Sheet metal fabrication shops face a persistent challenge: raw material inventory occupies disproportionate floor space while remaining difficult to access and track. A facility running three laser cutting machines may stock 40 to 80 tonnes of steel plate across multiple grades and thicknesses. When that inventory sits on floor-level pallets or leans against workshop walls, the result is a hazardous, inefficient work environment where operators waste time hunting for the correct sheet.
An automated vertical sheet metal storage tower system from Herochu replaces this disorder with a structured, multi-level vertical warehouse that consolidates all plate inventory into a single footprint. Rather than spreading material across the shop floor, the tower stacks it upward — typically across 8 to 13 layers, with each drawer holding one or more plates sorted by material grade, thickness, and job priority.
Vertical Architecture and Space Economics
The defining characteristic of a Herochu automated vertical sheet metal storage tower system is its ability to reclaim factory square footage. A single tower occupying less than 10 square metres can house more than 60 tonnes of sheet metal, delivering an 85% reduction in the floor area previously consumed by horizontal storage methods. For a mid-sized fabrication shop paying industrial rent, the cost savings go well beyond convenience — they translate directly into lower operational overhead.
The tower body comprises two principal structural assemblies: the external frame and the motorised drive unit. Both are fabricated from large-section, high-strength thick-walled steel, providing the rigidity necessary to support multi-tonne drawer payloads without deflection. The frame integrates a bilateral column design reinforced with triangular oblique span beams — a geometry that distributes load paths efficiently across the structure and resists lateral forces during rapid vertical movement.
Each drawer rides on roller tracks at both ends. The travelling wheels and axles receive a blackening treatment that forms a magnetite (Fe₃O₄) surface layer, preventing rust and corrosion even in workshops with fluctuating humidity. A positioning safety device locks each drawer in place during retrieval and return cycles, preventing unintended movement under load.
Multi-Layer Drawer Organisation
Herochu designs each tower with independently accessible drawers arranged across multiple levels. This multi-layer configuration means operators — or automated retrieval mechanisms — select only the specific drawer containing the required sheet, without disturbing plates stored above or below. A 6-metre sheet of 304 stainless steel sitting on level 4 does not need to be moved to access a 3-metre mild steel plate on level 5.
Drawer dimensions are matched to common sheet formats: 3015 mm, 4015 mm, 4020 mm, 6015 mm, 6020 mm, and 6025 mm. Standard load ratings start at 3 tonnes per drawer and scale to 5 tonnes, with custom engineering available for 10-tonne drawer capacities in heavy-plate processing environments.
The idler wheel system beneath each drawer tray allows smooth horizontal extension and retraction even when fully loaded. A 5-tonne drawer rolls out for crane or forklift access with minimal manual effort, reducing the physical strain on operators and accelerating material changeover between production runs.
Drive System and Motion Control
Vertical lifting within the Herochu tower uses a heavy-duty chain drive mechanism paired with precision linear guide rails. The chain system transmits motor torque to the lifting carriage with minimal backlash, while the guide rails constrain lateral movement to within tight tolerances. Vertical travel speed reaches 9 metres per minute, and the drawer exchange cycle — the time required to extract a drawer, present it at the access station, and return it — runs at 12 metres per minute.
The motor assembly sits at the tower base within a sealed housing that isolates drive components from workshop dust and cutting debris. Maintenance access panels allow lubrication and chain-tension inspection without dismantling surrounding equipment.
Integration with Factory Workflows
A Herochu automated vertical sheet metal storage tower system connects directly to downstream production equipment. The tower positions retrieved sheets at a standardised pickup height where an overhead crane, forklift, or automated guided vehicle (AGV) collects the material and delivers it to the laser cutter, plasma table, or press brake station. This sequenced handoff eliminates the informal material staging areas that typically accumulate around busy machines.
For facilities pursuing lights-out manufacturing, the tower interfaces with 6-axis robotic loading arms. A robot arm extracts the designated sheet from the access station, places it onto the cutting bed, and signals the tower to prepare the next piece — all without human intervention. Production continues through night shifts while the only energy consumed is electricity.
Safety and Compliance
Every Herochu tower ships with CE certification and is manufactured under ISO 9001 quality management protocols. The positioning safety device on each drawer, combined with the structural over-engineering of the frame and drive components, ensures that load-bearing elements operate well within their rated capacities. Pre-shipment load testing at the 10,000-square-metre Jinan facility verifies that each tower meets its design specifications before crating and dispatch.
Customisation and Scalability
No two fabrication shops hold identical inventory profiles, and Herochu designs each automated vertical sheet metal storage tower system to match the specific material mix, throughput volume, and facility layout of the purchasing operation. Tower height, drawer count, drawer dimensions, and load ratings are configurable parameters rather than fixed catalogue options.
The standard configuration offers 8 to 13 levels, but tower height can extend to 15 or 20 drawer positions for facilities with generous ceiling clearance. A shop processing primarily 6-metre sheets on 6025 mm format drawers may select fewer levels with higher individual load ratings, while a shop running 3-metre sheets on 3015 mm drawers can accommodate more levels within the same overall tower height. This flexibility allows the tower to grow with the business — additional drawer levels can be field-installed on towers initially commissioned with fewer positions.
For multi-tower installations, Herochu provides a unified control architecture where one operator station manages retrieval across all towers. The touchscreen displays inventory by tower, by level, and by material category, giving the production supervisor a real-time overview of available stock. As production volumes grow, additional towers plug into the existing control network without replacing the operator interface hardware.
