Automated AS/RS Systems with Long-Load Stacker Cranes

What an automated warehouse with long-load stacker cranes is and when it should be adopted

Automated warehouses for long loads, equipped with special stacker cranes, are AS/RS systems designed to handle non-standard unit loads—metal profiles, tubes, beams, sheets, large panels—through the use of long-load stacker cranes and/or automated overhead cranes capable of moving heavy and bulky items.

• Compared with pallet-based automated warehouses, these systems:
• use cradles, forks or gripping devices engineered for loads several meters long
• move long materials along dedicated aisles with millimetric precision
• support deep and high-bay storage thanks to stacker cranes custom-engineered for extended lengths
• integrate double-girder overhead cranes for extremely heavy or oversized items

This solution is ideal when:

• the company handles profiles, beams, sheets, tubes or non-standard materials
• continuous 24/7 automation is required with reduced operational risk
• capacity and safety must be increased by minimizing manual handling
• storage needs to be integrated with production lines, saws, cutting centers or processing equipment
• significant available height must be exploited to increase vertical storage density

Benefits of automated long-load warehouses with stacker cranes

Safe handling of long and heavy materials
Stacker cranes and overhead cranes are engineered to move complex loads safely, reducing collisions, damage and risks to personnel.

High storage density
The ability to build tall and deep aisles significantly increases volumetric capacity compared with manual systems or forklift-based handling.

Millimetric precision in movements
Long-load stacker cranes operate on simultaneous X-Y-Z motions, ensuring accurate positioning even in very high racking structures.

Reduced cycle times
Automation eliminates complex forklift maneuvers, speeds up storage/retrieval processes and drastically reduces handling times.

Compatibility with variable unit loads
Cradles, adjustable forks and automated gripping systems make it possible to handle long loads of different lengths, weights and geometries.

Continuous operation and lower costs
Higher reliability in continuous operation, reduced need for manual labor, integrated predictive maintenance and optimized TCO.

Where automated long-load warehouses with stacker cranes are recommended

These systems are ideal for:

• steel mills and steel service centers (profiles, tubes, beams, rolled products)
• metal fabrication plants with high rotation of raw materials
• wood industry (boards, billets, extra-long panels)
• glass, composites and plastics industries handling oversized or non-standard loads
• automotive and heavy-mechanical manufacturers managing long and bulky semi-finished items
• production sites requiring vertical storage integrated directly with cutting or processing equipment