The optimum storage of materials is very important in the metal construction and trading industries and in processing centres. A storage system should use as little valuable space as possible, provide all products quickly, efficiently and without errors, be simple and intuitive to operate, and connect seamlessly to other logistics or machining processes. With the Unitower tower storage system, KASTO Maschinenbau, a leading manufacturer of saws and storage systems for sheet metal and bar stock, offers a solution which fulfils all these requirements as well as offering many other advantages.
Three different designs
The system is available in three different designs: as Unitower for the storage of bar materials, Unitower B for sheet metal, flat products and containers, and as a compact universal store Unitower C for bars and sheets. The tower storage systems are designed as modular systems with individual modules. As a result, individual solutions can also be implemented with ease. Unitower is available as a single or double tower, optionally freestanding in a workshop or as a separate storage building outside with ceiling and wall elements. Any number of input and output stations can be positioned at the front or on the long side of the storage tower and at different levels, depending on the customer's requirements.
Cassettes, pallets or supporting frames are used as the load carriers. Depending on the design, each storage space can carry loads of up to five tonnes. The towers effortlessly accept bar stock from 3,400 to 14,600 mm in length, thus giving users recourse to different standard lengths as well as workpiece or production-optimised special lengths. The basic version of the Unitower has a usable width between 600 and 1,240 mm. This enables the storage system to be ideally matched to the available space. The Unitower B model for storing sheet metal and flat products enables lengths between 2,000 and 8,000 mm to be stored. The usable width is between 1,000 and 2,000 mm. The loading height and therefore the number of storage spaces can be determined at will, thus also enabling pallets, boxes or containers to be accommodated.
High efficiency thanks to efficient drives
Along with the low space requirement, Unitower storage systems are distinguished by their high efficiency. A storage and retrieval machine (SRM) with spreader beam handles the load carriers. Compared with paternoster systems, for example, this has the advantage that it is not necessary to move the entire stock, but only the relevant cassette. This ensures rapid access times and - thanks to efficient drives - saves energy. Input and output stations can also be connected to other conveyor equipment or processing machines to optimise the internal material flow.
