Herochu Laser Cutting Automatic Storage System: Organise Flow for Peak Laser Machine Productivity
In modern sheet metal fabrication, the efficiency of laser cutting operations hinges entirely on how well raw materials and finished parts move through your facility. A disorganized flow—whether sheets sitting idle waiting for the laser, or cut parts piling up post-machining—drains productivity, wastes labor, and leaves high-power fibre laser machines operating far below their potential. Herochu’s Laser Cutting Automatic Storage System solves this core challenge, designed specifically to organise flow for seamless material supply and part management. Certified to CE, EU, and ISO 9001 standards, this customizable solution starts at $8,900, turning chaotic workflows into streamlined, high-utilization operations for workshops of all sizes.
The Cost of Disorganized Flow—And How Automation Fixes It
Today’s fibre laser cutters are more powerful than ever, capable of churning through thin and medium-gauge sheets at unprecedented speeds. Yet many facilities fail to match this output because their material flow can’t keep up: laser machines sit idle waiting for sheets, forklifts waste hours shuttling pallets, and operators struggle to locate the right material grade or thickness. Industry experts note that well-organized operations achieve 85% laser machine utilization—a stark contrast to the 50–60% average for shops relying on manual processes.
Herochu’s system addresses this gap by making flow organization the backbone of its design. As the first production station in most sheet metal factories, laser cutting is the ideal starting point to restructure material movement. The system integrates directly with your laser cutters, creating a closed-loop workflow where raw materials are delivered exactly when needed, and cut parts are stored or routed without delay. This isn’t just storage—it’s a flow management hub that eliminates bottlenecks at every transfer point.
Data-Driven Sizing: Build a System That Fits Your Flow
The biggest mistake in investing in storage automation is choosing a one-size-fits-all solution that doesn’t align with your unique workflow. Herochu avoids this by prioritizing data collection to properly size your system, ensuring it solves your specific pain points. Before designing your setup, we work with you to map your entire flow—from raw material receipt to finished part shipping—using actionable data points like:
- Material diversity: Identifying the number of material grades, thicknesses, and sizes you use, plus the 80% of references that drive most of your production. This ensures the system prioritizes high-volume materials for fast access.
- Manual process breakdown: Documenting every step of your current sheet handling—forklift trips, pack extraction, sheet counting, data entry, and loading. We flag inefficiencies: Are thin sheets hard to separate? Do offcuts get lost in storage? Is transport causing safety risks or scrap?
- Time and downtime metrics: Measuring how long it takes to get a sheet from rack to laser (often 15+ minutes manually) and how much the laser sits idle waiting for material. This data quantifies the ROI of automation—turning “guesswork” into concrete efficiency gains.
With this global view of your flow, Herochu designs a scalable system that grows with your production. Whether you start with a compact tower for a single laser or expand to service a fleet, the system is built to match your current needs while leaving room to add capacity later.
Master Raw Material Flow: Keep Lasers Fed, Not Waiting
Supplying laser cutters with sheet metal is rife with hidden inefficiencies—managing dozens of material references, moving heavy pallets across the shop, and tracking offcuts for reuse. As industry insiders note, “laser cutting often suffers from poor upstream material organisation”—and it’s the first area to fix with automation. Herochu’s system eliminates these headaches by centralizing raw material management.
The heart of the solution is a customizable storage tower configuration (starting with 4 towers, expandable as needed) that keeps every material grade and thickness organized and accessible. When the laser is ready for a new batch, the system automatically retrieves the exact number of sheets required—no more forklifts, no more manual counting, no more misplaced packs. Even thin sheets, which are notoriously hard to separate manually, are handled smoothly by the system’s precision gripping technology, reducing scrap from bent or damaged material.
Offcut management gets a boost too: the system tracks partial packs and offcuts in its inventory, routing them to the laser when needed for small-batch jobs. This turns waste into usable material and cuts down on new sheet purchases. For facilities with high-power lasers, the system’s speed is critical—“today, laser machines are so productive, most new installations use storage towers to keep up with material demand,” as experts observe. Herochu’s system ensures your laser never waits for a sheet again.
Streamline Cut Part Flow: From Laser to Storage, No Delays
Flow organization doesn’t end when the laser finishes cutting—managing exiting parts is just as crucial. Herochu’s system offers flexible options to handle cut parts, adapting to your post-machining process:
- Batch storage: Complete cut sheets are automatically transferred to the storage tower for sorting later. This keeps the laser’s shuttle table clear immediately, minimizing idle time between jobs.
- Sorted storage: If you use a robot or operator to sort parts post-cut, the system accepts sorted components on pallets, organizing them by job or customer for easy retrieval.
This flexibility eliminates the “pile-up” problem common in manual shops, where cut parts stack up around the laser, blocking access and causing mix-ups. By integrating part storage into the same system that manages raw materials, Herochu creates a continuous flow—raw material in, finished parts out—with no breaks in between.
Why Herochu’s System Stands Out for Flow Organization
In a market flooded with generic storage solutions, Herochu’s Laser Cutting Automatic Storage System is built specifically to organise flow—not just store materials. Here’s what sets it apart:
- Flow-first design: Unlike systems that force you to rearrange your shop, Herochu adapts to your existing layout, integrating with your lasers and workflow.
- Data-backed results: We don’t just sell equipment—we use your own process data to prove how much time, labor, and scrap you’ll save.
- Compliance and reliability: CE, EU, and ISO 9001 certifications mean the system meets global safety and quality standards, with minimal downtime and easy maintenance.
- Accessible investment: Starting at $8,900, it’s a fraction of the cost of bulkier automation, with a faster ROI—often recouping costs in 6–12 months through increased laser utilization and reduced labor.
Transform Your Flow, Transform Your Productivity
If your laser machine is waiting for sheets, your operators are wasting time on material handling, or your cut parts are causing chaos, it’s time to reorganize your flow. Herochu’s Laser Cutting Automatic Storage System turns disjointed processes into a synchronized workflow, boosting laser utilization to 85% or higher, cutting labor costs, and eliminating material waste.
This isn’t just a storage system—it’s the nerve center of your laser cutting operation, ensuring every material movement is efficient, precise, and aligned with your production goals.
Ready to organise your flow and unlock your laser machine’s full potential? Contact Herochu today to start with a data-driven assessment and design a custom Automatic Storage System for your workshop.
