How much building do you need for an automated long-material store?
The longest bar you store decides most of your building requirements. For a honeycomb system with two rack rows sharing one aisle, plan for a clear building width of about 3 to 3.5 times your longest material. For 6 m material, that is at least about 19 m.
This guide gives the rules of thumb our engineers use for a first layout. Every project is checked in detail before quotation.
Storage position size
Each storage position is the size of your largest bundle plus a working clearance.
| System | Length | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honeycomb long-material AS/RS | Material + 700 mm | Material + 100 mm | Material + 200 mm |
| Overhead crane storage | Material + 700 mm | Material + 100 mm | Material + 100 mm |
Honeycomb systems store every bundle in a cassette, sized with about 200 mm clearance around the material. Overhead crane storage usually works without cassettes. Common position heights are 1,200 mm and 1,800 mm, and widths are made to order.
Clear width
- Honeycomb, two rows and one aisle: about 3 to 3.5 times the longest material.
- Keep 200 mm between the rack and the wall.
- Allow an 800 mm maintenance walkway.
- Where a column stands in the rack line, allow the material length plus the column width.
Height
- First storage level: about 1,000 mm above the floor.
- Safety clearance under the roof: 200 mm.
- Overhead crane storage: the crane itself needs about 1,500 mm of height.
Column spacing
Columns are often the first constraint. With a 12 m span, 12 m material can only be stored running along the span, not across it. Common column spacings of 6, 8, 10 or 15 m each lead to a different rack layout, so send your column grid with your floor plan.
Floor load
A standard industrial floor rated for 10 t/m² suits most systems. Very tall stores, in the 30 to 40 m range, may need a thicker or deeper foundation.
Honeycomb or overhead crane storage?
Space decides first. When the building suits both, compare the number of positions and the cost. In the same space, overhead crane storage typically fits about 200 positions where honeycomb storage fits about 150, and its cost per position is lower. Honeycomb storage keeps each bundle in its own cassette and can sit directly above your machines.
What to send for a first layout
- Longest material length, bundle width, height and weight
- Number of bundles or product types
- Building clear width, length and height, and the column grid
- The machines the store should feed
Send your details and we'll reply with a layout and a budget price.