Fully automatic transport from the store to the machine

At BlechEXPO 2019 in Stuttgart (5 – 8 November), KASTO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG will be demonstrating its comprehensive expertise in the development of all-round solutions for storing and handling sheet metal and other flat goods. Among other things, visitors to Stand 1206 in Hall 1 will be able to find out about the compact, standardised KASTOecostore tower storage system, which excels through its high storage density and short access times. They will also be able to see an automatic manipulator for sheets which allows users to establish a seamless link between the store and their processing machines.

Depending on the design, the KASTOecostore can hold sheets, pallets and other flat goods of 1,524 millimetres in width and either 3,048 or 4,000 millimetres in length as desired. The system can be configured as required up to eight metres in height and the loading heights are equally flexible. Users can specify up to three different heights between 50 and 950 millimetres per storage system. This ensures a particularly high storage density, and the tower construction makes optimum use of the available vertical space. The load carriers, automatically stored and retrieved, are lifted to the optimum loading and unloading height with a hoist. An additional lifting device such as a forklift truck is not required for cassette removal. This ensures short access times and an ergonomic working method.

The store’s drive system is equipped with modern Siemens frequency converters; the drive motor itself is stationary. This enables particularly dynamic and precise storage and retrieval processes. Robust roller chains ensure a long service life and low-maintenance operation. The steel structure consists of standardized rolled sections and is dimensioned in accordance with the applicable earthquake guidelines. A comprehensive safety concept based on a safety control system prevents malfunctions and expensive downtimes. The KASTOecostore is also equipped with the KASTO SmartControl machine control system as standard. The system is particularly easy to operate thanks to an intuitive user interface with touch screen. Work is fast and error-free, even with frequently changing operating personnel. Moreover, thanks to its compact dimensions, the store can be installed close to the machinery to provide the ideal configuration.

The KASTO portfolio includes custom-built manipulators to ensure an optimum link between automatic sheet metal storage systems and stamping and laser cutting machines. One of these will also be on display at this year’s BlechEXPO. It possesses both a vacuum cross bar and a rake cross bar. The vacuum cross bar can be used to separate sheets that are delivered in batches from the store and place them on the table of the relevant processing machine. Individual punched or laser-cut parts as well as the residual sheet skeleton can be removed from the machine’s working area using the rake cross bar. This permits unstaffed production at high throughput speeds and relieves staff of the laborious and potentially risky task of handling the large-format sheets. This makes the manipulators suitable for steel distributors and industrial manufacturing companies alike.