A double sided roll out cantilever rack system fundamentally transforms heavy, long-bar storage by presenting material directly to overhead cranes. This eliminates forklift dependency in storage aisles, unlocking significant gains in safety, space utilization, and operational speed for industries like steel service centers and heavy fabrication shops.
For facilities managing heavy, long materials—such as pipe and tube stock, structural steel profiles, or bar stock—storage is often seen as a static necessity. However, traditional methods using forklifts and fixed cantilever racks create hidden operational drains. These systems demand vast, unproductive aisle space simply for vehicle access and often lead to a time-consuming process known as "secondary handling," where operators must move multiple bundles to reach the one they need. A Double sided Roll Out Cantilever rack redefines this dynamic. It is not merely a place to hold inventory; it is an active component of your workflow that brings the material directly to your primary handling equipment—the overhead crane.
The most significant bottleneck in a conventional warehouse is the hunt for specific materials. When the required bundle of steel is at the bottom of a stack or the back of a deep shelf, operators spend 15 to 25 minutes "digging"—removing obstructing items, extracting the target, and then replacing the obstructions. This is non-value-added time where expensive downstream machinery like CNC centers or laser cutters sit idle. The roll out design provides 100% selectivity. Each level is an independent, extendable drawer. An operator can extend the exact level required, allowing an overhead crane to perform a direct, vertical lift. The entire retrieval process is reduced from a variable 20-minute ordeal to a predictable 3-5 minute task. This consistency stabilizes production schedules and maximizes the uptime of your most valuable processing equipment.
Conventional storage layouts are dictated not by the width of the material, but by the turning radius of a forklift, which can require aisles 4 to 6 meters wide. This "aisle tax" consumes a massive portion of your facility's footprint. Because a Double sided Roll Out Cantilever rack is serviced by an overhead crane, it eliminates the need for these permanent, wide traffic lanes. Racks can be placed much closer together, with an access path only needed when a drawer is extended. This strategic shift can recover up to 50% of the floor space previously dedicated to storage. This reclaimed space is no longer a cost center for heating and lighting; it becomes available for revenue-generating activities, such as adding a new production line or fabrication cell without the immense cost of a building expansion.
For businesses handling high-value or surface-sensitive materials, such as the high-purity stainless steel tubes used in pharmaceutical or semiconductor applications, damage is not an option. A single scratch from a forklift tine or from dragging a tube across a static rack arm can render a multi-thousand-dollar piece of inventory worthless. These imperfections can compromise sterile environments or ruin cosmetic finishes on architectural aluminum.
The roll out system, combined with an overhead crane, facilitates a true "zero-contact" handling process. Once the desired level is fully extended, the crane can lower soft nylon slings, a vacuum lifter, or other appropriate attachments to engage the material. The lift is purely vertical, with no sliding, scraping, or bumping against the rack structure or other stock. This method preserves the precise surface finish (Ra) and physical integrity of your materials, ensuring the quality engineered into them is maintained until they reach the production floor. This systematic prevention of handling damage directly translates to a measurable reduction in scrap rates and protects your company's reputation for delivering flawless products.
| Dimension | Traditional Forklift & Static Racking | Double sided Roll Out Cantilever with Crane | Direct Business Impact |
| Access Method | Forklift must travel into wide aisles. | Rack drawer extends into an open area for overhead crane access. | Eliminates forklift traffic in storage bays, dramatically improving safety. |
| Material Selectivity | Limited (FILO/LIFO). Requires moving other items ("secondary handling"). | 100% immediate access to any storage level. | Reduces retrieval time from 15-25 min to 2-5 min, boosting machine uptime. |
| Space Utilization | Low density due to wide forklift aisles (4-6 meters). | High density. Aisles are not permanently required, recovering up to 50% of floor space. | Postpones or eliminates the need for costly facility expansion. |
| Material Protection | High risk of scratches, dents, and impact damage from forklift tines and dragging. | Extremely low risk. Vertical, zero-contact lift with soft slings or vacuum lifters. | Drastically reduces scrap rates and preserves the value of sensitive, high-cost materials. |
| Operator Safety | High risk from maneuvering long, heavy loads with blind spots and large swing radii. | High. Operator stands clear of the load, with excellent visibility via remote control. | Reduces risk of crushing injuries and workplace accidents. |
The transition to a crane-serviced storage system is not just about workflow; it's also about investing in equipment built to withstand the rigors of a heavy industrial environment. These systems are engineered for safety, longevity, and ease of use, providing a reliable backbone for your material handling operations.
Safety is inherent in the design. By removing forklifts from the equation, you eliminate one of the primary causes of workplace accidents. The controlled, predictable path of an overhead crane provides superior visibility and keeps personnel safely away from the suspended load. Furthermore, the manual crank-out mechanism is engineered with a gear ratio that allows a single operator to extend a multi-ton load with minimal physical exertion (approx. 20-30kg of force), reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries associated with pushing or pulling heavy materials.
Unlike lighter-duty racking made from roll-formed steel, heavy-duty roll out systems are fabricated from structural steel profiles like H-beams (e.g., Q235/Q355). This provides immense durability and impact resistance. While a collision from a forklift can compromise the structural integrity of a roll-formed upright, structural steel is far more resilient, ensuring a longer service life and a lower total cost of ownership in demanding settings like steel mills, fabrication shops, and distribution centers.
Capacities are highly customizable based on application needs. Standard designs typically support loads from 1,000 kg to 5,000 kg (approx. 2,200 to 11,000 lbs) per level. Heavy-duty configurations for items like dies or large steel billets can be engineered for even greater capacities.
Yes. Both the manual crank-out and motorized electric versions are designed for safe, efficient operation by a single person. The mechanical advantage of the crank system and the simple push-button or remote control for electric models make moving multi-ton loads ergonomic and straightforward.
While the exact amount varies, facilities converting from traditional forklift-serviced racks to an overhead crane-accessible roll out system typically reclaim between 40% and 60% of the floor space previously allocated to storage and aisles. The primary saving comes from eliminating wide, permanent forklift turning aisles.
Yes, the core design principle and primary benefit of this system is its integration with an overhead crane (EOT crane) or gantry crane. The 100% extension of the levels is specifically to provide clear, vertical access from above, which is what allows for the significant gains in safety, space, and material protection.
Absolutely. These racks are typically custom-engineered for specific needs. Key customizable features include the length of the arms, the distance between arms to prevent material sag, the height of the rack, the number of levels, and the capacity per level. They can also be fitted with accessories like dividers or decking to securely store various material types.
