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For manufacturers of high-purity stainless steel components, surface integrity is currency. A single scratch on a polished 316L sanitary tube during retrieval can degrade a mirror finish to scrap. |
In the world of hygienic fluid handling—whether for pharmaceuticals, food, or semiconductor industries—the surface roughness (Ra) of your inventory is critical. Traditional static cantilever racks force warehouse operators to use forklifts to dig out specific bundles of tubing or bar stock. This process, known as "secondary handling," is where 90% of damage occurs. Forks scrape against the tubes, and bundles collide.
The Telescopic Cantilever Rack changes this physical reality. By allowing each storage level to extend 100% out of the rack structure, it transforms your storage from a "slot" into an open "drawer." This means you no longer need to slide forks between delicate bundles. Instead, you can use your facility's overhead crane equipped with soft nylon slings or vacuum lifters to pick the material vertically. This "no-touch" approach preserves the high-polish finish of your stainless steel inventory.
Figure 1: Overhead crane access eliminates forklift damage to sensitive tube surfaces.
Space in a precision manufacturing facility is expensive. Every square meter occupied by a wide forklift aisle is a square meter not earning revenue through CNC machining or welding. For a Steel Service Center handling diverse SKUs of 20-foot (6-meter) tubes and heavy bar stock, static racks are incredibly inefficient because they require 12-15 foot aisles for forklift maneuvering.
Our Structural steel storage systems allow for a much denser footprint. Because the rack drawers roll out into a single shared aisle (or open space) for crane access, you can eliminate the wide turning radius required by forklifts. This often results in reclaiming 50% of the floor space, which can then be used to install additional cold saws or polishing equipment, directly increasing your plant's throughput.
Figure 2: High-density storage organizes diverse SKUs of bar stock and tubing.
While hygienic tubes are relatively light, the solid stainless steel rounds used for machining valve bodies and fittings are incredibly dense. Standard roll-formed racking often fails under the point loads of heavy bar stock.
We utilize structural I-beam construction for the base and uprights, ensuring high capacity and rigidity. Whether you choose a manual crank-out system for occasional picks or an electric roll-out cantilever for high-frequency feeding of automated saws, the system is designed to handle loads from 2,000 lbs up to 10,000 lbs per arm level without deflection that could cause material to roll.
Figure 3: Electric drive systems facilitate effortless handling of heavy solid bar stock.
Safety in a metal processing environment is non-negotiable. Manually wrestling with steel bundles at height is a leading cause of musculoskeletal injuries. By bringing the material out to the operator and utilizing cranes, the physical strain is virtually eliminated. Furthermore, the installation process emphasizes stability. As shown below, our teams ensure rigorous anchoring to the concrete slab to handle the dynamic loads of extending drawers.
Figure 4: Heavy-duty anchoring ensures stability during full extension of loaded drawers.
Q1: Can these racks prevent cross-contamination between carbon steel and stainless steel?
Yes. The individual drawer levels allow for clear segregation of materials. We can also provide UHMW polyethylene liners for the cantilever arms to ensure that stainless steel tubes never come into contact with the painted carbon steel of the rack itself, preventing iron contamination.
Q2: What is the maximum length of tubing your systems can handle?
Our systems are modular. While the standard design accommodates 20-foot (6-meter) material typical in the sanitary tube industry, we can configure the number of columns and arm spacing to support 40-foot lengths or custom extruded profiles without sagging.
Q3: How does the "crank-out" mechanism handle heavy solid bars?
The system utilizes heavy-duty industrial bearings and a geared transmission. Even with a 6,000 lb load of solid stainless steel bars, a single operator can rotate the crank handle with approximately 20-30 lbs of force to fully extend the drawer.
Q4: Is the system compatible with vacuum lifters?
Absolutely. This is the ideal use case. Because the drawer extends 100% into the aisle, there are no overhead obstructions (like the storage level above), allowing vacuum lifters to descend directly onto the center of the sheet or tube pack for safe lifting.
Q5: Can these racks be placed next to laser cutters or saws?
Yes, this is a common "Point of Use" application. Placing a Telescopic Cantilever Rack directly adjacent to your CNC saw or laser feeder minimizes travel time and reduces the traffic of heavy forklifts crossing the main production floor.
