For manufacturers producing high-purity stainless steel tubes (ASME BPE standards) or precision bar stock, a single scratch from a forklift tine can turn a premium product into scrap metal. Stop compromising your surface finish (Ra) integrity with outdated side-loading methods. Switch to a system designed for overhead crane access, ensuring zero-contact handling for your sensitive inventory.
The Hidden Cost of "Side-Loading" High-Value Metals
In the world of sanitary stainless steel components—like those used in dairy, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor industries—surface finish is everything. You are likely aiming for specific roughness averages (Ra), potentially as fine as 10-15 µin.
The traditional method of storing these 20-foot heavy tube bundles involves static cantilever racks and forklifts. This creates two critical problems for your operation:
1.
The "Digging" Damage: To access a specific heat number or alloy buried in the back, the forklift driver has to perform "secondary handling"—shuffling front bundles to get to the rear. Every move increases the risk of metal-on-metal friction, dents, and surface contamination.
2.
Aisle Waste: To maneuver a 20-foot bundle of tubing, your forklift needs massive 15-foot aisles. That is expensive manufacturing floor space being used effectively as a driveway.
This is where the
Telescopic Cantilever Rack changes the game. By allowing the storage arms to extend 100% out into the aisle, we eliminate the need for the forklift to drive *into* the rack. Instead, you load from the top.
Electric roll-out units allow heavy tube bundles to be accessed directly from above.
Zero-Contact Handling: The Crane Advantage
When you are dealing with high-purity stainless steel tubes or polished rods, the goal is to touch the product as little as possible.
Our **roll-out cantilever** system is engineered specifically to be **overhead crane accessible racking**.
Here is the operational logic:
1. The operator selects the specific level containing the required tubing.
2. Using a manual crank or electric remote, the arm extends fully (100% extension).
3. Your overhead crane, equipped with nylon slings or a vacuum lifter, lowers directly over the material.
4. The load is lifted vertically.
There is no dragging. No pushing. No steel forks scraping against polished surfaces. This "Top Loading" capability ensures that the sanitary fittings and tubes you manufactured to strict ASME BPE standards leave the warehouse in the exact same condition they left the production line.
Engineered for Heavy Loads and Precision
Whether you are storing heavy wall pipe or delicate sanitary tubing, stability is non-negotiable. These racks are not light-duty retail shelves; they are industrial infrastructure.
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Structure: Built from heavy-duty structural steel profiles (not thin roll-formed gauge steel), ensuring rigidity even when fully extended.
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Capacity: Standard models handle up to 6,600 Lbs (3,000 kg) per arm level.
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Protection: For high-purity applications, we can equip the cantilever arms with UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) liners to prevent carbon contamination from the carbon steel rack to your stainless steel product.
Reclaiming Your Production Floor
Space in a metal fabrication shop or steel service center is a premium asset. If you are planning to add a new laser cutting machine or expand your welding stations, you don't necessarily need a building expansion—you just need to densify your storage.
By switching to a
crank out cantilever rack system, you eliminate the wide forklift turning radius requirements. The crane operates above the racks. This typically results in a **50% reduction in floor space usage**.
Consolidate your long goods storage and reclaim floor space for production machinery.
Electric Control for High-Frequency Picking
For facilities with high throughput—such as those feeding automated saws or laser cutters hourly—manual cranking might be too slow.
We offer fully motorized options. A
telescopic cantilever rack with electric drive allows the operator to extend heavy drawers with a handheld remote. This improves cycle times and reduces operator fatigue, essential for maintaining peak efficiency during long shifts.
Technical Specifications
| Feature |
Specification Details |
| Material |
High-strength structural Carbon Steel (Q235/Q355 equivalent) |
| Extension |
100% full extension for clear overhead access |
| Load Capacity |
Customizable, typically 2,000 to 10,000 Lbs per level |
| Tube Lengths |
Accommodates standard 20ft (6m) bundles or custom lengths |
| Operation |
Manual Crank (Ratio geared for ease) or Electric Motorized |
FAQ: Metal Storage & Handling Solutions
Q1: We store polished stainless steel. Will the steel arms scratch our tubes?
A: We recommend adding UHMW (plastic) or rubber liners to the cantilever arms. This isolates your stainless steel from the carbon steel rack, preventing both scratching and galvanic corrosion/carbon contamination.
Q2: Can this system handle heavy wall pipe bundles exceeding 5,000 lbs?
A: Yes. The heavy-duty steel construction is designed specifically for these loads. We can engineer the base and arms to support loads up to 10,000 lbs per drawer if required.
Q3: Do we need a special foundation for installation?
A: Standard 6-inch reinforced industrial concrete floors are usually sufficient, but because the load is concentrated, we calculate the ground pressure based on your specific load requirements. The racks are anchored using heavy-duty expansion bolts.
Q4: How does this improve inventory tracking for different heat numbers?
A: Unlike stacking bundles on top of each other on the floor, each level in our rack is independent. You can assign a specific drawer to a specific heat number or batch, ensuring 100% traceability and First-In-First-Out (FIFO) access without shuffling stock.
Q5: Can we use a vacuum lifter with this rack?
A: Absolutely. Because the arm extends 100% clear of the structure above it, there is ample vertical clearance to lower a vacuum lifter directly onto the tube or sheet surface.
