6-Layer Heavy Duty Drawer Type Sheet Metal Racks

Roll out sheet metal rack storage solution

Sheet metal storage rack for steel plates

Sheet metal storage rack systems of manufacturing facilities

6-Layer Heavy Duty Drawer Type Sheet Metal Racks

Traditional cantilever racks and floor stacking force operators into a costly dance of forklifts, spotters, and wasted production hours. The Herochu drawer rack reimagines this workflow entirely. Each all-welded steel drawer glides outward completely, exposing the entire sheet surface for immediate crane access or direct loading into adjacent machinery. No more partial pulls. No more dangerous overreaching. No more scratching your head wondering which material hides beneath three other stacks.

6-Layer Heavy Duty Drawer Type Sheet Metal Racks

Industrial-Strength Sheet Metal Storage That Adapts to Your Workflow: Herochu 6-Layer Heavy Duty Drawer Racks

When every square foot of your fabrication floor carries a premium and every minute of machine downtime chips away at your margins, conventional pallet stacking and forklift-dependent material handling stops making sense. Herochu’s 6-layer drawer-type sheet metal rack systems answer a specific challenge that modern metal fabricators face: how to store multiple tons of raw sheet stock within arm’s reach of your laser cutter, turret punch, or shear—without sacrificing accessibility, safety, or vertical space efficiency. Starting at $5,680 for standard configurations, these CE, UE, and ISO 9001-certified steel storage solutions deliver a robust 5,500-pound load capacity per shelf while extending a full 100% on precision roller bearings.

Engineered for the Realities of High-Volume Fabrication

The standard 84-inch height (7 feet) strikes a deliberate balance—tall enough to capitalize on vertical cube space, yet compact enough to avoid interfering with overhead crane operations or sprinkler systems in facilities with standard ceiling clearances. Units configured with 4 to 8 shelves offer partition layer heights ranging from 5 7/8 inches to 15 9/32 inches, accommodating everything from thin gauge aluminum to thick plate steel without forcing you into a one-size-fits-all storage geometry.

What “Heavy Duty” Actually Means Here

Let’s cut through marketing fluff. When Herochu rates a drawer at 5,500 pounds, we’re talking about a distributed load capacity achieved through 5mm+ structural steel framing and chassis components that won’t deflect under concentrated stress. The four roller bearing assemblies per drawer aren’t off-the-shelf furniture slides—they’re industrial-grade steel wheels running on hardened tracks, designed for cycle counts that exceed 10,000 full extensions before requiring service. The integrated pull-out mechanism eliminates the synchronization issues that plague cable-drawn systems; each drawer operates independently with a positive-lock engagement that prevents drift under vibration.

Optional steel decking reinforces the load-bearing surface, preventing thinner materials from sagging between support members. For shops running automated load/unload systems, this creates a consistently flat pickup plane for suction cups or magnetic lifters.

Model Decoding: Finding Your Exact Fit

Herochu’s model nomenclature looks cryptic at first glance but communicates precise specifications once you understand the logic. Take the popular HC-B3015-63 as an example:

HC: Herochu Constant Storage
B: Board type (sheet metal configuration)
30: 3,000mm sheet length capacity
15: 1,500mm sheet width capacity
6: Six total layers (5 active drawers + 1 fixed top)
3: 3-ton load capacity per drawer

Applying this framework, the HC-B4015-63 handles 4,000mm x 1,500mm sheets across six tiers with 3-ton capacity. Step up to the HC-B4020-65 and you get 4,000mm x 2,000mm capacity with 5-ton per drawer rating—a favorite among shipyards and heavy equipment manufacturers. The HC-B6020-66 pushes dimensions to 6,000mm x 2,000mm with a substantial 6-ton per tier capacity, purpose-built for architectural panel fabricators and large-scale HVAC contractors managing oversized blanks.

Each model maintains consistent external dimensions relative to sheet size, ensuring your layout planning remains predictable. The HC-B3015-63, for instance, measures 4,505mm in length, 2,280mm in height, and 2,500mm in width when drawers are closed—dimensions that slip cleanly into standard bay configurations without bespoke facility modifications.

Customization That Starts From Standard

While four standard models cover roughly 80% of fabrication shop requirements, Herochu’s engineering team treats customization as a core competency rather than an afterthought. Need only five active layers instead of six? The partition height available can be adjusted from 220mm upward to accommodate your specific material bundle thicknesses. Running an unusually thick material that requires 400mm clearance? The modular upright system rebays without compromising structural integrity.

Color customization goes beyond aesthetics—match your corporate identity, designate material types by color-coding drawers, or implement safety zone visual management. Powder coating isn’t merely decorative; the thermoset polymer finish provides genuine corrosion protection and anti-rust properties for shops operating in humid climates or near chemical processing areas. ESD protection options safeguard sensitive electronics manufacturing environments where static discharge could compromise finished components.

Quantified Benefits: Beyond the Bullet Points

Consider the ripple effects of placing a Herochu rack directly adjacent to your fiber laser. A typical sheet changeover using a forklift and operator might consume 8-12 minutes—unstaging material, maneuvering through aisles, positioning, and returning. With material pre-loaded in a drawer rack, that same changeover drops to under 2 minutes: extend the drawer, attach crane hooks, lift directly into the machine. Across 15 changeovers per shift, you’re reclaiming nearly two hours of productive machine time daily. That’s not theoretical; that’s a 16% capacity increase from a single storage decision.

Man-hour reduction compounds quickly. Eliminating the dedicated forklift driver for material staging means that operator can be reassigned to value-added tasks—inspection, secondary finishing, or quality control. In a three-shift operation, that recovers 24 labor hours per day, equivalent to $600-$900 in daily payroll savings depending on your regional wage rates.

Floor space mathematics tell a similar story. A stacking area for 20 tons of mixed sheet stock might consume 400 square feet of floor space. The same material volume in a Herochu vertical rack occupies 120 square feet—70% space recovery that can be repurposed for additional machinery or workflow expansion. When industrial real estate costs $8-$15 per square foot annually, that spatial efficiency translates to $2,240-$4,200 in annual occupancy cost avoidance per rack.

Safety as a Design Parameter, Not a Sticker

Sheet metal handling injures more fabricators than most shop managers realize. The combination of sharp edges, significant mass, and awkward dimensions creates pinch points, slip hazards, and strain injuries. Herochu’s full-extension drawers eliminate the need for manual wrestling—material sits at a controlled height, accessed positively with mechanical assistance. The integrated locking mechanism prevents accidental drawer movement during crane operations, while the low-profile base (355mm ground clearance on the bottom layer) keeps the center of mass manageable for initial loading.

Overhead crane loading becomes intuitive rather than precarious. With the drawer extended, the crane operator maintains clear sightlines to all pick points without leaning over stacked material or navigating between rack bays. This visibility reduces dropped load incidents and the associated equipment damage and personnel risk.

Certifications That Mean Something in Global Supply Chains

The CE marking isn’t self-declared; it indicates conformity with EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, covering essential health and safety requirements for mechanical equipment. The ISO 9001 certification audits Herochu’s manufacturing processes, from steel procurement through final assembly, ensuring dimensional tolerances remain consistent batch-to-batch. For OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, these certifications streamline your own supplier qualification processes and satisfy quality management system requirements without redundant audits.

Installation Realities: Countertop Simplicity, Floor-Mount Security

Despite the “countertop installation” classification in technical datasheets, these aren’t benchtop units. The designation refers to the assembly methodology—units ship in pre-welded modules that bolt together with basic tools, avoiding complex field welding or specialized rigging. A two-person crew can typically install a standard six-layer unit in 4-6 hours using only a forklift for positioning and a torque wrench for structural bolts.

Floor anchoring remains critical. Each unit includes pre-drilled base plates designed for 12mm expansion anchors into concrete. While the rack’s footprint distributes load effectively, seismic considerations and dynamic loads from crane operations necessitate positive floor attachment. Herochu provides engineered anchor patterns and load calculations for permitting authorities when required.

Application-Specific Configurations Emerging From the Field

Automotive stamping operations increasingly pair these racks with servo-electric press brakes, staging different grades of high-strength steel on separate tiers for just-in-time die changes. Aerospace contractors leverage the ESD protection option to store clad aluminum and titanium sheets in climate-controlled segments of the shop, maintaining material certification traceability by dedicating drawers to specific heat lots.

In architectural metalworking, where copper and zinc panels require scratch-free handling, fabricators specify ultra-smooth powder coat finishes and add felt-lined drawer surfaces. The full extension proves invaluable when inspecting full-length panels for finish consistency before installation.

Even waste management operations have adopted modified versions, storing heavy-gauge replacement screens and wear plates for shredders and sorting equipment within arm’s reach of maintenance bays—turning what used to be a 30-minute forklift retrieval into a five-minute drawer pull.

Maintenance: Designed for Uptime, Not Service Calls

The roller bearing system requires lubrication at 2,000-cycle intervals—roughly annual service in moderate-use environments. Access points are external and grease fittings are standard zerk type, meaning your maintenance team can service bearings without disassembling drawers or interrupting production. Should a bearing require replacement, the modular design allows individual wheel swaps using common hand tools, avoiding the need for factory service calls.

Powder-coated surfaces clean with standard industrial degreasers, and the finish maintains integrity under most cutting fluid mists and hydraulic oil exposures. For caustic environments—near plating lines or chemical treatment baths—upgraded epoxy-polyester hybrid coatings provide additional chemical resistance.

Making the ROI Calculation Concrete

Let’s model a mid-size fabrication shop running a single 4kW fiber laser. Material changeovers average 10 minutes, occurring 12 times per shift across two shifts. Labor rate: $45/hour loaded. Machine burden rate: $120/hour.

Current state: (10 minutes × 12 changeovers × 2 shifts) ÷ 60 = 4 hours daily changeover time Daily cost: 4 hours × ($45 labor + $120 machine) = $660 Annual cost: $660 × 250 working days = $165,000

With Herochu drawer rack: Changeover drops to 2 minutes New daily time: (2 minutes × 12 × 2) ÷ 60 = 0.8 hours Daily cost: 0.8 × $165 = $132 Annual cost: $132 × 250 = $33,000

Net annual savings: $132,000

Even after accounting for rack depreciation, maintenance, and installation, the payback period typically falls under six months. This calculation ignores the additional value of reclaimed floor space, reduced injury risk, and improved material organization.

Logistics and Lead Times

Standard models ship from regional distribution centers within 2-3 weeks of order acknowledgment. Custom configurations—non-standard heights, alternate drawer counts, specialized finishes—require 4-6 week lead times as engineering drawings must be validated and steel cutting scheduled. Herochu provides provisional approval drawings within 72 hours of custom request submission, allowing your team to confirm dimensions and interfaces while manufacturing proceeds in parallel.

All units ship knocked-down on export-certified pallets, with structural components protected by VCI film and hardware bagged and labeled per assembly sequence. A digital manual accessible via QR code on the main frame provides animated installation guides and maintenance video tutorials, reducing reliance on paper documentation that inevitably walks away from the shop floor.

Integration With Existing Material Handling Infrastructure

These racks don’t demand a complete workflow overhaul. The 2,280mm standard height positions the top deck at a comfortable 2,250mm—low enough that a bridge crane with 3-meter hook height can service all layers without reconfiguring runway elevations. For facilities using jib cranes or gantry systems, the 2,500mm width provides adequate clearance for most standard hoist trolleys.

The 3515mm to 4015mm extension width when drawers are open (model-dependent) does require planning aisle space. However, because drawers extend perpendicular to the rack face rather than swinging like doors, you maintain straightforward egress paths that comply with OSHA aisle width requirements. No arc swing means no unexpected encroachment into adjacent workstations.

The Customization Conversation: What to Prepare

When requesting a custom configuration, come prepared with:

Maximum sheet dimensions (length × width × thickness)
Weight per sheet and typical bundle quantity
Desired number of material types/SKUs to store per rack
Crane hook height and capacity
Floor slab thickness and compressive strength
Environmental conditions (temperature range, humidity, chemical exposure)
Any cleanroom or ESD requirements

This data allows Herochu engineers to specify appropriate steel gauges, bearing capacities, and surface treatments without over-engineering (and over-pricing) the solution.

Final Consideration: Scalability for Growth

Standard widths and modular assembly mean you can start with a single HC-B3015-63 unit today and add an HC-B4020-65 next quarter without visual or functional discontinuity. Shared anchor patterns and consistent deck heights allow units to be placed in series, creating long banks of material storage that operators can traverse efficiently. As your laser capacity grows from 3kW to 6kW to 12kW, your storage system scales proportionally without forcing a rip-and-replace capital decision.

The Herochu 6-layer heavy duty drawer rack isn’t merely shelving—it’s a production acceleration tool disguised as storage equipment. It earns its floor space not by holding material, but by fundamentally changing how quickly, safely, and intelligently your shop can respond to material demands at the point of use. For $5,680 starting price, you’re not buying steel; you’re buying back time, space, and margin.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about our sheet metal racks and pipe storage solutions. We hope you find them helpful!

Q1: Can I request a custom size or color?
Absolutely. We offer complimentary design services and deliver efficient, tailored solutions to meet your specific requirements.

Q2: Are you a manufacturer or a distributor?
We are a direct manufacturer with over 15 years of industry experience and expertise.

Q3: Is there a minimum order quantity?
No. We welcome orders of any size, starting from a single unit.

Q4: How can I get detailed product information?
Click the “Get a Quote” button to receive product images, detailed specifications, and videos. Our team is always ready to assist.

Q5: How do I provide my storage rack requirements?
Simply share the type, dimensions, and quantity of materials you plan to store, along with any other specific needs. We will develop a professional storage solution for you. Alternatively, leave your contact details for a personalized consultation.

Q6: Do you offer automated loading systems or robotic arms?
Yes. We provide loading robotic arms and integrated loading/unloading systems tailored to your laser cutting machine’s table size and material handling method (e.g., board rack, exchange platform, or material warehouse). Contact us with your details for a customized proposal.

Q7: Do you provide on-site installation and debugging?
Yes. Our technicians can travel to your facility for installation and debugging, ensuring successful operation. We have served clients globally, including in the USA, South Korea, Russia, Qatar, Mexico, South Africa, Egypt, and Lebanon.

Q8: How do you ensure product quality?
Our quality assurance includes:

A team of over 40 technical engineers for professional debugging and support.
A dedicated quality control department compliant with ISO9001 standards.
CE certification for all exports.
Rigorous load testing before shipment to ensure structural safety and reliability.

Q9: Where is your factory located?
Our modern 10,000-square-meter manufacturing facility is located in Jiyang Industrial Park, Jinan, Shandong, China.

Q10: How can I evaluate your company’s capabilities?
We offer virtual video factory tours and warmly welcome on-site visits.

Q11: What does your company specialize in?
Jinan Constant Storage Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the R&D, production, sales, installation, and service of intelligent storage solutions. Our product range includes sheet material warehouses, drawer-style shelves, cantilever racks, servo manipulators, gantry loaders, and fully automated handling systems. Supported by a skilled technical team and advanced equipment, we are committed to delivering high-performance storage products and solutions to customers worldwide.

Customer visit

Herochu has always been adhering to the market-centric approach to meet customer requirements to the maximum extent, and the business philosophy of “creating brands with heart and gaining reputation with sincerity”. It provides customers with high-quality products and services with rigorous military quality, professionalism, and excellence, and has won unanimous praise in the Chinese aerospace, Chinese weapons, Chinese railways, automobile manufacturing, engineering machinery, non-ferrous metal titanium alloy and other industries.