Not every warehouse has the luxury of standardized dimensions. Ceiling heights vary, floor plans irregular, and existing columns or mezzanines create obstructions that off-the-shelf storage equipment cannot accommodate. The Herochu Custom Size Steel Vertical Profile Storage Unit solves this problem by offering a storage solution built to the exact dimensions required, without compromising on load capacity or automation potential.

The term “custom size” in this context applies to three critical parameters: overall height, number of storage layers, and profile support geometry. While standard units typically offer 8 to 13 levels and overall heights of 6015, 6020, or 6025 mm, the custom version accepts any height from 4000 mm up to 12,000 mm. The number of layers scales accordingly, with each layer maintaining a clear opening height sufficient for the tallest profile stored. For a warehouse with 9-meter ceilings, Herochu engineers calculate the optimal layer count to maximize storage while leaving adequate clearance for the gantry robot’s vertical lift mechanism.

The steel construction of the custom unit follows rigorous engineering standards. Main structural columns are fabricated from high-strength S355 or S460 steel, with flange thicknesses increased in taller units to prevent buckling. All connections are bolted rather than welded where field assembly is required, but for maximum rigidity, Herochu offers shop-welded modules that bolt together at the site. Finite element analysis validates each custom design, ensuring that the structure’s natural frequency does not coincide with any excitation frequencies from the chain drive or gantry motion.

Load capacity per layer remains either 3 tonnes or 5 tonnes, even in custom sizes. This consistency is achieved by scaling the support beam cross-sections and rail sizes proportionally with span length. For a custom unit that is wider than standard—for example, to store 15-meter bars instead of 12-meter—Herochu recalculates beam deflections and upgrades the linear guide rail size from 25 mm to 32 mm or 35 mm as needed. The result is a unit that performs identically to standard models despite its non-standard dimensions.

The storage unit operates as a vertical tower, meaning that material is stored in horizontal positions and retrieved by a gantry that travels along the front face. This configuration is ideal for steel profiles, bars, tubes, and extrusions. The custom size capability extends to the gantry’s travel length as well. If the custom unit has a longer overall width to accommodate longer profiles, the guide rails for the gantry are extended correspondingly. Herochu sources rails in continuous lengths up to 6 meters and splices them with precision alignment jigs to achieve any required total length.

Movement on the custom unit uses the same linear guide rail plus chain drive system as the standard models. Vertical lifting speed remains 9 m/min, and inlet/outlet speed remains 12 m/min. These speeds are intentionally conservative to ensure stability when handling long, flexible profiles. For stiffer materials like heavy-walled tubes or solid steel bars, Herochu can optionally increase these speeds via parameter adjustment, but the default settings provide the best balance of throughput and safety across mixed material types.

The transmission mode is chain drive throughout. In custom tall units, Herochu adds intermediate chain tensioners to prevent sagging over long vertical runs. These tensioners are spring-loaded and self-adjusting, requiring no manual intervention. The chains themselves are ANSI 80 or 100 series, depending on load, with a safety factor of 8:1 relative to the maximum static load. For environments with abrasive dust—common in steel processing—Herochu offers sealed-for-life chain links with O-rings that retain lubrication while excluding contaminants.

Profile support within the custom unit is optionally selectable. Standard supports are fixed-position cantilever arms, but for custom applications, Herochu provides adjustable supports that can be repositioned manually or via motorized indexing. An adjustable support system is particularly valuable when a warehouse handles a wide range of profile widths. For example, morning operations might store 50 mm square bars, while afternoon operations store 200 mm wide channels. With fixed supports, the narrower bars would tip; with adjustable supports, the unit reconfigures between batches.

The custom unit also accommodates specialized profile types beyond simple bars and tubes. Angle irons, U-channels, I-beams, and even asymmetric extrusions can be stored if the profile supports are shaped accordingly. Herochu maintains a library of support geometries and can fabricate custom-shaped polyurethane or steel cradles matched to a customer’s specific profile cross-section. This level of customization extends to bundled profiles as well—the system can handle wire-bound or strapped bundles of multiple bars, treating the bundle as a single storage unit.

From an integration standpoint, the custom-size steel vertical profile storage unit interfaces with the same control systems as standard units. The PLC is pre-programmed with scaling factors that account for the custom dimensions. When the unit is taller than standard, the vertical lift limits are adjusted; when wider, the horizontal travel limits expand accordingly. The HMI automatically displays the correct axis ranges without requiring custom software development. This plug-and-compatibility approach reduces commissioning time even for highly custom units.

Herochu’s engineering team provides full layout drawings, foundation load calculations, and seismic bracing designs for each custom unit. Installations proceed with the same warranty and support as standard products. For warehouses that have been told their space is “too irregular” for automation, the Herochu Custom Size Steel Vertical Profile Storage Unit proves otherwise. By building the storage unit to fit the space rather than forcing the space to fit the equipment, Herochu opens automated storage to facilities that previously had no practical option.