Automated storage for long parts (ASRS alternative)

Stop sacrificing your high-finish stainless steel tubes to forklift damage.

For metal fabricators and steel service centers, the cost of “digging” for specific bar stock isn’t just time—it’s the scrapped material caused by scratching polished surfaces during secondary handling. Switch to a system that allows 100% overhead crane access and eliminates the “honeycombing” of your inventory.

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The “Manual ASRS”: bridging the Gap Between Floor Stacking and Full Automation

In the high-precision world of hygienic stainless steel component manufacturing—where surface finish (Ra) is everything—traditional storage methods are a liability. Floor stacking leads to the “Last-In-First-Out” (LIFO) nightmare, while standard static cantilever racks force you to widen aisles for forklifts, wasting valuable production floor space.

Full Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) are often overkill for job shops or mid-sized service centers due to their massive upfront capital and rigid infrastructure requirements. The Telescopic Cantilever Rack serves as the pragmatic alternative. It offers the high-density and selectivity benefits of automation but operates via a robust mechanical crank or electric drive system, allowing you to retrieve a single 20-foot tube without moving a mountain of steel.

Electric drive systems allow operators to access heavy loads with a simple remote, mimicking ASRS efficiency.

From Forklift Chaos to Overhead Crane Precision

The defining feature of this system is the 100% drawer extension. Unlike static racks where a forklift operator must blindly maneuver forks into a narrow slot—often scraping the adjacent tubing—the telescopic arms extend fully into the aisle.

This allows you to switch your primary handling method from forklifts to overhead cranes (bridge cranes). For handling 6-meter stainless steel pipes or heavy structural profiles, cranes are inherently safer and gentler.

Key Operational Advantages:

• Zero Contact Damage: By lifting vertically with nylon slings or vacuum lifters, you eliminate the friction and impact damage common with forklift tines. This is critical for high-purity stainless steel tubes used in food and pharma industries.
• Selective Access: Need the specific heat number buried in the middle rack? Just crank out that specific level. No need to shuffle the top three bundles to get to the bottom one.
• Single-Operator Workflow: One operator can identify, expose, and hoist a 5,000 lb bundle to the laser cutter or saw feed in under 3 minutes.

Multiple levels extended simultaneously, showcasing the structural stability for heavy industrial loads.

Maximizing the “Cube”: Density Without Expansion

Space is often the biggest bottleneck for growing metal fabrication shops. Static racks require aisles 12 to 14 feet wide to accommodate the turning radius of a heavy-duty forklift carrying 20-foot loads. By switching to overhead crane accessible racking, you can slash aisle widths down to just what is needed for a person to walk (or the width of the load itself).

We typically see a 50% reduction in floor space usage when retrofitting from static racks to roll-out systems. This recovered space allows you to add another laser cutter or CNC machining center without the capital expense of expanding your building.

Technical Specifications for Metal Applications

Compact, single-sided units can be placed against walls, utilizing perimeter space efficiently.

Case Study: Feeding the Saw at a High-Mix Service Center

A recent client, a supplier of specialty alloys and stainless components, faced a bottleneck at their saw cutting station. Their inventory included hundreds of SKUs of varying diameters and wall thicknesses. Operators spent 20 minutes finding and retrieving the correct tube bundle with a forklift, often damaging outer tubes in the process.

The Solution: We installed a 5-level roll-out cantilever system directly adjacent to the band saw. Each drawer was labeled by material grade and size.

The Result: Retrieval time dropped to under 3 minutes. The saw operator now uses a vacuum lifter to pull a single tube from the extended rack drawer directly onto the saw bed. The “scratch rate” on their mirror-finish tubes dropped to near zero, saving thousands in monthly scrap costs.

Frequently Asked Questions (Metal Fab & Steel Service)

Q1: Can we store 24-foot (7.3m) lengths of tubing on these racks?
A: Yes. The system is modular. For longer material like 24ft or 40ft structural beams, we simply add more vertical columns to support the length and prevent material deflection (sagging), ensuring the load remains stable when cranked out.

Q2: How does this system protect polished stainless steel from scratching?
A: Unlike static racks where material slides against steel arms, our telescopic arms carry the load out. Furthermore, we can outfit the arms with UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) strips to ensure your polished or brushed finished tubes never touch bare metal.

Q3: What are the concrete floor requirements for installation?
A: Because these racks offer high-density storage, the point loads are higher than standard racks. Generally, a minimum of 6 inches of 3,000 PSI reinforced concrete is required, but our engineering team will calculate the specific requirements based on your desired load capacity.

Q4: Is the electric drive system necessary, or is manual sufficient?
A: For loads under 6,000 lbs per level, the manual crank system is surprisingly effortless due to high-quality bearings—one person can move it with one hand. We recommend electric drive systems for extremely heavy duty cycles or loads exceeding 6,000 lbs per drawer.

Q5: Can this rack be placed directly next to a laser cutter?
A: Absolutely. This is a common application. Placing the rack next to the loading station of a tube laser allows the crane to feed the machine directly, eliminating the need for a forklift to enter the sensitive machine zone.