Automatic Classified Storage System for Metal Sheets with Intelligent Inventory Control

Distinguishing between material grades, thicknesses, and alloy specifications is a routine challenge in metal fabrication. Herochu’s Automatic Classified Storage System for Metal Sheets assigns each plate a dedicated storage position based on its physical characteristics, maintaining a complete digital record that tracks every item from inbound receipt to production consumption.

The system’s classification logic extends beyond basic material properties. Plates are organized by dimension, thickness, material type, and job priority, ensuring that high-priority production materials remain readily accessible while slower-moving stock occupies less convenient storage positions. This intelligent sorting eliminates the material search time that occurs when plates are stored by arrival date rather than production relevance.

At the core of the system is a PLC touchscreen control platform that manages all storage and retrieval operations. Operators request material by entering specifications, job numbers, or storage location codes. The system locates the correct tray, retrieves it, and delivers it to the designated workstation. This one-touch delivery capability compresses material retrieval from a multi-minute manual search into a cycle measured in under sixty seconds.

Real-time inventory management is integrated into every transaction. The system continuously monitors plate weight, dimensions, and quantity, displaying current stock status on the touchscreen interface without requiring manual counts. Pick and count tracking maintains a complete movement history for every plate, supporting quality control verification and order traceability requirements.

ERP integration connects the storage tower to the factory’s production planning and material management systems. When work orders are scheduled, the system confirms material availability, reserves required plates, and queues them for retrieval. Consumption data flows back to ERP automatically, enabling accurate job costing and inventory replenishment planning based on actual usage rather than periodic manual counts.

The system’s vertical architecture achieves storage density that would be impossible with horizontal floor stacking. A single tower with ten storage layers consolidates sheet stock that would otherwise occupy several hundred square meters of floor space. The recovered area can be reassigned to processing equipment, work-in-progress staging, or material flow corridors that reduce travel distance between operations.

Equipment compatibility ensures integration with existing material handling workflows. The loading and unloading stations accept forklift access and overhead crane operation. Adjustable support legs accommodate floor irregularities. The extraction platform height is designed for ergonomic access by both crane slings and forklift forks.

Herochu configures each Automatic Classified Storage System to the customer’s specific requirements. Plate dimensions from 3000×1500 mm to 6000×2000 mm are supported, with layer counts from six to ten and load capacities of 3000 or 5000 kg per level. Clear space between layers is customizable to match material thickness profiles. The system serves steel service centers, metal fabrication workshops, and aluminum processors requiring organized, traceable, and rapidly accessible plate inventory.