In high-purity sanitary manufacturing, a single scratch on a 316L stainless steel tube can ruin the Ra surface finish, turning premium stock into scrap metal. Stop wrestling with static vertical racks that force dangerous forklift maneuvers in tight aisles. It’s time to switch to a system that respects the integrity of your materials.
For decades, Steel Service Centers and OEM component manufacturers have relied on standard vertical storage or floor stacking. While this utilizes ceiling height, it creates a massive operational bottleneck known as the "Dig."
When you need a specific heat number of stainless steel tubing located at the bottom of a stack or deep within a static rack, your operators are forced into a high-risk game of "pick-up sticks" using a forklift. This results in:
The telescopic cantilever rack changes the physics of retrieval. Instead of sliding material out of a hole, the entire shelf extends to the operator. This seemingly simple mechanical shift completely aligns your storage with your overhead lifting capabilities.
In the sanitary fittings industry, forklifts are often the enemy of quality. By utilizing a crank out cantilever rack, you unlock the ability to use your overhead crane accessible racking potential.
The drawers extend 100% into the aisle, allowing your vacuum lifter or nylon sling to descend vertically directly onto the material. There is zero dragging, zero friction, and zero contact with the rack structure during the lift. This is the only way to guarantee the surface finish remains within the 10-30 µin Ra specification from storage to the saw.
Traceability is non-negotiable when manufacturing pharmaceutical or dairy components. Mixing heat numbers or grades (e.g., 304 vs. 316) can lead to catastrophic compliance failures.
Our roll-out cantilever systems are designed for granular inventory control. Each level acts as an independent storage unit. By using adjustable dividers, you can separate different ODs (Outer Diameters), wall thicknesses, and alloy grades on the same arm level without them touching. This physical separation prevents cross-contamination and makes monthly inventory counts a visual, 5-minute task rather than a day-long ordeal.
While the focus is often on the delicate nature of the tube surface, the weight is undeniable. A bundle of 20-foot stainless bars is incredibly heavy.
For high-volume centers, we offer motorized options. As shown below, an operator can control multi-ton loads with a simple handheld remote. This eliminates the physical strain of manual cranking for high-frequency picking zones, ensuring your team remains fresh and injury-free throughout the shift.
| Feature | Standard Static Cantilever | Telescopic (Crank-Out) System |
|---|---|---|
| Retrieval Method | Forklift (Requires wide aisles) | Overhead Crane (Vertical lift) |
| Damage Risk | High (Fork impact, dragging friction) | Near Zero (No-contact lifting) |
| Aisle Width | 12-15 feet (for forklift turning radius) | 5-6 feet (operator walkway only) |
| Selectivity | Buried stock requires moving top items | 100% access to any specific level immediately |
Storing millions of dollars worth of stainless steel requires a foundation you can trust. These are not lightweight retail shelves. The system relies on heavy-duty structural steel profiles and secure anchoring. Proper installation, including deep floor anchoring using expansion bolts, ensures that even when a drawer loaded with 6,600 lbs of steel is fully extended, the center of gravity remains controlled and safe.
Q1: We handle polished sanitary tubes. Can the rack arms themselves scratch the material?
We offer optional UHMW (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) liners for the cantilever arms. This creates a non-marring surface that protects the underside of your tubes, ensuring the mirror finish remains pristine.
Q2: What is the maximum length of tubing this system can store?
The system is modular. By adding vertical columns, we can accommodate any length, from standard 20-foot (6m) bundles to custom 40-foot extrusions. The crank mechanism links the arms to ensure smooth, synchronized extension regardless of length.
Q3: Does this system require a special floor foundation?
Because the telescopic cantilever rack condenses storage into a smaller footprint, the point loading is higher than floor stacking. Standard 6-inch reinforced industrial concrete is usually sufficient, but we will calculate the specific PSI requirements based on your total load capacity.
Q4: Can we retrofit an electric motor to a manual crank system later?
While it is possible, it is cost-prohibitive to retrofit. We recommend analyzing your pick frequency (picks per shift) during the design phase. If you are accessing the rack more than 10 times a shift, the electric version pays for itself in labor savings within the first year.
Q5: How does this help with "short" or "drop" management?
Standard racks are terrible for short remnants (drops) left over from the saw. We can install steel baskets or decking on specific drawer levels, allowing you to organize short cuts by alloy and size, turning what is usually "scrap" back into usable inventory.
