Project Background

Hearing someone say "I have enough space for storage" is rare. 

Most of the time, people are restricted by their space and are limited in the number of things they can store. This is especially common in job shops (think of machine shops, automotive shops, essentially all trade-based job shops, and even hobbyists' garages). 

Storage solutions have existed as long as people have been around. Today they typically take the form of shelves, drawers, and cabinets. These solutions serve their purpose well and are quite simple, though they all have the issue that it is hard to access them high up, and this often limits storage solutions above a comfortable reaching height. To combat this people typically use a ladder, although even this has large drawbacks in safety, space efficiency, and time efficiency. Another existing solution is a vertical carousel design which many high-end machine shops use (shown on the right), these are incredibly space and time-efficient but are designed for warehouse-sized job shops and cost thousands of dollars making them inaccessible to smaller, cheaper job shops, and hobbyists.

The issue of space efficiency and poor accessibility to high-up spaces affects most people. However, innovative solutions are most needed in job shops, specifically ones that lack the funding for expensive solutions. This user group would primarily be small to medium-sized job shop managers and trade hobbyists who need more storage. These users typically have lots of unused space above reachable areas and expect their storage systems to be quick and easy to access with the ability for customizable organization. These users are often hesitant to buy new equipment and prioritize reliability, efficiency, and ease of repair. Word spreads quickly between shops in the same field and innovative solutions that one shop adapts often spread to others. Sources: Practical Machinist, Reddit, Cam Industrial.