Store metal sheets and profiles compactly and securely

Metal processing often starts from long sheets or profiles for the production of all kinds of semi-finished and finished products. It comes down to storing the raw materials in a compact and safe way. Eurostorage from Nevele distributes manual and automated storage systems for sheets and long profiles or tubes, equipped with roll-out drawers, with the aim of making the material more easily accessible and making the operator's work much more comfortable, ergonomic and safe. In addition, these systems optimize inventory management.

Eurostorage offers many different storage options for all types and sizes of materials. "We provide systems for all types of plates, from small pieces of 1 to 2 m to heavy plates of 6 m, as well as for every type of profile, from light tubular profiles to heavy, full shafts with lengths of 3, 6, 12 or even 20 m. Our range includes manual and automated solutions, including long-storage warehouses for profiles and tubes, equipped with roll-out drawers or pull-out cassettes as well as horizontal and vertical plate racks. Each system is completely customized and adapted to the material in question," says Davy Moreels of Eurostorage. "We must ensure at all times that the material is easily accessible to the user. This is why we mainly use roll-out drawers, which take the sheets or profiles completely out of the racking and so can be easily picked up and transported manually or, as in most cases, directly with the loading crane or bridge. Depending on the system and the goods, the drawers can be rolled out in different ways: manually, with a crank or even motorized."

Thanks to the roll-out drawers, the materials reach completely outside the racking and can thus be easily picked up manually or with a loading crane or bridge.

Eye for operator comfort and safety

Upon delivery, the packages of sheets or bundles of profiles are placed directly into the drawers. As soon as they are needed for processing, thanks to direct access, they are just as easily taken out of the drawers again. This increases productivity and reduces costs, but also makes the job much more comfortable, ergonomic and safe for the operator. In an ideal situation, sheets and profiles are stored near the machine or machining center, because then they can also be transferred very quickly. "For metal sheets, a vacuum system is usually used, where the sheets lie flat and are lifted by suction cups. This ensures that the operator needs to make little to no physical effort and only has to guide the plates to the machine by remote control," Moreels explains. "It is also possible for the sheets to be stored vertically and then taken out of the tray by means of a sheet clamp. This system is especially recommended for the storage of smaller sheets or remnants that can sometimes still be taken manually."

An eye for structure

With these systems with roll-out drawers, the operator always has direct access to each sheet or profile. This makes it possible, for example, to avoid certain materials being left lying around for years because access is too difficult or because new material is constantly being placed on top when deliveries are made. "Storing the material in different drawers also provides a good structure and a clear overview of the stock," Moreels concludes. "For example, customers can stock by type or by project. Here the drawers are often labeled so that it is immediately clear how much material of each type is still available and when new plates or profiles must be ordered."