Introduction: Solving the Wooden Skid Problem

One of the most dangerous and wasteful tasks in a laser cutting workshop is the removal of wooden shipping skids from bundles of 6-meter (20-foot) metal sheets. These wooden frames protect the material during transit, but they become a liability once the material arrives at your facility. Removing them typically requires a forklift to lift the bundle, a team of workers to pry the wood loose, and careful restacking of the sheets onto a storage rack. This process exposes workers to pinch points and falling sheets, and it introduces delays in getting material into production.

The Horizontal Roll-Out Sheet Metal Storage System from Herochu eliminates this entire problem through an integrated depalletizer workflow. Instead of storing wood and metal together, the system separates them at the point of receipt, allowing you to load only clean, ready-to-cut metal into the roll-out drawers. This article describes how the Herochu horizontal system transforms the receiving dock into a seamless extension of the laser cutting cell.

The Hidden Costs of Storing Wood in Metal Racks

Many workshops make the mistake of placing entire wooden skids with their metal bundles into standard storage racks. This creates three immediate problems. First, wood reduces storage density. A 6m wooden skid can be 150mm thick, and if you have five skids, you have lost nearly a full level of vertical storage space. Second, wood absorbs moisture from the workshop environment, promoting rust on the bottom sheet of each bundle. Third, wood is a fire hazard. In a laser cutting workshop with high-energy sparks and hot slag, storing any combustible material near the cutting area violates basic fire safety codes.

The Herochu Horizontal Roll-Out Sheet Metal Storage System is designed to store metal only. The depalletizer workflow begins at the receiving bay. The incoming bundle (with wooden skid) is placed into a dedicated depalletizer frame. The operator uses the overhead crane to lift the entire bundle slightly, the wooden frame is manually removed from the side, and the metal sheets settle onto the depalletizer’s support arms. The wood is moved to a separate recycling area, and the metal is now ready for the storage rack.

Horizontal vs. Vertical Orientation: Why Horizontal Wins for Heavy Loads

There is an ongoing debate in material handling regarding vertical versus horizontal sheet storage. For sheet metal, the horizontal roll-out configuration offers distinct advantages over vertical “A-frame” or “lazy tong” systems. A horizontal rack maintains the sheet in its natural flat orientation. When you store a sheet vertically (on its edge), it is prone to edge damage and “flagging” (the top edge bends over time). Vertical storage also requires complicated clamping mechanisms to prevent the sheets from falling.

The Herochu Horizontal Roll-Out Sheet Metal Storage System keeps every sheet flat and supported. The roll-out mechanism means that any sheet on any level can be accessed without moving the sheets above it. This is a fundamental advantage over stacking or vertical tilt racks. For 6m sheets weighing up to 5,000 kg each, horizontal roll-out is the only safe and efficient method.

Workflow Integration: From Depalletizer to Laser Bed

The complete Herochu workflow consists of three stations: the receiving depalletizer, the horizontal roll-out storage towers, and the laser load station. Here is how a typical material movement occurs:

1. Receiving: A truck delivers ten 6m x 2000mm sheets of 10mm steel on a wooden skid. The overhead crane moves the bundle to the depalletizer frame.

2. Depalletizing: The operator lifts the bundle slightly, removes the wood, and lowers the metal onto the frame’s support arms. The wood is moved to a disposal bin.

3. Loading to Storage: The crane picks the top sheet from the depalletizer and moves it to an open drawer in the Herochu horizontal roll-out rack. The operator extends the drawer, places the sheet onto the urethane pads, and retracts the drawer.

4. Retrieval for Cutting: The ERP system releases a job. The operator moves to the rack, extends drawer #4, picks the required sheet with a vacuum lifter, and moves it to the laser’s shuttle table.

The entire cycle from receiving to cutting-ready takes less than 30 minutes for a full bundle. Without the Herochu system, that same process could take half a shift.

Technical Advantages of the Horizontal Roll-Out Design

The Herochu Horizontal Roll-Out Sheet Metal Storage System incorporates several technical features that set it apart from generic storage solutions:

• Multi-Point Support: Each drawer includes six longitudinal support beams, ensuring that a 6m sheet experiences zero deflection across its length.

• Variable Height Adjustment: The vertical spacing between drawers is adjustable in 25mm increments, allowing you to store thin sheets (1mm) and thick plates (25mm) in the same tower without wasted space.

• Anti-Sag Locking: When a drawer is extended, a mechanical lock engages to prevent any downward tilt. This ensures that the sheet remains level for accurate vacuum lifter placement.

• Seismic Restraint: In earthquake-prone regions, the system includes base isolators and top tie-bars that connect multiple towers together, preventing toppling.

Case Study: The Organized Workshop

Consider two hypothetical workshops processing the same volume of 6m sheets. Workshop A uses floor stacking and forklift-based retrieval. Their material storage area covers 300 square meters, they lose an average of 5% of their sheets to surface damage, and their laser experiences 90 minutes of idle time per shift waiting for material. Workshop B uses a Herochu Horizontal Roll-Out Sheet Metal Storage System with depalletizer workflow. Their storage footprint is 80 square meters, material damage is near zero, and laser idle time is under 10 minutes per shift.

Workshop B is not using more expensive equipment; they are using smarter organization. The Herochu system creates a predictable, repeatable, and safe material flow that enables just-in-time production. For any fabricator serious about competing in the modern laser cutting market, the horizontal roll-out sheet metal storage system is not optional—it is essential.

Conclusion: Clean Metal, Fast Access, Lower Risk

The Herochu Horizontal Roll-Out Sheet Metal Storage System solves the three biggest pain points in 6m sheet handling: the danger of wooden skids, the inefficiency of floor stacking, and the risk of surface damage. By integrating a depalletizer workflow and a full-extension roll-out drawer mechanism, Herochu delivers a storage solution that improves safety, increases laser utilization, and reduces material waste. Upgrading to Herochu is a strategic move toward operational excellence.