Laser Cutting Machine with Storage Tower
Vertical Storage and Sheet Metal Automation
A laser cutting machine with a storage tower makes it possible to integrate the sheet metal cutting process with a vertical system dedicated to the automated storage and handling of material.
This configuration makes it possible to take advantage of the height of the facility to organize large quantities of sheet metal, reducing floor space requirements and making the connection between stored material and the laser cutting machine more efficient.
The integration between the storage tower and laser cutting machine can also increase production autonomy, reducing manual handling and creating a smoother sheet metal flow.
What Is a Laser Cutting Machine with a Storage Tower?
A laser cutting machine with a storage tower is a system in which a laser cutting machine is connected to an automated vertical structure for storing sheet metal.
The tower allows material to be organized across multiple levels, making use of the available height within the facility.
Through automated handling systems, sheet metal can be retrieved from the storage system and transferred to the laser cutting machine’s loading system.
The result is a process in which sheet metal storage, handling and cutting can be integrated into a single production flow.
Why Choose a Storage Tower for a Laser Cutting Machine?
Integrating a vertical storage tower with a laser cutting machine can be particularly advantageous when a company needs to manage large quantities of material without significantly increasing the floor area dedicated to storage.
The main advantages include:
- optimized use of available space;
- increased storage capacity;
- automated material organization;
- reduced manual handling;
- greater material availability for production;
- the possibility of automatically feeding the laser cutting machine.
How Does a Laser Cutting Machine Connected to a Storage Tower Work?
The operation of an integrated system can be divided into several stages.
Sheet Metal Storage
Sheet metal is placed inside the system and organized in designated storage positions.
The vertical design of the tower makes it possible to take advantage of the height of the facility and increase available capacity without occupying excessive floor space.
Material Management
The system makes it possible to organize different sheet metal materials and identify the material required for production.
Automated position management simplifies inventory control and reduces the time needed to locate the required material.
Sheet Metal Retrieval
When a specific sheet metal needs to be processed, the handling system retrieves it from its storage position.
Transfer to the Laser Cutting Machine
The sheet metal is transferred to the laser cutting machine’s loading system, where it is prepared for the cutting cycle.
Start of Processing
Once loading operations are complete, the laser cutting machine can begin processing the sheet metal.
The Advantage of Vertical Storage
One of the main reasons for choosing a storage tower is the ability to make use of the vertical space within the facility.
In a traditional storage system, increasing the amount of stored material often requires a larger floor area.
A vertical system, on the other hand, uses available height to organize sheet metal across multiple levels.
This makes it possible to achieve greater storage capacity while maintaining the same floor footprint.
Laser Cutting Machine with Storage Tower: Optimizing Production Space
Available space is often one of the main constraints when designing a sheet metal processing area.
A storage tower can help address this issue by concentrating a large quantity of material within a vertically developed structure.
The design must nevertheless take into account:
- available building height;
- available floor space;
- sheet metal formats;
- material weight and thickness;
- required storage capacity;
- position of the laser cutting machine;
- internal material flow.
Storage Tower and Automated Feeding of the Laser Cutting Machine
The storage tower reaches a high level of integration when connected to an automated laser cutting machine feeding system.
In this configuration, sheet metal management can be coordinated from storage through to machine loading.
The material is automatically retrieved from the tower and transferred to the laser cutting machine through the handling system, eliminating the need to manually perform each transport operation.
Once it reaches the machine, the sheet metal is positioned and prepared for the subsequent cutting process.
Automating the connection between the storage tower and laser cutting machine reduces manual operations, creates a smoother material flow and increases production autonomy.
The system configuration can be adapted to the characteristics of the facility and the specific requirements of the company.
Automated Sheet Metal Management
A storage tower is not simply a system for storing material. It can become a tool for organizing the entire sheet metal management process more efficiently.
The system can make it possible to:
- organize sheet metal in defined storage positions;
- know the availability of stored material;
- automatically retrieve the required sheet metal;
- reduce handling times;
- make material easily accessible;
- connect storage to subsequent production stages.
The storage system thus becomes an active part of the production process.
Single-Tower, Double-Tower or Multi-Tower Storage Systems
The system configuration can vary according to the required storage capacity and the characteristics of the facility.
Solutions can range from a single tower to systems with multiple towers connected to one another.
Higher-capacity systems can manage significant quantities of material and can be served by automated handling systems.
The appropriate configuration should be selected by considering the volume of material to be stored, the number of machines to be supplied and the company’s production flow.
Laser Cutting Machine with Storage Tower and Automated Production
Integrating a storage tower with a laser cutting machine can represent a central element within a broader automation project.
Connecting the different systems makes it possible to coordinate sheet metal storage, handling and processing within a single production flow.
The process can begin with automated sheet metal storage and continue with material retrieval and transfer to the laser cutting machine.
After loading, the sheet metal is processed through the cutting cycle and, once cutting is complete, the parts can be unloaded and transferred to subsequent production stages.
The system can also be integrated with technologies dedicated to part separation and sorting, extending automation to operations after cutting.
In this way, automation is not limited to the individual laser cutting machine, but can be extended to create a more complete and coordinated production process.
When Does a Laser Cutting Machine with a Storage Tower Make Sense?
This type of solution can be particularly interesting for companies that want to increase storage capacity without occupying large floor areas while also improving the automation of the cutting process.
A tower can be especially useful when:
- available floor space is limited;
- large quantities of sheet metal need to be managed;
- many material formats or types are used;
- manual handling needs to be reduced;
- laser cutting machine autonomy needs to be increased;
- storage needs to be integrated with the production process.
Integrating a Storage Tower with an Existing Laser Cutting Machine
It is not always necessary to design a completely new production system.
In certain situations, it is possible to evaluate the integration of a vertical storage system with a laser cutting machine already installed in the facility.
Feasibility depends on the characteristics of the machine, the production area layout, available space and the current methods used to manage sheet metal.
An integration project should therefore begin with an analysis of the entire production flow.
Storage Tower and Industry 4.0
The integration of automated storage and laser cutting is part of the broader digitalization and automation process taking place in modern production facilities.
Organized material management improves inventory control, while automated handling contributes to a more efficient production flow.
When the tower is connected to the loading systems and the laser cutting machine, storage can become an integral part of a more highly automated production process.
BEMATIK’s Experience in Sheet Metal Automation
More Than 25 Years of Industry Experience
BEMATIK Srl develops robotic systems dedicated to sheet metal handling, transport and storage, with solutions designed to work alongside laser cutting machines.
The company has more than 25 years of specific experience in automation systems for laser cutting machines and has completed several hundred installations worldwide.
The BEMATIK range includes systems designed for different requirements in terms of space, capacity and automation.
Thanks to its experience, the company can also develop customized solutions for integration with existing production systems and configurations.
Storage Tower and Laser Cutting Machine: An Integrated System
The combination of a storage tower and laser cutting machine addresses two fundamental requirements in sheet metal processing: storing material efficiently and making it available to production when required.
Making use of vertical space, organized inventory management and automated material handling make the tower an important element when designing a modern production area.
Integration with the loading system also makes it possible to connect storage directly to the laser cutting machine, increasing process autonomy.
A laser cutting machine with a storage tower integrates laser cutting with a vertical system for automated sheet metal storage and handling.
The solution makes it possible to take advantage of the height of the facility, increase storage capacity and reduce manual handling.
When the tower, loading system and laser cutting machine are designed to work together, it is possible to create a more efficient and highly automated production flow.
The most suitable configuration should be evaluated according to available space, sheet metal formats and thicknesses, the quantity of material to be managed and the desired level of automation.
