Pallet stacker crane (single and twin mast)
The core machine of a pallet AS/RS, available on its own: single-mast cranes are light, fast and economical; twin-mast cranes are stiffer for taller, heavier stores.
The core machine of a pallet AS/RS, available on its own: single-mast cranes are light, fast and economical; twin-mast cranes are stiffer for taller, heavier stores.
A stacker crane travels along a rail in the aisle; its carriage rises along the mast and a telescopic fork puts pallets into rack positions and takes them out. Single-mast cranes are light, fast and economical, the economy type mostly up to 18 m and about 1.5 t, the high-performance type to about 27–40 m and 2 t; twin-mast cranes, with top and bottom beams, are stiffer and serve taller, heavier stores and multi-deep handling. This page is for integrators who buy the crane on its own and for retrofits that replace cranes or add aisles; for a complete AS/RS see the pallet AS/RS page.
Typical uses
- Integrators buying the crane and building the system themselves
- Replacing cranes or adding aisles in an existing AS/RS
- New pallet AS/RS
- Cold-store, heavy-load and other special stores
How to choose
- Store height
- Pallet size and maximum weight
- Pallets in and out per aisle per hour
- Single-deep or double-deep storage
When it is not the right choice
- Many aisles with low throughput each: compare the total investment of a multi-aisle crane (curve-going or transfer car)
- Low or irregular buildings: four-way shuttles are more flexible
- If you need full design, delivery and service, see the pallet AS/RS system
Key figures
| Type | Single mast, twin mast |
|---|---|
| Load | Single mast: economy about 1.5 t, high-performance about 2 t; twin mast 3 t class, heavier per project |
| Height | Single mast: economy up to about 18 m, high-performance about 27–40 m; twin mast about 15–40 m, taller per project |
| Travel speed | About 160–240 m/min |
| Hoist speed | Typically about 40–60 m/min; higher on high-performance cranes |
| Travel acceleration | About 0.5 m/s² |
| Positioning | Laser measurement or barcode positioning, typically about ±3–5 mm |
| Capacity per crane | Estimated by the FEM 9.851 method: about 40–50 dual cycles/h single deep, 50–60 with dual load handling, 35–45 double deep; long aisles and tall stores often run nearer 25 per hour |
Figures are typical configuration ranges; exact specifications are set per project.
Options
- Double-deep forks
- Dual or multi-load handling, two or more pallets per cycle
- Low-temperature version for freezer stores
- Safety devices: overspeed protection, rope-break and slack-rope protection, end buffers, configured to EN 528
- On-board controls and WCS interface
- Aisle maintenance platform and access gates
Scope of supply
- Machine, drives and control cabinet, assembled and dry-run tested before shipping
- The equipment's own control and fleet software; interfaces to your existing WMS / ERP as the project requires
- Drawings: general arrangement, foundation and anchor plan, electrical schematics
- Conformity documents for the equipment and the whole line, the split of responsibilities and the acceptance criteria are set out in the contract according to the project scope
- Spare-parts list and wear-part recommendation; a first batch can ship with the equipment
- Factory acceptance (FAT): attend in person or follow by live video
- Installation, commissioning and operator training can be included in the offer
What we need for an offer
- Rack height and aisle length
- Pallet size and maximum weight
- Pallets in and out per hour
- Single or double deep
- For retrofits: existing equipment, rails and controls