Home » Tips to Finding the Right Sheet Metal Storage
When working with sheet metal, you’ll need a strong, secure storage system that offers easy access to your materials and prevents any damage that may be caused to them. Having a dedicated, secure space to keep sheet metal organized and in one place is crucial to avoiding health and safety hazards in the workplace and reducing lead times.
Before you start googling “sheet metal storage companies near me,” you must first get acquainted with these pointers, to help you identify which are exactly your company’s weak points when it comes to sheet metal storage. So let’s get started!
When installing any storage system in your facility, consider the existing infrastructure and the available footprint you have dedicated to storing your sheet metal.
If you have a limited footprint, consider getting space-saving systems that can adjust to a small space while still offering easy access for material handling equipment and manual lifters with reduced risk of product damage, such systems are usually roll-out shelves and vertical racking systems.
Sheet metal storage systems allow you to keep accurate track of stock levels and the location of materials. Material overflow often ends up stacked on the floor, creating safety and productivity issues you’re trying to avoid.
Measure racking capacity not just in the size of sheets it can handle, but in terms of weight per rack. If sheet metal overflow is a common issue, you need to fix this by investing in efficient storage systems that offer enough capacity to handle your full inventory, with some extra space for peak material flow.
If your company’s struggling to handle sheet metal properly, the risk of damage will be high, and your lead times will also suffer.
With a good storage system, sheet metal should be easy to access by forklifts, transportation devices, and even by hand. Some metal sheets may be small enough for manual access, often faster than using a lift.
To improve material handling, you would need sheet storage systems, like roll-out racks, that provide manual access and mechanical lifting.
As always, the goal is to keep the materials and the workers safe, and good sheet metal storage systems are the key to achieving just that. Careful handling of sheet metal reduces the risk of damage to the end product, eliminating costly repairs and replacements.
Racks that require you to slide sheets from a deep shelf increase the risk of scratches and wear on the metal, and shelves protruding burrs or unfinished metal can increase this risk. Always opt for roll-out storage systems and vertical storage racks to avoid metal-on-metal sliding.
So now it’s up to you to decide which sheet metal storage system would work best for your current needs. Make sure the storage system you choose meets the above requirements, and your workers will be more focused and accomplish far more in less time without the distraction of cluttered material.
And as always, at Big Steel Rack we offer a wide selection of storage solutions. From the biggest company to the smallest startup, we provide the right fit for your sheet metal storage needs.
Our desire to make products here in the United States, and stay in the United States, has set us apart from our competitors. At Big Steel Rack, we believe that we have a responsibility to our consumers and retailers to not only provide high-quality products, but continue to offer employment for Americans.