaining access to the lower contents. A photograph of a single empty bin cannot establish that completed arrangement. Obtain the product's stacking instructions and applicable limits before assigning a loaded stack.
| Arrangement | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Bin on its own shelf | Can the intended part be lifted and removed beneath the shelf above? |
| Bin beneath another bin | Does the specified stacking arrangement retain the required access to the lower contents? |
Use the hardest item to retrieve
Include the longest or most awkward normally stocked part in the access drawing. The smallest part may be easy to pick while a larger one needs the upper bin moved. If removing that upper bin is an intended step, name it in the workflow rather than describing the lower contents as continuously accessible.
Record the exact bin, support arrangement, access direction and any required movement of other bins. Replenishment quantity is a separate calculation; having enough parts in a location does not resolve how the next part is reached.
Review BINMT412, BINB418 for the exact listed products. The Corrugated Bin Boxes Buying Guide provides related purchasing options. Keep the selected SKU with the documented arrangement when placing or repeating the order.