Q: What about the finished modules—does long-profile ASRS handle those too?
A: The long-profile ASRS is designed primarily for the input stream: rails, channels, and structural profiles feeding assembly. Finished modules have different handling requirements, including fragile glass surfaces and strict stack limits. In a PV factory, the two streams are typically addressed with complementary storage architectures rather than forcing one system to handle both.
Q: What does “ISO 9001 and CE certified” actually cover on a custom ASRS?
A: Certification applies to the manufacturing quality management system and the product’s conformity with applicable European health, safety, and environmental requirements. On a custom system, certification covers the engineered structure, the electrical and control components, and the safety devices—including anti-collision sensors and guarded access zones—rather than a fixed catalog design. Herochu’s systems are built to these certification standards as baseline specifications.

Q: How is safety handled when the system moves multi-ton bundles automatically?
A: Through a combination of physical guarding, sensor-based anti-collision devices, and control logic that prevents the gantry from entering an occupied zone. The operator interface is outside the rack aisle, and the automated cycle is interlocked so that manual access during motion is not possible. The safety architecture is designed into the custom configuration rather than added as an afterthought.

Q: Can a custom ASRS be expanded later without replacing the whole system?
A: In most cases, yes. The modular tower architecture allows additional tower sections and layers to be added within the original engineering envelope, and the gantry travel and control system can be extended to cover the expanded rack array. The practical constraint is the building’s height and floor capacity, not the storage system’s modularity.

Can the rack system feed a laser automatically? It presents material at the outfeed in a controlled position. Automated final transfer depends on the machine loader, and Herochu specifies that interface with the machine builder.

How does it handle mixed alloys of the same size? Through pocket allocation and WMS records: columns are reserved by material family, and request logic refuses a pick that does not match the alloy and heat number on the order.

What length range is practical? Stock frames cover 6,000 mm to 8,000 mm, 5 to 8 layers, 3,000 kg to 5,000 kg per level. Longer material is engineered per project.

Does it suit a shop with one laser and a hundred bundles? It suits a shop where retrieval time is a real constraint. At low pick frequency a well-organized cantilever layout may be cheaper, and Herochu quotes both.

How is the machine protected from a wrong pick? By WMS request logic, load confirmation at the fork and a check at the outfeed: a bundle that does not match the job is not released.

What is the maximum length a gantry ASRS can store? Stock frames cover 6,000 mm to 8,000 mm; longer bays are engineered per project. The practical limit is usually building length and rail cost, not the structure.

Can one gantry serve two rack rows? Yes, with the corridor between rows, though most long-material installations stay single-sided because a 7 m load needs fork-side clearance.

How is a 5,000 kg level capacity verified? By design calculation and a load test before handover. The figure assumes a distributed bundle load, so single heavy beams must be declared at quotation.

Does it work in an unheated shop? Yes. Cabinet and drive components are specified for the plant’s ambient range, and the steel structure is unaffected within normal industrial limits. Positioning is what needs checking on very long rails.

What maintenance does it need? Rail alignment checks, chain and drive inspection, sensor cleaning, and periodic verification of the position model. The WMS logs every fault for trend analysis.

How tall does a vertical tower need to be? Height follows layer count and material depth. A five-layer tower for 6 m profiles is much shorter than an eight-layer tower for 8 m beams, and both must clear the building structure by a working margin.

Can a tower store short offcuts? Yes. Some pockets can accept short and loose material alongside full-length bays, which suits the remnants a cutting line produces.

Is an automated tower justified for a small plant? It depends on pick frequency and material value. A plant retrieving stock several times a shift, or storing alloys that must be traceable, recovers the cost faster than one with a weekly delivery.

What about surface protection for coated aluminum? Contact faces, fork profiles and arm covers are specified for the finish; handling discipline at the infeed matters more than the tower itself.

Does the tower need a dedicated operator? No. The cycle runs from a WMS request or the touchscreen, and the operator supervises rather than drives.
Can the rack system feed a laser automatically? It presents material at the outfeed in a controlled position. Automated final transfer depends on the machine loader, and Herochu specifies that interface with the machine builder.

How does it handle mixed alloys of the same size? Through pocket allocation and WMS records: columns are reserved by material family, and request logic refuses a pick that does not match the alloy and heat number on the order.

What length range is practical? Stock frames cover 6,000 mm to 8,000 mm, 5 to 8 layers, 3,000 kg to 5,000 kg per level. Longer material is engineered per project.

Does it suit a shop with one laser and a hundred bundles? It suits a shop where retrieval time is a real constraint. At low pick frequency a well-organized cantilever layout may be cheaper, and Herochu quotes both.

How is the machine protected from a wrong pick? By WMS request logic, load confirmation at the fork and a check at the outfeed: a bundle that does not match the job is not released.

How many layers can a bay have? Five or six are standard, and both are customised to the material and crane height. Layer count, clear space and arm pitch are set at the order stage.

What loads are supported? 3,000 kg per level on the HC-G6053S and HC-G6053, 5,000 kg per level on the HC-G9065 and HC-G12065.

Can profiles and pipe share the same rack? Yes. Arms adjust individually, and arm stoppers can be fitted on pipe tiers only, so round and flat sections coexist in one frame.

Does it comply with European safety requirements? Herochu racks are built to CE and ISO 9001 standards, load-tested before dispatch, and delivered with structural documentation and steel certificates.

What is a full-extension crank-out steel storage rack? A cantilever rack whose arms extend the full length of the load on a manual crank, placing the bundle outside the rack envelope so a crane or forklift can lift it vertically.

How much weight does each level carry? 3,000 kg on the 6 m models, 5,000 kg on the 9 m and 12 m models. Layer count and clear space are customised to the material.

Can it be used outdoors or in an unheated building? Yes. With no electrical components and a powder-coated Q235B or Q355B frame, the system works in cold stores, canopies and open yards.

What maintenance does it require? Quarterly inspection of the pinion for debris, greasing of carriage rollers twice a year, stopper pin checks after impact, and annual anchor bolt torque verification.

Is the rack certified? Herochu racks comply with CE and ISO 9001 requirements, are load-tested before shipment, and are delivered with steel mill certificates and structural documentation.

How much weight can one level hold? Herochu rates 3,000 kg per level on the 6 m models and 5,000 kg on the 9 m and 12 m models, with frames built from Q235B or Q355B steel.

Does the system need electricity? No. Extension is purely mechanical, which suits unheated warehouses, outdoor canopies and sites without a reliable power supply.

Can one rack store pipe and flat bar together? Yes. Arm spacing and stopper type are set per tier, so round, square and flat sections can share a single frame. Standard bays cover 6,000 mm, 9,000 mm and 12,000 mm stock; longer spans are built as custom frames.

How does a roll-out pipe rack differ from a standard cantilever rack? The arms extend on a carriage driven by a manual crank. The stored bundle travels out to the crane instead of being dragged out by a forklift, which removes the digging cycle.

What is the maximum pipe length? Standard bays handle 6,000 mm, 9,000 mm and 12,000 mm stock. Longer or shorter spans are built as custom frames.

Can the rack be loaded and unloaded from both sides? Yes. The dual-side mechanical assistance design allows access from either face, which suits bays placed against a wall as well as free-standing runs.

How is the rack tested before delivery? Each assembled bay is load-tested to its rated level capacity and shipped with CE and ISO 9001 documentation plus mill certificates for the steel.

A manual crank rack is a cantilever storage system whose arms extend outward when an operator turns a hand crank. The loaded tier rolls clear of the rack frame so an overhead crane or forklift can pick a bundle vertically. Herochu builds these racks with Q235B steel, 5 adjustable layers, and per-tier load ratings of 3,000–5,000 kg.

How much load can one person move with a hand crank?

The crank’s mechanical advantage allows a single operator to extend arms carrying up to about 3 tons of steel bars without powered assistance. Actual effort depends on arm length, load distribution, and carriage bearing condition. Herochu recommends routine lubrication of the gear-and-rack train to keep crank effort low across the rack’s service life.

Do crank-out racks require electricity or compressed air?

No. The standard Herochu manual crank design is purely mechanical: gear, rack, carriage, and bearings. It runs without power in any bay, including areas where running electrical service to a rack would be costly or hazardous. This also removes motor maintenance and control-panel troubleshooting from the operator’s workload.

What pipe lengths can a Herochu crank rack store?

Herochu’s standard models cover 6,000 mm, 9,000 mm, and 12,000 mm pipe lengths. The open-front cantilever design avoids column interference, so long shafts and profiles can overhang without colliding with the frame. Arm spacing and layer count are customizable to match the actual bundle envelope rather than forcing material into a fixed slot.

Is a manual crank rack slower than a motorized roll-out rack?

For most tubing and pipe operations, the bottleneck is access, not arm speed. A crank extends in seconds and eliminates the repeated bundle shuffling that consumes minutes per pick. Published deployments of roll-out cantilever racks report average pick times around five minutes. Motorized versions make sense for very high transaction counts, but manual crank racks often deliver the same access benefit with lower maintenance exposure.

What is a manual pipe telescopic cantilever racking rack?

It is a cantilever storage rack whose arms extend outward on a carriage driven by a hand crank. The operator cranks the tier out, the pipe bundle moves clear of the rack frame, and a crane or forklift picks vertically. Herochu’s version uses Q235B steel, independent per-tier carriages, and 3–5 ton compartment ratings without electrical components.

How does a telescopic cantilever rack reduce picking time?

The rack eliminates the “digging” step. Instead of extracting a bundle from inside a static rack, the operator extends the entire tier into the aisle and picks from open air. Published roll-out cantilever deployments report average pick times around five minutes once this step is removed. The savings compound across every shift and every bundle.

Can the crank handle a full 5-ton compartment?

The crank is matched to the carriage and load path of the specific configuration. Herochu rates compartments at 3–5 tons depending on model and arm geometry. A single operator can extend several tons of steel bars with normal effort because the gear-and-rack train multiplies torque. Load distribution within the compartment affects effort, so bundles should be placed symmetrically on the arms.

Does a telescopic rack need a wider aisle than a fixed cantilever rack?

Usually no. The telescopic mechanism allows picks at full extension rather than requiring the crane or forklift to reach deep into a fixed frame. That can reduce the functional aisle width needed for safe retrieval and supports top-loading layouts. The compact retracted footprint further improves storage density compared with static racks that demand permanent clearance.

What pipe lengths and materials can Herochu racks handle?

Herochu’s standard configurations cover 6 m, 9 m, and 12 m pipes. The open-front design accommodates long shafts and profiles without column interference. Beyond steel pipe, the same platform stores aluminum extrusions, PVC pipe, timber, and heavy molds. Arm spacing and layer count are customizable to the actual material envelope.

Can a honeycomb rack handle the same bundle weight as a cantilever rack?
Per-level ratings on Herochu’s HC-series reach 3,000 kg, which is comparable to heavy-duty cantilever capacities. The more important comparison is the load pattern: honeycomb compartments isolate each bundle, while cantilever arms share a common load path.

What happens to retrieval effort as pipe diameter increases?
Larger and heavier bundles increase the force required in any system. The honeycomb advantage comes from the sliding interface—wheeled carts or low-friction rails—which reduces the pull force regardless of diameter, provided the compartment is sized for the bundle.

Can the clear space inside each compartment be different within one rack?
Yes, the clear space is a customisable parameter. A mixed inventory can use different compartment heights or widths across sections of the same rack, provided the structural frame and the discharge mechanism are configured accordingly.

Does customising the bay count affect the CE certificate?
It can, depending on how the certificate is written. Buyers should confirm whether the certification covers a parameter range or a fixed configuration, and request the scope in writing before the order is placed.

What is the maximum pipe length the HC-series can accommodate?
The HC-H12036-03 is configured for 12,000 mm material, while the HC-H6024-02 and HC-H9032-03 cover 6,000 mm and 9,000 mm respectively. Longer or intermediate lengths should be confirmed against the bay geometry during specification.

Can a Herochu honeycomb rack store both 6m and 12m pipe in the same structure?
Yes, through customisable bay counts and compartment dimensions. The HC-series spans 6000 mm to 12000 mm material lengths, and bays can be dedicated to specific diameter bands or length groups within one vertical frame.

What does “3000 kg per level” mean in practice?
It is the maximum uniformly distributed load the storage level is rated to support. For bundles with uneven weight distribution or concentrated loads, the effective capacity should be confirmed against the actual loading pattern before operation.

Does a CE-marked honeycomb rack automatically comply with EN 1090-1?
Not necessarily. The CE mark must reference the applicable harmonised standard and the conformity assessment route. Buyers should confirm the standard number, edition, and execution class on the certificate rather than relying on the mark alone.

Is EN 1090-1 required for a freestanding rack inside a factory?
It depends on classification. EN 1090-1 applies to structural steel components placed on the market as construction products. A freestanding rack may be assessed against the standard voluntarily or treated as internal storage equipment; the applicable route should be stated in the project specification.

What is the difference between EN 1090-1 and EN 1090-2?
EN 1090-1 sets the conformity assessment and factory production control requirements for CE marking. EN 1090-2 defines the technical execution rules for steel structures, including welding, tolerances, and inspection.

How much does a 6000 × 2500 mm plate weigh? Steel plate at that size weighs about 118 kg per millimetre of thickness, so 6 mm is roughly 0.7 tonnes, 12 mm about 1.4 tonnes, and 25 mm close to 2.9 tonnes. The drawer rating and the crane capacity are both set from that number.

Can the rack be loaded with a forklift instead of a crane? Yes, on forklift-loading configurations where the drawer face stays clear and the forks reach the load centre. Herochu checks truck capacity, fork length and the resulting load chart before confirming the design.

How many tiers fit under a 6 m crane? Usually five to six, depending on plate thickness. Tier pitch grows with the material, so a bay storing 25 mm plate serves fewer levels than one storing 3 mm sheet at the same building height.

Does the rack need a special foundation? It needs a checked one. A fully loaded bay can put 25–30 tonnes on a small footprint, so Herochu provides base plate loads for the structural engineer to verify against the slab design.

Can one rack store steel, stainless and aluminium? Yes. The frame is common and each drawer is allocated to one material. What matters is that the grades never share a drawer, and that stainless drawers are specified with liner decks and clean, painted frames.

Does stainless need a different rack from mild steel? It needs a different drawer. Carbon steel dust and rust particles damage the passive layer on stainless, so the practical rule is a dedicated drawer, a non-marking deck and no shared storage with raw steel.

How much does aluminium sheet weigh compared with steel? Aluminium is about 2.7 kg/dm³ against 7.85 kg/dm³ for steel, roughly a third. A drawer rated at 3,000 kg holds a far taller stack of aluminium than of steel, which is why clear space is set from bundle height.

Can the rack handle offcuts as well as full sheets? Yes, and that is where drawer allocation earns its keep. Assign one or two drawers to remnant stock by grade, and the offcuts stop migrating into the full-sheet bays.

Is a crane needed for non-ferrous plate? A crane or vacuum lifter is usually preferred, because magnets do not work on aluminium or stainless. Forklift loading is available on configurations with clear drawer faces, provided the forks reach the load centre.

What a feeding system replaces

On a manual fiber laser cell the operator performs three tasks that have nothing to do with cutting: lifting a sheet off a pallet, aligning it to the stops, and dragging the cut skeleton away afterwards. Each one stops the machine. A modern source cuts 1 mm mild steel faster than a person can walk a sheet around the table.

Machine hour rates for a 6 kW fiber laser typically run several times the hourly cost of the operator standing beside it, so idle minutes cost more than the labor they save. Feeding automation closes that gap. It does not cut headcount.

Herochu’s approach is mechanical: a bridge gantry over the sheet stack, a vacuum frame that lifts one sheet at a time, and a tine fork that slides under the finished part to unload it. No robot arm, no gripper changeover, no teaching routine when the job changes.

Four motions in every feed cycle

1. Approach. The frame descends to the top of the stack. Lifting stroke is 700 mm as standard, customizable when pallet or table height differs.
2. Pick and verify. Cups pull vacuum and a pressure switch confirms the sheet is held. If vacuum fails, the cycle aborts before the gantry moves.
3. Transfer. The bridge carries the sheet at 5–10 m/min and lowers it onto the support slats.
4. Locate and release. The blank is pushed against fixed stops, vacuum is vented, the gantry returns home, and the laser starts its program.

Unloading mirrors the sequence. Tines slide beneath the cut sheet, lift it clear of the slats, and carry it to the output stack. Because they support the material from below across its full width, tines handle skeletons and thin parts that vacuum would drop.

Sheet separation decides reliability

Double-pick is the most common feeding fault, and it is rarely a vacuum problem. Oil film, condensation, and the slight suction between two polished sheets hold them together. If two sheets reach the bed, the laser cuts the wrong thickness and the part is scrap.

Three countermeasures are standard on Herochu loaders: corner-only cup placement, where sheets are least likely to be sealed by oil; a separation cycle that lifts the sheet, breaks the edge seal with a short air pulse, then re-checks vacuum; and thickness confirmation at pickup, taken from a frame sensor or from the laser’s own sheet-detection signal.

Shops running hot-rolled or pickled material should specify the separation cycle. It costs roughly two seconds per sheet and removes most of the scrap risk.

Sizing the feeder to the cutter

The load rating is a stack rating, not a sheet rating. A 500 kg unit covers a full pallet of 3 mm sheet at 3000×1500 mm, or a partial pallet of 8 mm. Size on the pallet weight your steel supplier actually delivers, then add margin for a wet or oily stack.

Where the time goes

Take a shop cutting 1.5 mm mild steel, 200 sheets a day across two shifts. Manual handling averages four minutes per sheet including walk time and skeleton removal — 800 minutes, or more than 13 hours of machine time. Automated load and unload usually returns three of those four minutes to cutting.

At that recovery the investment pays back against machine hour rate, not the wage bill — the framing that usually gets a capital request approved.

Settle layout and signals first

Two constraints decide feasibility before price does. Floor space: the gantry needs clearance on the loading side and a travel path clear of walkways, forklift lanes, and the chiller. Signal compatibility: the loader must read table-clear and program-end from the laser, and write sheet-present back.

Herochu systems use a standard handshake, which is why they fit existing fiber cutters as well as new installations. Ask both suppliers for the I/O list in writing before signing. Retrofits fail on documentation far more often than on mechanics.

FAQ

What is an industrial laser cutters feeding system? A gantry-mounted handling unit that lifts sheet metal from a stack with vacuum cups and places it on a laser cutting bed at a repeatable position, replacing manual loading. Most installations also unload cut sheets with a tine fork.

How long does one load cycle take? Typically 20–40 seconds including travel and stack approach, with lifting speed of 5–10 m/min and 700 mm standard stroke. On most jobs the laser is still cutting when the next sheet is staged.

Can it handle different sheet sizes without changeover? Yes. The vacuum frame is sized for the maximum format, and smaller blanks are held by the cup group that falls inside their outline. No mechanical retooling is required between sizes.

Does it prevent two sheets being picked at once? Corner cup placement, a short separation pulse, and a vacuum re-check before transfer. If separation fails, the cycle stops instead of feeding a double sheet into the laser.

Key takeaways

• Feeding automation pays back against machine hour rate, not labor cost.
• Sheet separation, not lifting capacity, is the reliability bottleneck.
• Verify the 700 mm stroke against your actual pallet and table heights.
• A standard I/O handshake makes retrofit on existing lasers practical.
• Tine unloading handles skeletons that vacuum cannot grip.

The Automatic Overhead Tube Vertical Storage Solutions for Long Materials category exists to solve precisely this problem. Instead of spreading inventory horizontally, these systems lift material into a vertical matrix where every storage position is tracked, accessible, and delivered on demand.

What “Overhead” Actually Means in Practice

An overhead tube storage system operates on a fundamentally different geometry than floor-level racking. The core mechanism is a traveling carriage that runs on elevated runways, carrying a suspended lifting platform that moves independently in the vertical direction . Horizontal travel and vertical lift are driven by separate servo axes.

This separation matters more than it might appear. Horizontal positioning is unaffected by floor unevenness or debris. Vertical lift travel is not constrained by building floor conditions. Each axis carries a simpler motion profile and a more direct fault-diagnosis path .

Herochu engineers its overhead systems around the specific structural conditions of each facility. For steel-frame buildings, runways suspend from roof beams or dedicated support structures. For concrete buildings, chemical anchors or embedments transfer runway loads to structural members. The company performs structural load calculations for every project and coordinates with the customer’s structural engineer .

Why Tube Handling Demands Specialized Design

Tubes behave differently under dynamic loads than solid bars. Round pipe tends to roll during acceleration and deceleration. Thin-wall tube can ovalize under point-load support. Square and rectangular hollow sections require lateral restraint to maintain alignment.

Herochu addresses these behaviors through customized support configurations. V-cradles provide self-centering restraint for round pipe. Flat supports with lateral stops maintain alignment for square and rectangular tube. For thin-wall material, support spacing is calculated based on tube diameter, wall thickness, and material yield strength to prevent ovalization .

Open-bottom drawers are another practical detail. Cut and machined tubes carry chips and coolant residue. Open bottoms allow debris to fall through during storage rather than accumulating in the drawer, reducing cleaning downtime and lowering the risk of debris falling onto the aisle below during gantry movement .

Digital Inventory: From Searching to Calling

Manual warehousing accuracy depends on tags, chalk marks, and spreadsheets. Once a night-shift operator moves a bundle without logging it, the data is wrong. Herochu binds inventory management directly to the PLC. Siemens S7-1200 controllers communicate over PROFINET, and a 12-inch HMI provides real-time stock display with one-key bundle calls. Closed-loop logging automatically tracks SKU locations, storage duration, and production orders .

When integrated with ERP or WMS platforms, inventory data flows bi-directionally. Production scheduling can see what tube is physically on site. Purchasing can see when replenishment is needed. The transaction log provides an auditable path for every bundle from receiving to consumption .

The Speed Numbers That Matter

Herochu’s overhead tube systems achieve lift speeds of 40 m/min and carriage traverse speeds of 100 m/min. Gantry handler exchange and lift speeds run 5–15 m/min. Retrieval cycles complete in under 90 seconds .

Speed adjustability is an operational feature worth noting. Operators can adjust speed profiles through the touchscreen to match material type and downstream urgency. A bundle of thin-wall tube headed to a just-in-time cutting line can move at full speed. Precision-ground bar for finishing may receive a gentler profile, reducing inertial effects on surface quality .

Safety Architecture Above Ground

A structural advantage of overhead systems is that the danger zone sits above personnel traffic. Suspended loads travel above walkways, eliminating the pedestrian collision risk common in forklift handling. Herochu adds multiple protection layers: laser distance sensors scan ahead and behind the travel path, overload sensors prevent exceeding rated load, and emergency stop circuits provide redundant protection .

Frequently Asked Questions

What material lengths can Herochu overhead tube systems handle?
Standard configurations support 6,000 mm to 8,000 mm tube. Custom configurations extend to 12,000 mm .

How much floor space does an overhead system actually free up?
Because storage moves vertically, the ground-level footprint is limited to the gantry envelope and picking aisle. Herochu reports floor space reductions exceeding 80 percent compared with conventional floor storage layouts requiring 1,500 square feet or more .

Can the system store different tube specifications simultaneously?
Yes. Multiple profile specifications—round, square, rectangular, and structural sections—can be stored together with customized support cradles for each type .

The system scales capacity by increasing the number of suction cups, expanding cup diameter, and reinforcing the structural frame. A 1000 kg configuration uses twelve to sixteen cups arranged in a balanced grid, compared to the eight-cup standard on Herochu’s 500 kg models. Independent cup valves provide redundancy so the system maintains holding force even if individual cups lose contact.

What materials can a 1000 kg vacuum handling system lift?

The system handles carbon steel plate, stainless steel plate, and aluminum plate in thicknesses from 6 mm to 25 mm and above. Vacuum cups grip these materials equally well because they rely on surface flatness rather than magnetic properties.

What safety features does a 1000 kg vacuum lifter include?

Herochu heavy-capacity systems include emergency air cut-off protection with an expanded reservoir, automatic braking that locks the lifting mechanism, and real-time vacuum pressure monitoring with low-holding-force alarms. These layered systems prevent uncontrolled sheet descent in power loss or equipment fault scenarios.

Can an existing overhead crane support a 1000 kg vacuum handling system?

The crane must be rated for the combined weight of the vacuum lifter and the maximum sheet load. Herochu provides mounting hardware for standard crane hooks and can configure systems for double-hook arrangements. A structural assessment of the crane and building framework should confirm the rated capacity before installation.

How much weight can a pneumatic manipulator handle?

The Herochu pneumatic manipulator is rated for 500 kg load capacity. The pneumatic balancing system counterweights the plate weight, so the operator provides directional control while compressed air supplies the lifting force.

What safety features prevent dropped loads in a pneumatic manipulator?

The emergency air cut-off protection system traps residual air in the cylinder if the air supply is interrupted, maintaining balancing force for a controlled descent. The anti-collision device prevents the arm from striking adjacent equipment. These systems work together to protect personnel and material during air supply faults.

Can a pneumatic manipulator handle non-metal materials?

Yes. The vacuum pad grips metal, plastic, aluminum, rubber, and composite materials. The gripping mechanism relies on surface flatness and vacuum pressure rather than material-specific properties, so the same manipulator handles diverse material types without configuration changes.

What control options are available on the Herochu pneumatic manipulator?

Both manual and automatic control configurations are available. Manual control gives operators direct input over each motion for variable-batch work. Automatic control sequences repeatable motions for production runs with consistent plate sizes. A pull lever release mechanism provides positive control over sheet release in both modes.

The Herochu jib crane vacuum lifter uses vacuum suction to grip sheets and a motorized jib boom to handle horizontal travel. Operators guide the sheet with light directional input rather than lifting its full weight. The system stops and holds position at any point, eliminating the sustained muscle effort required for manual positioning.

What positioning accuracy can a jib crane vacuum lifter achieve on a laser cutting bed?

Servo-driven actuators with computer control provide repeatable positioning accuracy within ±2 mm. This precision ensures sheets align correctly on the laser cutting bed without manual adjustment cycles.

Can the jib crane vacuum lifter handle different laser cutting machine sizes?

Yes. The 3600 mm boom and 220° rotation angle accommodate various machine layouts. The HC-RP series handles sheets up to 4000 × 2000 mm, covering most laser cutting bed sizes used in fabrication shops.

How does sheet separation prevent double-sheet loading on a laser cutting machine?

The separation mechanism breaks the oil film bond between stacked sheets before the vacuum cups complete the lift. This ensures the lifter picks one sheet per cycle, preventing jams and material damage on the laser cutting bed.

What sheet sizes can a crane mounted vacuum lifter handle?

Herochu crane mounted vacuum lifters accommodate sheets up to 4000 × 2000 mm with a maximum load capacity of 500 kg, depending on the model. The eight-cup configuration with 200 mm diameter cups provides stable contact across the full sheet surface.

Can a vacuum lifter handle stainless steel and aluminum sheets?

Yes. Vacuum suction cups grip any flat, non-porous surface regardless of magnetic properties. Herochu lifters handle carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum sheets interchangeably, which makes them more versatile than magnetic lifters in mixed-material workshops.

What happens to the sheet if power fails during a lift?

Herochu crane mounted vacuum lifters include emergency air cut-off protection that maintains suction during power interruptions. The vacuum reservoir holds the sheet long enough for a controlled descent, and the automatic braking system locks mechanical components to prevent uncontrolled drops.

How does the sheet separation function work?

When the vacuum cups contact the top sheet of a stack, the separation mechanism applies controlled force to break oil film bonds between sheets. This prevents the lifter from picking up two sheets simultaneously, which protects downstream equipment from jams and material damage.

Herochu designs crane mounted vacuum lifters specifically for workshops processing carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum sheets. The system attaches directly to an existing overhead crane hook, turning a standard crane into a precision sheet handling station without structural modifications to the building.

How Crane Mounted Vacuum Lifters Work

The lifter generates vacuum through a powered pump connected to an array of suction cups. When the cups contact a flat sheet surface, the pump evacuates air between the cup and the material, creating a pressure differential that holds the sheet securely. A vacuum reservoir maintains grip even if power drops momentarily, and a check valve system preserves suction during crane transit.

Herochu equips its crane mounted units with eight suction cups measuring 200 mm in diameter. This multi-cup layout distributes holding force across the sheet surface, preventing sagging on thinner gauges and accommodating sheets up to 4000 × 2000 mm.

Core Features

Lightweight Structural Design

The lifter body uses a modular frame that disassembles into manageable sections. This construction reduces overall crane load, leaving more rated capacity for the sheet itself. Workshop teams can disassemble the unit for maintenance without specialized lifting equipment.

Safety Protection

Every Herochu crane mounted vacuum lifter ships with emergency air cut-off protection as standard. If the air supply or power is interrupted, the system holds the sheet for a controlled descent rather than an instantaneous release. An automatic braking system locks mechanical components during emergencies, protecting both personnel and the material below.

Versatile Material Compatibility

The vacuum cups grip carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum sheets equally well. Unlike magnetic lifters, vacuum systems do not depend on the material’s magnetic properties. This means a single Herochu lifter can move a batch of mild steel plates and then immediately handle aluminum or stainless sheets without equipment changes.

Technical Specifications

The 220° rotation angle allows operators to turn sheets for orientation changes without setting the load down. A 700 mm lifting stroke provides clearance over machine beds and storage racks.

Workshop Applications

Steel service centers use crane mounted vacuum lifters to move sheets from delivery trucks to storage racks, and from storage to cutting tables. Fabrication shops deploy them above laser cutting machines, plasma tables, and press brakes. In each scenario, the vacuum lifter eliminates the manual lifting, pushing, and positioning that cause musculoskeletal injuries.

The sheet separation function addresses a common workshop problem: oiled sheets sticking together. When a vacuum lifter picks the top sheet from a stack, a separation mechanism breaks the oil film bond, preventing double-sheet pickups that can jam feeding systems.

Comparing Vacuum and Magnetic Lifting Methods

Workshops choosing between vacuum and magnetic lifters should consider material range, surface protection, and operational flexibility. Magnetic lifters only grip ferrous materials—carbon steel and some stainless grades. They cannot handle aluminum, copper, or non-magnetic stainless alloys. Vacuum lifters grip any flat, non-porous surface, making them suitable for mixed-material operations.

Magnetic lifters also leave residual magnetism in thin sheets, which can interfere with downstream processes like welding or laser cutting. Vacuum lifters leave no physical or magnetic residue on the sheet surface. For operations supplying cut parts to precision fabrication downstream, this surface cleanliness matters.

The trade-off is that vacuum lifters require a clean, relatively flat sheet surface to achieve full holding force. Heavily rusted or warped sheets reduce cup contact area and holding capacity. In practice, most workshop sheet stock arrives in condition suitable for vacuum handling.

Why Choose Herochu

Herochu engineers its vacuum lifting systems around three priorities: operator safety, material protection, and throughput. The modular frame design means spare parts swap out quickly, minimizing downtime. The standardized safety systems meet workshop compliance requirements without adding operator complexity.

The CE, ISO 9001, and RoHS compliance marks on Herochu equipment confirm that the design, manufacturing process, and material selections meet international standards. One year warranty coverage backs every unit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sheet sizes can a crane mounted vacuum lifter handle?

Herochu crane mounted vacuum lifters accommodate sheets up to 4000 × 2000 mm with a maximum load capacity of 500 kg, depending on the model. The eight-cup configuration with 200 mm diameter cups provides stable contact across the full sheet surface.

Can a vacuum lifter handle stainless steel and aluminum sheets?

Yes. Vacuum suction cups grip any flat, non-porous surface regardless of magnetic properties. Herochu lifters handle carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum sheets interchangeably, which makes them more versatile than magnetic lifters in mixed-material workshops.

What happens to the sheet if power fails during a lift?

Herochu crane mounted vacuum lifters include emergency air cut-off protection that maintains suction during power interruptions. The vacuum reservoir holds the sheet long enough for a controlled descent, and the automatic braking system locks mechanical components to prevent uncontrolled drops.

How does the sheet separation function work?

When the vacuum cups contact the top sheet of a stack, the separation mechanism applies controlled force to break oil film bonds between sheets. This prevents the lifter from picking up two sheets simultaneously, which protects downstream equipment from jams and material damage.