Workshop-efficientie launch cantilever

The “Hidden Factory” in Your Material Handling

If you run a steel service center or a specialized fabrication shop (like those supplying hygienic components to the pharma or dairy industries), you know that surface finish is currency. You aren’t just storing raw metal; you are storing high-value assets. Standard static racking or floor stacking creates two massive problems for job shops:

• The “Buried” Inventory (FILO): To get to the 2-inch polished tube needed for the next job, your forklift driver has to move three other bundles of bar stock. This “double handling” is pure waste.
• Surface Damage: Every time a forklift fork scrapes into a bundle to pry it loose, you risk scratching that mirror-finish stainless steel. For industries requiring 20 µin Ra or better, a scratch means the material is scrap.

This is where Workshop-efficientie launch cantilever change the equation. Unlike static racks that require wide aisles for forklifts to maneuver and turn, these systems function like heavy-duty drawers for your long stock.

100% Extension: The Crane Advantage

The defining feature of this system is the ability to extend the cantilever arm 100% out of the rack structure. This might seem like a simple mechanical feature, but for a fabrication shop, it completely alters the workflow.

By rolling the level out completely, you expose the entire length of the tube or bar stock to the ceiling. This allows you to use an overhead crane (bridge crane) or a vacuum lifter instead of a forklift.

Why does this matter for job shop efficiency?

• Zero Aisle Width: You don’t need 12-foot aisles for a forklift to turn 90 degrees with a 20-foot load. You can stack racks closer together, reclaiming up to 50% of your floor space for more production machinery.
• No Damage Picking: The crane lifts straight up using nylon slings or vacuum lifters. There is no friction, no sliding, and no metal-on-metal contact. Your high-purity stainless tubes remain pristine.

Designed for the Heavy/High-Mix Environment

Job shops rarely deal with uniform pallets. You have a mix of round pipes, square tubes, solid bars, and awkward profiles. A telescopisch draagrek allows you to organize these by SKU, size, or material grade (e.g., separating 304 from 316 stainless to prevent cross-contamination).

For high-volume, heavy-load applications, electric models are available. These allow a single operator to open a rack carrying 10,000 lbs of steel with the push of a button on a remote control, eliminating the physical strain of manual cranking and speeding up the picking process even further.

Built Like Your Production Equipment

These aren’t flimsy warehouse shelves; they are structural steel assets. The installation process reflects this robustness. As seen below, the columns are anchored deep into your concrete slab using heavy-duty expansion bolts. This rigidity is essential when you have multiple levels of heavy bar stock extended simultaneously.

The construction typically utilizes high-tensile structural steel, ensuring that the arms do not deflect under load, which is critical when storing precision-straightened shafts or linear guides.

Summary: The ROI of “Roll Out”

Implementing roll-out cantilever racks in a job shop environment isn’t just about “cleaning up.” It is a direct injection of efficiency into your value stream. By reducing retrieval times from 20 minutes to 2 minutes, protecting delicate surface finishes, and reclaiming floor space for revenue-generating machinery, these systems pay for themselves often within the first 12-18 months of operation.

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Veelgestelde vragen (FAQ)

1. Can we store sensitive materials like polished stainless steel or aluminum without scratching them? Absolutely. This is the primary use case for high-end metal fabricators. Because the arms extend fully, you use an overhead crane with nylon slings or vacuum lifters to pick the material straight up. There is no “sliding” or friction against other bundles, preserving the Ra surface finish. We can also add UHMW plastic liners to the arms for extra protection.

2. What is the maximum length of stock we can store? The system is modular. We commonly install racks for standard 20-foot (6-meter) or 24-foot tube and bar stock. However, by adding more columns and arms, we can accommodate virtually any length of material, including custom extrusions.

3. Do I need a forklift to operate this rack? No. In fact, the design intent is to eliminate forklift usage for retrieval. While you can use a forklift if necessary, the efficiency gains come from using an overhead crane (bridge crane) or gantry crane, which allows for narrower aisles and safer handling of long, unstable loads.

4. How much weight can a single drawer level hold? These are heavy-duty industrial systems. Standard capacities range from 2,000 lbs to 6,600 lbs (approx. 1 to 3 metric tons) per arm level, not just per rack. We can engineer custom solutions for even heavier solid bar stock applications.

5. Is the “crank-out” mechanism hard to operate with a full load? Not at all. The manual systems use a high-ratio gear reduction box and precision bearings. A single operator can easily crank out a fully loaded arm carrying thousands of pounds of steel with one hand. For high-frequency environments, we recommend the electric drive option.