What’s the safest way to store heavy dies, molds, or steel bar?
Quick Answer
The safest way is to place dies, molds, and steel bar on purpose-built heavy-duty racks (roll-out die shelving for tooling and structural cantilever racks for long bar stock) rated for the load, anchored to the floor, guarded, labeled, and inspected regularly. Warehouse Cubed designs, installs, and maintains these systems.
Detailed Answer
Heavy tooling and bar stock are best kept on storage that is built for concentrated loads and easy, controlled access.
1. Roll-out die shelving – Each shelf slides out like a drawer, so a crane or forklift can lift the die straight up instead of reaching into a rack. This prevents pinch points, reduces mast impact, and keeps the center of gravity low. Warehouse Cubed supplies roll-out shelves rated to well over 10,000 lb per level and anchors them with seismic-approved hardware.
2. Structural cantilever racks – For long steel bar or pipe, a column-free front lets operators load from the aisle without damaging uprights. Arms are adjustable and can be fitted with safety lips or nets to stop accidental roll-offs. Our cantilever systems are engineered through our warehouse layout design process to match bar length, weight, and lift-truck aisle width.
3. Preventive protection – Combining these industrial storage solutions with rack guards, floor line-striping, and routine warehouse safety audits keeps people and product safe. If impact occurs, our pallet rack repair kits restore capacity quickly.
Because every facility is different, our warehouse consulting services begin with an on-site assessment and CAD drawings that optimize clear heights, material flow, and automation potential. We integrate conveying, AS/RS, or mezzanines as needed, delivering a turnkey material handling system that raises throughput while meeting OSHA and RMI standards. This warehouse optimization approach reduces handling time and labor risk.