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Your insulating glass (IGU) line shouldn't be choked by empty steel carcasses. In a busy glass fabrication plant, floor space is the most expensive asset next to your tempering furnace. |
In the glass processing industry, the bottleneck often isn't the CNC cutting table or the edging machine—it's the storage buffer in between. Traditional welded A-frames are sturdy, but when they are empty, they become obstacles. They block forklift lanes and consume square footage that could be used for staging jumbo float glass sheets.
The Stackable A-Frame Racks are engineered to solve this specific density problem. By allowing empty units to nest or stack, you can condense 10 empty racks into the footprint of one. This capability is critical for facilities managing high-volume logistical loops, such as shipping processed toughened glass to construction sites and retrieving the empties efficiently.
The nesting mechanism allows for rapid volume reduction, clearing space near your tempering furnace loading zones.
Structural steel is necessary for strength, but it is the enemy of glass surfaces. A single scratch on a Soft-Coat Low-E unit during handling can result in a rejected delivery and thousands of dollars in cullet losses. The "industry standard" of wrapping steel in carpet is no longer sufficient for high-spec architectural glazing.
Our racks utilize specific industrial rubber profiles and plywood composite surfaces. Unlike makeshift felt or carpet that wears down to expose the steel, these materials are designed to maintain a buffer zone between the rack's skeleton and the glass face. This is essential when transporting heavy laminated glass packs where vibration during transport can cause micro-abrasions or edge shelling if the contact points are too rigid.
Specialized rubber profiles prevent metal-to-glass contact, safeguarding sensitive Low-E coatings.
Relying solely on the lean angle (typically 4-6 degrees) is dangerous, especially for insulated glass units (IGUs) that are being moved across uneven warehouse floors or loaded onto trucks. The dynamic forces during forklift handling can cause the outer lite to shift.
We integrate a heavy-duty ratchet belt system and steel limited rods. These aren't just accessories; they are critical safety components. The ratchet system applies consistent pressure to hold the glass pack against the A-frame structure, preventing the "chatter" that leads to breakage. The limited rods act as a hard stop, ensuring that even under severe braking or cornering during transport, the load cannot tip outward. This compliance with safety standards is non-negotiable for Glaziers Contractors receiving goods at the job site.
Steel limited rods provide a physical barrier against load tipping during forklift maneuvers.
For glass fabricators exporting overseas or shipping long-distance domestically, freight cost is a margin killer. Shipping "air" inside a container because of bulky, welded racks is inefficient.
The detachable and stackable nature of these racks fundamentally changes the logistics equation. By utilizing a Knock-Down (KD) design, we maximize the fill rate of a shipping container. Instead of fitting only a dozen welded racks, you can load significantly more disassembled units. This reduction in shipping volume directly lowers the landed cost per rack, freeing up budget for other critical plant upgrades.
Maximizing container density with flat-packed racks reduces international freight costs significantly.
Q: Can these racks support the weight of heavy 19mm laminated glass packs?
A: Yes. The racks are engineered using Q235 carbon steel with full seam welding (not spot welding), specifically designed to handle the high density of heavy laminated and architectural glass loads without structural deflection.
Q: Will the rubber pads stain the interlayer of my laminated glass?
A: We use industrial-grade, non-marking rubber specifically chosen for compatibility with glass products. It does not leach oils or chemicals that could react with PVB interlayers or contaminate Low-E coatings.
Q: How high can we stack the racks when they are empty?
A: While it depends on the specific model size, most of our stackable series are designed to nest safely up to 4-6 units high, allowing you to reclaim significant vertical space in your warehouse.
Q: Are these suitable for transport on flatbed trucks to the job site?
A: Absolutely. The combination of forklift pockets, crane lifting eyes, and the integrated ratchet securing system makes them ideal for safe transport from the factory to the glazier at the construction site.
Q: Can I move these racks manually around the cutting table?
A: Yes, if equipped with our heavy-duty caster kit (Polyurethane or Nylon options). This converts the storage rack into a mobile trolley, perfect for moving glass from the breakout table to the washer or tempering furnace.
