Six Parts of the System

Every installation combines the same six parts. The layout, the number of rack rows and the storage unit size change from project to project.

Gantry robot. A portal frame on floor rails. Its carrier lifts a storage unit from both ends and raises it above the racks before it travels.
Gantry rails, recessed into the slab or mounted on the floor surface.
Cantilever racks, either fixed or on motorised mobile bases.
Steel storage units (also called cassettes). Each unit holds one bundle or a part bundle and supports it along its full length.
A loading station at floor level. A double-deck station can hold two storage units at once.
Control system and WMS: a PLC control panel with touchscreen, plus software that records every unit by material and location.

Side view diagram of an automated long goods storage system: gantry up to 10 m, cantilever racks 7 to 8 m, storage unit length and double-deck loading station

The storage unit is a little longer than the material. We allow about 50 mm (2 in) at each end so bar ends do not hit the frame when the gantry lifts or sets down the unit.

Specifications

Each long stock system is built to order. The table lists design limits; values marked "typical" come from completed projects.

Group	Item	Value
Capacity	Load per storage unit	Up to 5,000 kg (11,000 lbs); usually 3,000 kg (6,600 lbs) for 6 m material and 5,000 kg for 12 m material
Capacity	Material length	6 m, 9 m or 12 m (19.7, 29.5 or 39.4 ft)
Capacity	Number of storage units	Set by building length, rack type and rack height
Dimensions	Gantry height	Up to 10 m (32.8 ft)
Dimensions	Rack height	Up to 7 to 8 m (23 to 26 ft)
Dimensions	Storage unit length	Material length plus about 50 mm (2 in) at each end
Operation	Gantry travel speed	Up to 25 m/min (82 ft/min)
Operation	Lift speed	6 to 8 m/min (20 to 26 ft/min), typical
Operation	Positioning	±2 mm with mobile racks, ±5 mm with fixed racks, typical
Operation	Drives	Servo motors with closed-loop position control
Control	Modes	Online automatic, single-machine automatic, manual and maintenance manual
Control	Panel language	English and Chinese as standard; other languages from your translation
Power	Supply	380 V, 50 Hz, 3-phase, typical; installed power calculated for each project
Construction	Steel and finish	Q235 or Q355 structural steel; powder coating as standard, paint or hot-dip galvanizing on request

Load ratings assume the bundle rests along the full length of the storage unit. Whether the storage unit's own weight counts toward the rated load is stated in each quotation.

Fixed or Mobile Cantilever Racks

Floor area usually decides this choice. Both rack types work under the same gantry; the difference is how many aisles stay open.

Plan view diagram comparing fixed cantilever racks with an aisle between every rack pair and mobile cantilever racks with one open aisle

Item	Fixed cantilever racks	Mobile cantilever racks
Aisles	A permanent aisle between racks for the gantry carrier	Rows move on floor rails; one aisle opens where the gantry works
Floor rails	Gantry rails only	Gantry rails plus rails for every mobile base
Positioning (typical)	±5 mm	±2 mm
Typical project	5 levels per side, 10 levels per double-sided rack	12 mobile rack groups in one block
Choose it when	Floor space is available and you want the simplest civil work	Floor space is the limit and you need more units in the same hall

An existing hall with fixed cantilever racks can sometimes be automated by adding a gantry. Rack strength, arm spacing and floor condition decide this, so we check them during the site survey. For racks loaded by an overhead crane without automation, see the roll-out cantilever rack range.

One Storage and Retrieval Cycle

People handle material only at the loading station. The gantry does all lifting inside the rack area.

An overhead crane or forklift puts a full or part bundle into an empty storage unit on the loading station.
The operator enters the material code or scans a barcode. The WMS picks a free location using its storage rules.
The gantry picks up the storage unit from both ends. End guides centre the unit on the carrier.
The carrier rises above the racks, and the gantry travels to the target rack.
The unit is lowered onto the cantilever arms. The WMS books the stock to that location.

Retrieval runs the same way in reverse. Two storage units can be sent out together when the loading station has two levels. On cantilever racks, load balance matters: units are placed from the bottom up and spread evenly on both sides. The WMS checks the balance of each rack and moves units on its own if a rack becomes unevenly loaded.

Orange gantry robot over a long row of blue cantilever racks loaded with steel storage units, with operator console

Where the System Fits

A good fit if

Bundles are stacked on the floor, and the crane driver moves top bundles to reach the one underneath.
Your hall has 5 to 10 m of clear height that manual racks cannot use.
You stock many sizes or grades and need the right one at the saw or machining line on time.
You want stock by location and age in software, not on a clipboard.

Not the right choice if

You keep a few sizes and pick them a few times a day. A roll-out cantilever rack served by your crane costs less. We recommend those racks up to about 5 m high (4 levels plus the top).
Your building is much taller than 10 m and you want to use the full height. The gantry stops at 10 m (32.8 ft), even in a 14 m hall.
Stock must be reachable during a power cut. The system cannot be operated by hand without power, and manual handling inside the rack area is not allowed.
Material is stored outdoors. These pages cover indoor systems only.

For a single motorised rack without a gantry, compare the electric roll-out cantilever rack.

Typical Project: 6 m Aluminium Profiles

An aluminium profile maker supplying heat-sink parts to vehicle builders kept its 6 m profiles in floor stacks. To reach a lower layer, workers first moved the layers above it.

We installed a gantry storage system with a 5.6 m (18.4 ft) gantry and 65 m (213 ft) of racks. Each storage unit holds more than 600 kg (1,320 lbs) and goes to the production line by forklift. In this project, one operator now stores and retrieves material that needed at least two people before. No restacking is needed to reach a given unit.

Yellow gantry robot between blue cantilever racks in a production hall, front view

Safety and Controls

Motion stops on overload. The servo drives watch motor current, give an alarm and then stop the motor if the current stays above its rating.

Mobile rack rows carry a laser distance sensor and an anti-collision device.
An aisle-entry alarm is available as an option. Nobody may enter an open aisle while the gantry is working.
Keep a 1 m (3.3 ft) zone around the rack area free of stored material.
Noise is 85 dB or less at 1.5 m (4.9 ft) from the equipment in typical projects.

Building, Floor and Installation

A floor survey comes first. In typical projects, the slab carries a distributed load of 1.5 to 1.6 t/m² (310 to 330 lb/ft²), with point loads of 1.9 to 4.2 t (4,200 to 9,300 lbs).

Installation order: check slab capacity, mark the rail centre lines, fit the rails, install the gantry, then install the racks.
Recessed rails sit flush with the floor and need slab work. Surface-mounted rails are faster to fit.
Provide a 3-phase industrial supply near the system.
Acceptance includes a load test under working conditions, followed by operator and maintenance training.

High-angle view of a long cantilever rack block with a yellow gantry robot, floor rails and loading tables

Delivery, Warranty and Certification

Lead time is 60 to 90 days from order. That time covers quality checks, a trial assembly in our factory, commissioning tests and export packing.

A factory engineer installs and commissions the system on site; commissioning usually takes about one week.
Warranty: 1 year, with extended warranty available. Spare wear parts ship with the system.
Support: response within 24 hours by phone or email, plus remote video guidance.
Trade terms: DDU preferred; EXW, FOB and CIF available.
CE certified. ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified. Patented cantilever rack design (China utility model patents).

Photos and videos of finished gantry systems are on the CK Metal Storage Solutions website.

FAQ

Q: How much can one storage unit hold?

A: Up to 5,000 kg (11,000 lbs). Systems for 6 m material usually use 3,000 kg units, and systems for 12 m material use 5,000 kg units. We set the rating from your heaviest bundle.

Q: How high can the gantry go?

A: The gantry can be up to 10 m (32.8 ft) high, with racks up to 7 to 8 m (23 to 26 ft). A taller building does not raise this limit.

Q: Can the system work with our ERP?

A: Yes. The WMS can connect to common ERP and MES systems. We assess the connection for your system before the order. The WMS server is usually supplied by you, or we can quote one.

Q: Are the gantry rails laid in the floor or on top of it?

A: Both options exist. Recessed rails are flush with the floor; surface-mounted rails sit on the slab. We choose with you after checking the slab.

Q: Do we have to take out a whole bundle?

A: No. The operator removes only the lengths the job needs at the loading station. The storage unit then returns to its location with the remaining stock, and the WMS records the new quantity.

Q: Can more than one gantry run in the same store?

A: Yes, multiple gantries can be configured for one store. The number of gantries and rack groups is assessed per project from your storage volume and retrieval rate.

Request a Layout for Your Long Goods Store

Send us the details below. We will reply with a layout drawing and a quotation.

Material types, sizes and lengths, and the heaviest bundle
Number of sizes and the stock per size
Retrievals per shift, and the saws or machines the material feeds
Hall plan, clear height, crane height and floor slab data
Photos or a video of the current storage area

Ask for a long goods storage layout and quote.

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Automated Long Goods Storage System With Gantry Robot