Pipe fitting inventories are hard to manage because they are wide rather than deep. A distributor may carry elbows in twenty diameters, flanges in several pressure classes and couplings in every wall thickness, each in modest quantities. Dedicated racking for every family wastes floor space, while piling fittings into bins turns every search into a hunt. Herochu’s rail-type movable pipe fitting storage rack with cantilever design balances density and access: racks share a single aisle, glide on floor-mounted rails and open only where the picker needs to work.
The design borrows the best of two storage ideas. Cantilever arms give every SKU its own visible, reachable slot without front columns. The rail base lets whole rack rows glide together, closing unused space and reopening it on demand. The result is a fitting storage system that stores more, finds faster and stays organized.
How the movable rack works
Rack rows are mounted on a single ground rail fixed to the warehouse floor. In standby they park in a closed formation, side by side, with no aisle between them. When a picker needs stock from a specific rack, the motorized drive separates the group and opens a working aisle directly in front of it. After the pick, the group closes again. Between the shelves only one aisle is needed for loading and unloading, and that single aisle serves the entire block.
One shared ground rail keeps every row aligned and travel simple.
Aisle width is adjustable to the forklift or manual trolley in use.
Rack travel speed of 1-5 m/min gives precise, safe positioning.
Siemens PLC control handles grouping, sequencing and safety interlocks.
Fitting families the rack handles
The system is organized around the way fittings are actually sold. Elbows, tees and reducers sit on one set of arms, flanges on another, couplings and nipples on a third, and valve stock in its own zone. Arm levels can be dedicated to diameter classes or pressure ratings, so a picker walks to a known position instead of scanning the warehouse.
Because each level stays visible from the aisle, part numbers, batch marks and surface conditions are confirmed before anything is lifted. This removes the double handling that happens when a picker retrieves the wrong fitting and has to return it.
Why cantilever arms suit pipe fittings
Pipe fittings are irregular by nature: elbows with their curves, flanges with their bolt circles, reducers with their steps. Cantilever arms hold them without the frame obstructions of standard shelving. Each arm level can carry containers, trays or loose fittings, and every level stays visible from the aisle. Nothing blocks the view, so a picker can confirm part numbers without climbing or stretching.
Column-free front access for fast visual identification.
Level loads of 3,000 to 5,000 kg carry heavy flange and valve stock with margin.
Arm spacing adapts to short, medium and long fitting families.
Optional bin boxes and dividers keep small fittings separated by size.
Space savings in real terms
In a conventional layout, each rack row needs its own aisle, and those aisles sit empty most of the day. Herochu’s movable design removes up to 80% of fixed aisles and raises usable capacity by up to 400% in the same footprint. For a fitting warehouse, that means more SKUs on the floor, fewer off-site overflow racks and a smaller chance of hunting for a fitting that should be easy to find. The system is especially valuable in low-clearance buildings where vertical expansion is not an option.
A simple example shows the scale. A block of ten rack rows with individual aisles might occupy 220 m2. Compressed onto one rail with a single shared aisle, the same block fits in roughly 130 m2, freeing the difference for packing, dispatch or additional inventory.
Workflow from receiving to dispatch
The system fits a normal goods flow without retraining the team. Incoming fittings are sorted at the receiving bay and placed on the arm level assigned to their family. Picking orders are grouped by rack, and the PLC opens each rack in sequence. Packed orders move straight to the dispatch staging area, which now has the space that aisles used to occupy.
Inventory control and picking
Open, orderly storage improves inventory accuracy. Because every rack level is visible from the aisle, cycle counting becomes a visual sweep instead of a search. Racks can be assigned to product families, and Herochu links the Siemens PLC to the warehouse management system so that a pick order moves the correct rack to the aisle automatically. Batch numbers, diameters and pressure ratings stay organized because the layout itself separates them.
Safety for operators and stock
Moving heavy fittings by hand is the main injury source in fitting warehouses. The electrically assisted carriage moves the racks instead, so operators never push or pull loaded units. The single-aisle layout also means forklifts travel a short, predictable route, reducing collision risk. Round stock is secured on the arms, and the closed formation protects inventory while the warehouse is unattended.
Engineering and options
Herochu builds the rack from Q235B high-strength steel with precision-ground rails and heavy-duty carriages, produced under ISO 9001 procedures at Jinan Constant Storage Machinery Co., Ltd. and CE certified for export. Finishes include zinc anti-rust coating for humid climates. Configurations cover pipe lengths up to 12,000 mm, 5+1 tier layouts and rack quantities matched to the SKU list. Custom arm widths, bin inserts and tray sizes are available for unusual fitting families. Spare parts for the drive and carriage assemblies are stocked, and routine service covers rail cleaning, lubrication and interlock testing.
| Parameter | HC-G6053EM-5 | HC-G9055EM-7 | HC-G12065EM-7 |
| Pipe length | 6,000 mm | 9,000 mm | 12,000 mm |
| Number of layers | 5 (customizable) | 5 (customizable) | 6 (customizable) |
| Max. load per level | 3,000 kg | 5,000 kg | 5,000 kg |
| Number of racks | 5 towers (customizable) | 7 towers (customizable) | 7 towers (customizable) |
| Carriage speed | 27 mm/s | ||
| Racking travel speed | 1-5 m/min | ||
| Material discharge method | Electric assistance | ||
| Control method | Siemens PLC | ||
What changes after installation
The measurable effects appear within the first weeks. Floor space is freed for packing and dispatch operations. Picking time per order drops because the correct rack arrives at the aisle instead of the picker walking to it. Stock losses shrink because fittings are visible, protected and counted regularly. Managers gain a storage asset that rearranges itself as the product mix evolves, instead of a layout that has to be demolished and rebuilt.
Rail-type movable pipe fitting storage racks turn a crowded fitting warehouse into an organized, fast-moving operation. Send Herochu your SKU list, quantities and available floor plan, and the team will return a rack layout with capacity numbers and a picking-time comparison.
