In the sanitary stainless steel industry, surface finish is everything. A single scratch on a 20 Ra electropolished tube turns a premium pharmaceutical component into scrap metal. Stop risking your high-purity inventory with outdated forklift handling. Our extendable racking system allows for 100% overhead crane access, ensuring your 304L and 316L tubes remain pristine from the service center to the CNC lathe.
For a Steel Service Center or a manufacturer of hygienic components (like GHWA), inventory isn't just heavy; it is delicate. You are dealing with high-purity stainless steel tubes, solid bar stock for valve bodies, and intricate profile shapes. The industry standard demands compliance with ASME BPE or 3-A Sanitary Standards, which means the surface integrity of your raw material is non-negotiable.
Yet, many facilities still rely on floor stacking or static cantilever racks. Here lies the problem: To get to the bundle of 6-meter 316L tubes at the bottom, your forklift operator has to move three other bundles. Every movement is a risk. Forks slip, bundles clash, and polished surfaces get gouged. In the "high purity" game, you cannot buff out deep scratches without compromising wall thickness or structural integrity.
Figure 1: Safe storage of heavy pipes and tubes requiring contamination-free handling.
The solution is to remove the forklift from the retrieval equation entirely. Our Telescopic Cantilever Rack system is engineered specifically for facilities that process long, high-value goods.
Unlike standard racks, each arm level in our system acts as a drawer. It rolls out 100% into the aisle. This simple mechanical shift changes your entire logistics flow:
Figure 2: Operator utilizing the crank-out mechanism for controlled access to specific stainless grades.
In a high-output environment producing elbows, ferrules, or valve bodies, feed speed matters. Placing a roll-out cantilever rack directly adjacent to your band saw or laser tube cutter transforms your material handling from a warehouse function into a manufacturing advantage.
Consider the workflow for a batch of E-Pharma DTS Heat Exchangers. You need varying diameters of tubing quickly. With our system, a single operator can crank out the required level, use the shop crane to lift the tube bundle, and load the saw in under 3 minutes. There is no waiting for a forklift driver who is busy at the other end of the plant. This is "Point-of-Use" storage at its most efficient.
Stainless steel bar stock (for machining flanges or adapters) is incredibly dense. Standard racks often bow under the point loads of compact, heavy bundles. Our overhead crane accessible racking is built with structural Q355 steel, designed to handle high-density loads without deflection.
| Feature | Specification | Benefit for Hygienic Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Load Capacity | Up to 11,000 lbs (5,000 kg) per arm pair | Easily supports dense solid bar stock used for valve/pump manufacturing. |
| Extension | 100% Full Extension | Allows vertical lifting via vacuum lifters or slings to prevent scratches. |
| Arm Length | Customizable (Standard 20" - 48") | Matches standard bundle widths to prevent overhang and sagging. |
| Finish | Durable Powder Coating | Resists corrosion and maintains a clean, professional appearance in the facility. |
Safety is paramount when moving tons of steel. Our installation process ensures the rack becomes a permanent, stable fixture of your production line. We use heavy-duty chemical or mechanical anchors to secure the H-beam base to your concrete floor. This rigidity is essential not just for safety, but to ensure the smooth operation of the crank mechanism over years of use.
Figure 3: Securing the heavy-duty base to ensure stability when fully extended with solid bar stock.
Q1: Can we use UHMW liners on the arms to protect polished tube surfaces?
Yes. For clients handling high-purity tubes (20 Ra or better), we highly recommend and can install UHMW polyethylene strips on the cantilever arms. This eliminates any steel-on-steel contact, ensuring your material remains scratch-free.
Q2: Is this system compatible with vacuum lifters?
Absolutely. Because the drawer extends 100% clear of the rack structure, you have unobstructed vertical access. This is ideal for vacuum lifters often used to handle non-magnetic or delicate stainless sheets and large diameter pipes without marking them.
Q3: How does this rack help with material traceability (ISO/ASME)?
Traceability is critical in the sanitary industry. By separating bundles into individual, designated drawers rather than stacking them, you can label each level with Heat Numbers and Material Certifications. This prevents the accidental mixing of 304 and 316 grades.
Q4: We store 12m long raw tubes. Can the rack handle this length?
Yes. We design the system with multiple towers (columns) spaced appropriately to support 12-meter lengths. The crank mechanisms are linked via a transmission shaft, allowing one person to easily crank out the entire 12-meter length simultaneously without binding.
Q5: What is the maintenance requirement for the crank mechanism in a dusty cutting environment?
The transmission and bearings are sealed and heavy-duty. In environments with metal dust (from sawing or grinding), we recommend a semi-annual inspection and lubrication of the rack and pinion gears to ensure smooth operation, but the system is designed for harsh industrial environments.
