3 Lean Accessories to Improve Your Material Storage Processes
In today’s fast moving metal fabrication environment, efficiency is key. From reducing unnecessary material handling to maximizing valuable floor space, manufacturers are constantly searching for ways to streamline operations and improve workflow.
Lean manufacturing principles focus on eliminating waste, improving organization, and creating smoother production flow - especially when handling large sheet metal inventory and remnants. At LEAN Manufacturing Products, we design material handling and storage solutions that help fabricators move material safely and efficiently throughout the production process.
Three key accessories that support our Sheet Metal Storage Racks and significantly improve material flow are the Pin Table/Depalletizer, Large Format Pivot Cart, and Remnant Cart. Together, these products create a complete material handling solution that improves organization, reduces forklift traffic, minimizes material damage, and increases operational efficiency.
1. Pin Table / Depalletizer
The Pin Table / Depalletizer is designed to safely transfer sheet material from traditional wooden pallets into reusable lean cartridges for organized storage and handling.
What Does the Pin Table / Depalletizer Do?
When sheet metal arrives from suppliers, it is commonly stacked on wooden pallets. While pallets are useful for shipping, they are not ideal for efficient production flow. Operators often struggle with:
- Difficult sheet separation
- Increased forklift handling
- Material damage risks
- Inefficient storage organization
- Excessive labor during loading and unloading
The Pin Table simplifies this process by elevating and supporting the material stack on strategically placed pins, allowing operators to safely free the material from the pallet and transfer it directly into lean storage cartridges.
Key Benefits
- Improves operator ergonomics
- Reduces material damage during transfer
- Eliminates reliance on disposable wooden pallets
- Creates a cleaner and more organized storage process
- Supports lean manufacturing and 5S initiatives
Once the material is transferred into cartridges, it becomes significantly easier to store, transport, and access throughout the facility.
2. Large Format Pivot Cart
After material has been loaded into cartridges and stored in a sheet metal racking system, the next step is efficient transport to downstream operations. That is where the Large Format Pivot Cart becomes essential.
What Is the Large Format Pivot Cart Used For?
The Large Format Pivot Cart allows operators to safely move sheet material from storage directly to processing areas such as:
- Laser cutting systems
- Press brakes
- Fabrication cells
- Staging areas
Instead of relying heavily on forklifts or manually repositioning material, operators can pull the cartridge from the sheet metal rack system, place it onto the pivot cart, and transport it directly to production.
The pivot functionality improves accessibility and positioning during loading and unloading operations, helping reduce strain and improve workflow efficiency.
Key Benefits
- Reduces forklift dependency
- Improves material flow between departments
- Enhances operator safety and ergonomics
- Allows easier access to large format material
- Supports cleaner, more organized work cells
By creating smoother movement between storage and processing, the Large Format Pivot Cart helps manufacturers reduce downtime and improve throughput.
3. Remnant Cart
One of the biggest challenges in sheet metal fabrication is managing leftover material drops and remnants after processing. Without an organized system, valuable material often becomes cluttered, damaged, or forgotten entirely.
The Remnant Cart provides a lean solution for storing and organizing usable remnants for future jobs.
Why Is Remnant Storage Important?
After laser cutting or fabrication operations, there are often reusable drops remaining from the original sheet.
In many facilities,these remnants end up:
- Leaning against walls
- Stacked unsafely
- Mixed with scrap
- Difficult to identify later
This creates wasted material, safety concerns, and inefficient retrieval processes.
The Remnant Cart allows operators to properly store leftover drops in a dedicated, organized location so they can be reused efficiently on future production runs.
Key Benefits
- Maximizes material utilization
- Reduces unnecessary material waste
- Improves shop organization
- Enhances safety by eliminating clutter
- Makes remnants easier to identify and retrieve
By implementing a structured remnant storage process,manufacturers can significantly reduce material costs while maintaining a cleaner production environment.
Creating a Complete Lean Material Flow
When used together, these three products create a streamlined material handling system from receiving to production to remnant storage.
Typical Fabrication Workflow
- Raw sheet material arrives on wooden pallets.
- The Pin Table transfers the material into lean cartridges.
- Cartridges are stored in the sheet metal racking system.
- Operators retrieve cartridges as needed.
- Material is placed onto the Large Format Pivot Cart.
- The cart transports material to laser or bending operations to be processed.
- Remaining drops are organized and stored in the Remnant Cart for future use.
This process reduces unnecessary motion, improves organization, minimizes wasted floor space, and supports continuous improvement initiatives throughout the facility.
Supporting Lean Manufacturing Initiatives
Lean manufacturing is centered around eliminating waste and improving efficiency throughout production processes.
The Pin Table, Large Format Pivot Cart, and Remnant Carteach contribute to core lean objectives by helping manufacturers:
- Reduce wasted motion
- Improve workflow organization
- Increase material accessibility
- Minimize material damage
- Reduce excess inventory waste
- Improve workplace safety
- Create more efficient production flow
For sheet metal fabricators looking to improve operational efficiency, investing in proper material handling and storage solutions can create substantial long-term gains in productivity and organization.
Start your own build(s) of LEAN accessories to support your material handling needs here
