Automated Adjustable Steel Pipes Racks: Herochu Multi-Layer Configurable Storage System

When designing a storage system for steel pipes, tubes, and structural profiles, the single most common mistake is assuming that one rack configuration fits all product mixes. In reality, a warehouse that handles 80% round pipe and 20% flat bar has completely different support requirements than one handling 50% I-beams and 50% angle iron. Fixed racking forces compromises: V-supports that work poorly for flats, or flat supports that allow rounds to roll off. The Herochu automated adjustable steel pipes racks solve this problem through per-level configurability, allowing each storage tier to have its own support geometry, load rating, and access priority.

The term “automated adjustable” in this context refers not to motorized reconfiguration of supports during operation (though that is technically possible as an option) but to the fact that the system’s physical rack structure can be adjusted during initial setup and reconfigured later as product mix changes. The rack towers are built from modular vertical columns with drilled flanges at 100mm increments. Storage supports—whether V-supports, flat bars, wide plates, or comb assemblies—bolt into these columns at the desired heights. Changing a storage level’s configuration requires unbolting the existing supports and bolting in the new type, a process that takes about 30 minutes per level and can be performed by facility maintenance staff. This is not daily adjustment but quarterly or annual reconfiguration as product lines evolve.

Each automated adjustable steel pipes rack tower has a standard width of 2.5 meters and a depth of 1.2 meters, sufficient to accommodate profiles up to 600mm in diameter or width. For longer profiles, the system uses multiple towers arranged in a row, with the gantry spanning the entire row length. The number of storage levels per tower ranges from 8 to 13, with level heights adjustable in 100mm increments from a minimum of 200mm to a maximum of 600mm. This adjustability is critical for mixed-profile warehouses. A level dedicated to 25mm diameter pipe needs only 100mm of vertical clearance above the pipe’s top surface. A level for 400mm I-beams needs 500mm. By matching level height to profile height, the system maximizes the number of levels within a given building height.

Load capacity per level is selectable at either 3 tonnes or 5 tonnes. The higher rating requires thicker support arms and closer column spacing, which reduces the maximum number of levels slightly because the columns themselves occupy more vertical space. For most applications, the 3-tonne per level rating is adequate. A 3-tonne capacity at a typical steel density of 7,850 kg/m³ corresponds to approximately 0.38 cubic meters of solid steel. For a 12-meter pipe with 200mm outer diameter and 10mm wall thickness, the weight per meter is about 47 kg, so a 12-meter length weighs 564 kg. A single level can therefore hold five such pipes side by side (total 2.82 tonnes) or more if smaller diameters are stored. The actual number of pieces per level depends on the support geometry and the stability of the stack.

The gantry system that serves these racks is a chain-driven, linear-guided machine with specifications identical to the wider Herochu product line: 9 m/min vertical lift, 12 m/min horizontal travel, chain drive transmission. What distinguishes the automated adjustable steel pipes racks configuration is the software integration. The warehouse control software maintains not just a location map but a full geometric model of each storage level’s support type and clearance dimensions. When an incoming profile is presented at the inbound station, the system measures it—either through pre-entered data, barcode lookup, or laser scanning—and then selects an appropriate storage level based on three criteria: support compatibility (round pipe to V-support only), weight capacity (cannot exceed the level’s rating), and clearance (profile height must be less than the level’s available vertical space). If no suitable level exists in the primary tower, the system either queues the profile for manual handling or, if the optional reconfiguration robot arm is installed, physically moves supports to create a compatible level—though this option is expensive and rarely justified.

The movement mechanism deserves detailed attention. The gantry carriage rides on linear guide rails that are embedded flush with the warehouse floor, eliminating trip hazards and allowing forklifts to cross the rails perpendicularly. The chain drive for horizontal travel is a dual-strand roller chain running in an enclosed track, with the motor and gearbox mounted at one end of the rail. Chain tension is maintained by a spring-loaded idler sprocket. Position feedback comes from an absolute rotary encoder on the motor shaft and limit switches at the ends of travel. For vertical lifting, a similar chain drive mechanism raises and lowers the gripper carriage. The gripper itself uses two or four retractable arms that slide out from the carriage to reach under the profile, lift it slightly off the supports, then retract to bring the profile into the carriage’s cradle for transport. This design prevents the profile from swinging during movement—a critical safety feature when handling multi-ton loads.

From a safety engineering perspective, automated adjustable steel pipes racks include multiple redundant protections. Each storage level has a load sensor that detects if a profile is present. The gantry will not deposit a new profile onto an occupied level unless the software explicitly allows multi-depth storage (stacking multiple profiles on the same support level, which is possible for flat supports but not for V-supports). Light curtains at the inbound and outbound stations prevent operation when personnel are in the loading area. Emergency stop buttons are located at both ends of the gantry rail and at the control panel. The chain drives have integral brakes that engage on power loss, holding the carriage in position rather than allowing it to free-fall or coast.

Installation of automated adjustable steel pipes racks requires a floor flatness tolerance of ±5mm over any 3-meter length. For existing warehouses with uneven floors, a leveling grout layer is poured before rail installation. The racks themselves are bolted to the floor using chemical anchors or cast-in bolts, depending on whether the floor was designed with storage system integration in mind. Herochu provides detailed foundation drawings after the site survey, including reinforcement requirements for areas under the heaviest loaded columns.

Cost-wise, automated adjustable steel pipes racks are more expensive per storage position than static cantilever racks. However, the total cost of ownership favors the automated system in most medium-to-high throughput applications. Static racks require forklift operation for every putaway and retrieval, which consumes labor, creates product damage risk, and occupies floor space for turning aisles. The automated system operates unattended during off shifts, can perform putaways and retrievals simultaneously (using multiple gantries), and integrates with inventory management systems to provide real-time location tracking. For warehouses processing more than 50 tonnes per day of mixed profiles, the automated system typically has a lower cost per tonne handled.

Herochu offers a configuration tool that allows customers to input their profile mix, daily throughput, building dimensions, and budget, then outputs a recommended rack configuration including number of towers, levels per tower, support types per level, and number of gantries. The tool is available online or through authorized Herochu distributors.