Kasto, a leading German manufacturer of storage systems and sawing machines, has launched a new innovation to streamline machining processes. The company’s UK and Ireland subsidiary, Kasto Ltd, based in Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, introduced the UNITOWER cnc, an automated tower storage and retrieval system. This system automates the transfer of plates with fixtured workpieces to machining centres, as well as the return of completed components back to storage.
The UNITOWER cnc is designed to work with machines from virtually any manufacturer. The tower can hold large, fixtured components on multiple levels within a compact space. It reaches heights of up to 20 meters, allowing for efficient use of vertical space. This system enables operators to prepare new workpieces on separate setup stations while machines continue to run. As a result, it minimizes downtime, boosts productivity, and increases profitability by allowing machinery to operate for longer periods.
Each shelf in the tower measures 3 x 1.5 meters and can hold one or two plates, depending on the size of the fixtured components. The maximum load height is up to 1.7 meters, with a weight capacity of 5 tonnes per shelf. The plates feature a zero-point clamping system on the underside, ensuring precise placement on the pallets of twin-pallet-change machining centres. This eliminates the need for multiple costly machine pallets and allows for more efficient storage compared to thicker plates, which would take up more vertical space.
An overhead gantry crane automatically retrieves plates with fixtured workpieces. The crane transfers them to designated locations using shuttle units and roller tracks designed for the specific application. Unlike a traditional paternoster system, the gantry crane only moves the targeted shelf, ensuring faster access and energy savings. Before each plate reaches the machining centre, it is automatically positioned onto one of the machine pallets, and partially or fully machined workpieces are returned to the tower in the same way.
The UNITOWER cnc is controlled by KASTOlogic, the manufacturer’s proprietary software for warehouse management and production control. This software ensures the machines receive the correct workpieces for each order, verifies the availability of necessary NC programs and tools, monitors production processes, calculates completion dates, and optimizes the order handling sequence.
Kasto drew on extensive experience from its own factory in Achern, southern Germany, to develop the UNITOWER cnc. The result is a practical, safe, and sustainable automation solution suitable for manufacturers across all industries. The modular design of the system allows for easy expansion, making it a valuable investment for growing companies.
