How to Choose a Stacker Crane Manufacturer for an AS/RS Project
To choose a stacker crane manufacturer for an AS/RS project, evaluate how well the supplier can translate your storage layout, load requirements, throughput targets, controls, and site constraints into a coordinated system. Compare manufacturers on engineering capability, equipment fit, integration planning, documentation, commissioning scope, and after-sales support—not only on the crane’s quoted price. Before requesting proposals, prepare a clear project brief and ask each supplier to explain its assumptions and exclusions.
At HEGERLS, we recommend assessing the crane as part of the wider storage and material-handling system. A technically suitable machine still needs to fit the rack structure, goods-in and goods-out processes, safety provisions, and warehouse control arrangements. The steps below can help procurement, engineering, and operations teams evaluate suppliers on comparable terms.
Key Takeaways
- Define load dimensions and weight, storage layout, operating conditions, and required throughput before comparing quotes.
- Ask manufacturers to document crane performance assumptions, interfaces, project responsibilities, and service arrangements.
- Assess the complete AS/RS solution, including racks, controls, safety, installation coordination, and future maintenance access.
- Use the same project brief for every bidder so that price and technical proposals can be compared fairly.
Step 1: Define the Project Requirements
A manufacturer can only propose a suitable stacker crane when the project inputs are sufficiently clear. Start with the goods to be stored, the number and arrangement of storage locations, the building geometry, and the movement expected during normal and peak operations. Include the current process and any planned changes, such as new packaging formats or additional shifts.
Document the load and storage profile
Record the unit-load type, maximum loaded weight, length, width, height, and any overhang or stability concerns. Identify whether the crane will handle pallets, containers, cartons, or another load carrier, and provide representative drawings or photographs where available. Explain how loads are presented to the crane, including the conveyor or transfer equipment at pickup and deposit points.
Also provide the aisle arrangement, rack height and depth, number of storage levels, and required clearances. Site information should cover floor conditions, available building height, temperature, dust or moisture exposure, and any obstructions that could affect installation or operation. If a detail is not yet confirmed, mark it as an assumption rather than leaving the supplier to guess.
Step 2: Specify Performance in Measurable Terms
Throughput should be expressed in a way that reflects your actual operating process. Clarify whether the requirement counts single pallet movements, combined storage-and-retrieval cycles, or another measure, and state the period over which the target applies. Ask suppliers to describe the operating conditions behind their proposed capacity, including travel distances, load mix, and any expected waiting time at interfaces.
Use illustrative values to structure the request
The figures in the table are examples of how to write a project brief, not recommended specifications or performance guarantees. Replace them with values confirmed by your operational and engineering teams. A manufacturer should review the full set of inputs before confirming whether a proposed configuration is appropriate.
| Requirement | Illustrative project input | What to clarify with the manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum unit-load weight | 1,000 kg | Whether the stated weight includes the pallet or load carrier, and how load variation is handled. |
| Rack lift height | 20 m | How the proposed crane and rack configuration relate to building height and required clearances. |
| Required throughput | 30 pallet movements per hour | Which movements are counted and what cycle assumptions support the estimate. |
Step 3: Evaluate the Manufacturer’s Engineering Fit
A capable supplier should be able to explain why its proposed crane configuration fits your storage system and operating requirements. Review the equipment scope alongside the rack layout, load-handling method, transfer points, and system interfaces. Ask for a proposal that identifies what is included, what is excluded, and which inputs still need confirmation.
Review technical documentation and interfaces
Request layout drawings and relevant equipment specifications for review by your project team. Confirm how the crane communicates with the warehouse control or management system and which party is responsible for software configuration, data exchange, and interface testing. Clarify how safety functions, access for maintenance, and operational recovery procedures are addressed in the design.
For a project that includes storage racks as well as cranes, check that the supplier’s responsibilities cover coordination between the equipment and the rack design. Ask how load information, aisle geometry, installation tolerances, and commissioning activities will be reviewed. These questions help reveal whether a quote describes a coordinated project scope or only an individual machine.
Step 4: Compare Project Delivery and Support
Price is important, but it does not show the full delivery scope. Compare the proposed engineering, manufacturing, packing, transport, installation coordination, commissioning, training, and documentation responsibilities. If different suppliers include different services, request a revised scope or create a comparison table before selecting a bidder.
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Ask about lifecycle support
Discuss the availability of operating manuals, maintenance guidance, spare-parts information, and technical assistance after handover. Ask how service requests are handled and what information the supplier needs to diagnose an issue. Where response times or service coverage matter to your operation, request them in writing rather than relying on general statements.
For overseas projects, confirm the delivery terms, export documentation responsibilities, packaging approach, and any local installation or service arrangements. Do not assume these items are included in the equipment price. A written responsibility matrix can help align the manufacturer, local contractors, software provider, and end user before work begins.
Step 5: Compare Proposals Consistently
Use one evaluation framework for every manufacturer. Score technical compliance, completeness of scope, clarity of assumptions, integration approach, delivery plan, support, and total project cost. Record deviations from your requirements and ask suppliers to explain them, especially when a proposal substitutes equipment or changes the assumed operating conditions.
Questions to ask shortlisted suppliers
- Which project inputs have you used, and which remain assumptions?
- How is the proposed throughput calculated, and what operating conditions does it assume?
- Which rack, conveyor, software, safety, installation, and commissioning interfaces are included?
- What drawings, manuals, training, and maintenance information will be provided?
- What are the project milestones, customer dependencies, exclusions, and support arrangements?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One frequent mistake is selecting a crane based on a headline speed or price without checking the complete storage and transfer process. Actual system performance depends on the project layout, movement profile, control logic, and interaction with other equipment, so request the assumptions behind each proposal. Compare like with like before drawing conclusions.
Another mistake is providing incomplete load information or treating all pallets and goods as identical. Variation in dimensions, weight, packaging, and stability can affect equipment selection and handling requirements. Share the range of expected loads and agree how out-of-range or non-standard loads will be managed.
Buyers can also overlook future maintenance access, spare-parts planning, and project responsibilities. These details are easier to clarify during procurement than after installation. Include operational staff and maintenance personnel in the review so that the selected design reflects day-to-day use as well as purchasing requirements.
How HEGERLS Can Support Your Evaluation
As a stacking racks and shelves supplier, HEGERLS can discuss how the storage structure and stacker crane requirements should be considered together during AS/RS planning. Our team can review the information you provide, such as load specifications, rack layout, building constraints, and operating targets, and help identify questions that need engineering confirmation. The final equipment scope and configuration should be based on project-specific technical review.
To start a useful discussion, prepare a preliminary layout, load data, target throughput, site conditions, and the preferred project schedule. We can then use these inputs to understand your requirements and discuss a suitable proposal scope. Any performance, delivery, and service commitments should be confirmed in the project quotation and technical documentation.
Conclusion: Choose the Supplier That Can Explain the Whole System
The right stacker crane manufacturer is not simply the supplier with the lowest quote or the most impressive specification. Choose a partner that can connect your operational targets to a clearly defined crane, rack, interface, delivery, and support scope—and can explain the assumptions behind its proposal. A structured brief and consistent supplier comparison will make technical and commercial differences easier to evaluate.
Your next step is to gather load and layout data, define how throughput will be measured, and issue the same requirements to each shortlisted manufacturer. Ask for written clarification of exclusions, interface responsibilities, and after-sales support before making a decision. HEGERLS welcomes project inquiries from buyers seeking to evaluate a coordinated storage and stacker crane solution.