Sheet metal storage
Four storage systems for different manufacturing tasks. The choice depends on the material type, sheet thickness, available floor area, and the required level of automation. Below is a detailed description of each product and a guide to choosing one.
Which system should you choose for your shop?
Choosing a storage system depends on four key factors. Answer the questions below, and you will understand which PLT system suits your needs.
Sheet thickness
Up to 3 mm — thin sheet. 3–8 mm — medium. Over 8 mm — heavy plate.
Shop floor area
Limited — vertical storage. Open — horizontal storage.
Automation
Manual control, overhead crane, or a fully automatic warehouse.
Load
From 500 to 5000 kg per level — determines the structure type.
Selection matrix
| Your scenario | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Thin sheet (0.5–3 mm), many item types, little space | Aplarack — vertical storage, minimal floor area |
| Heavy plate (8–25 mm), heavy sheets up to 5000 kg | Egrack — reinforced vertical structure |
| Mixed assortment, universal storage, manual/crane retrieval | Bplarack — horizontal pull-out storage |
| Need automation, integration with the laser machine, minimum operators | Smrack — automatic sheet metal warehouse |
| High-bay shop (from 4 m), need to maximize vertical space | Aplarack / Egrack — multi-level vertical systems |
| Ceiling up to 3 m, need forklift access to every level | Bplarack — horizontal with forked pull-out |
Four PLT storage systems
Bplarack
Horizontal pull-out system · Universal storage
Bplarack is the baseline PLT system. Sheet metal is stored horizontally in pull-out drawers. Each drawer extends independently, giving access to any blank without moving the sheets above. It suits all types of sheet metal — from thin aluminium to thick steel.
When to choose Bplarack:
- ✓ Universal assortment — different thicknesses and materials in one rack
- ✓ Mixed storage — steel, aluminium, stainless, galvanized
- ✓ Ceiling height from 2.5 m (compact modules)
- ✓ Manual, handwheel, or forked pull-out
- ✓ Load 500–3000 kg per drawer
Three pull-out modes:
Aplarack
Vertical system · For thin and medium sheet
Aplarack is a vertical storage system in which sheets are placed into vertical slots. Each slot holds one sheet or a group of identical blanks. It suits thin sheet metal (0.5–3 mm) and medium thicknesses (3–6 mm), where saving floor area matters.
When to choose Aplarack:
- ✓ Thin and medium sheet (0.5–6 mm) — steel, aluminium, galvanized
- ✓ Limited shop floor area — up to 70% floor saving vs. stacking
- ✓ Many item types — fast visual search by slots
- ✓ Sheets up to 2000 kg, standard size 3000×1500 mm
- ✓ Ceiling height from 3 m for multi-level installation
Benefits of vertical storage:
A sheet stands on edge in its own slot — its surface does not touch other sheets, so scratches are excluded. Access to any item takes seconds, without moving the sheets above. Warehouse area is used 3–5 times more efficiently than with stacked storage.
Egrack
Reinforced vertical system · For heavy and thick sheet
Egrack is a vertical system with a reinforced load-bearing structure for thick plate (8–25 mm) and heavy sheets up to 5000 kg. The frame profile is enlarged and the slots are reinforced with extra stiffening ribs. It is intended for sheets that cannot be stored horizontally because of their weight or risk of deformation.
When to choose Egrack:
- ✓ Thick plate (8–25 mm) — structural steel, stainless
- ✓ Heavy sheets — load up to 5000 kg per slot
- ✓ Large-format sheets — up to 6000×2000 mm
- ✓ Integration with overhead crane or crane beam
- ✓ Sagging and deformation protection for heavy sheets
Difference from Aplarack:
Aplarack is designed for thin and medium sheet (up to 2000 kg). Egrack is for heavy and thick sheet (up to 5000 kg). Egrack has a reinforced frame profile (120×120×5 mm vs 100×100×4.5 mm), extra stiffening ribs, and reinforced support pads in the slots. For the same shop, Aplarack and Egrack can be installed together — separately for thin and thick metal.
Smrack
Automatic sheet metal warehouse · Intelligent system
Smrack is a standalone automated sheet metal storage system. A gantry lift with programmed control automatically retrieves the required sheet from its cell on the operator's command. It integrates with laser machines, MES and ERP systems. It fully eliminates manual labor when loading and unloading sheets.
When to choose Smrack:
- ✓ Serial production — high load/unload frequency
- ✓ Integration with laser machine — automatic sheet feeding
- ✓ Minimum operators — one person runs the whole warehouse
- ✓ Real-time material tracking — ERP synchronization
- ✓ Load 500–5000 kg per cell
How the automation works:
Smrack is not a modification of a manual rack, but a separate automated system. It includes: a CNC gantry lift, a coordinate positioning system, an HMI control panel, sheet-presence sensors in each cell, and software for warehouse tracking and control. The operator selects the item on the screen — the system finds the right cell on its own, retrieves the sheet, and feeds it to the machine.
Full comparison of the four systems
| Parameter | Bplarack | Aplarack | Egrack | Smrack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storage type | Horizontal | Vertical | Vertical | Automatic |
| Purpose | Universal | Thin/medium sheet | Thick/heavy sheet | Automatic warehouse |
| Sheet thickness | 0.5–25 mm | 0.5–6 mm | 8–25 mm | 0.5–25 mm |
| Load per level | 500–3000 kg | up to 2000 kg | up to 5000 kg | 500–5000 kg |
| Extension | Manual / handwheel / forked | Slot-based | Reinforced slot-based | Automatic (CNC) |
| Automation | No | No | No | Yes (gantry lift) |
| Floor area | Medium | Minimal | Medium | Medium |
| Ceiling height | from 2.5 m | from 3 m | from 3 m | from 3.5 m |
| Compatibility | Forklift, crane, vacuum | Vacuum, manual gripper | Overhead crane, crane beam | Built-in lift |
| ERP integration | — | — | — | Yes (MES/ERP) |
| System type | Standalone | Standalone | Standalone | Standalone |
Typical selection scenarios
Several real examples — how different productions choose a storage system.
Laser cutting shop, thin sheet
Task: Storing 40+ item types of thin sheet (1–3 mm) next to the laser machine. Floor area is limited.
Solution: Aplarack — vertical slots, fast search by item name, minimal floor area. For high serial volume — upgrade to Smrack.
Metal structure plant, thick sheet
Task: Storing thick plate steel (10–20 mm), sheets up to 4000 kg. An overhead crane is available.
Solution: Egrack — reinforced vertical structure, integration with overhead crane, load up to 5000 kg per slot.
Universal shop, mixed metal
Task: Storing different materials and thicknesses — steel, aluminium, stainless from 1 to 12 mm. Flexible access is needed.
Solution: Bplarack — horizontal drawers, each sheet in its own drawer, manual or handwheel pull-out.
Serial production, automation
Task: 24/7 sheet feeding to the laser machine, material tracking in ERP, minimum operators.
Solution: Smrack — automatic sheet metal warehouse with gantry lift, CNC control, integration with MES/ERP. One operator for the whole warehouse.
Not sure which system to choose?
Tell us about your production: what sheets you store, what thickness, what floor area, and what type of lifting equipment you have in the shop. We will select the optimal system and prepare a 3D layout — for free.