Metro SmartLever & PrepMate Workstations
How Metro’s PrepMate prep stations and SmartLever adjustable cantilever workstations turn shelving parts into a place to work — packing, assembly, food prep and lab benches compared — then designed and priced in the Metro Workstations BuildQuote.
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Workstation systems
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Ways to buy
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Front posts on SmartLever
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Metro online designers
Workstations Built From Metro Parts
Most Metro products store things. A workstation is where people use them. Metro builds workstations from the same posts, shelves and finishes as its shelving, which means a packing bench, a prep station or an assembly table can match the storage around it, share accessories with it and be reconfigured as the work changes.
Two systems cover most needs. PrepMate is a mobile prep station: a work surface over a shelf on posts and casters, used in kitchens, catering and labs where a work surface needs to move. SmartLever is an adjustable cantilever system: uprights carry arms that hold shelves and work surfaces with no front posts, so the person working along the front edge has nothing in the way of their knees or their reach.
We have planned Metro storage and workspaces for kitchens, labs, hospitals and warehouses across the West from Salt Lake City since 1997. When you know the task and the space, the Metro Workstations BuildQuote builds a valid station and rates freight to your dock.
PrepMate: Mobile Prep Stations
PrepMate MultiStation units pair a solid stainless work surface with wire storage below on stainless posts. The solid top gives a flat surface to cut, assemble or plate on, and the wire shelf underneath holds pans, boxes or supplies while letting air and light through. Mounted on casters, a PrepMate can be pulled up beside a line, pushed into a walk-in for loading or rolled to a catering event.
Kitchens use PrepMate stations as extra prep space during busy service. Caterers use them as portable work surfaces. Labs and clean back-of-house areas use them as moveable benches for sample prep or kit assembly. Accessories such as cutting boards, bins and overshelves vary by model, so we confirm the current spec sheet for what a given station includes.
Hot workstationSuper Erecta with a heated shelf for holding.
Picking cartA rolling work surface for order picking.
Nimbl mobile workstationA mobile computer workstation for clinical use.Around the prep station, Metro also builds related stations: Super Erecta hot workstations with a heated shelf for holding finished food, prep tables combined with SmartWall shelving and a cart, and picking carts that give warehouse staff a work surface they can push down the aisle. They all share the idea of a work surface built on the Metro platform.
SmartLever: Adjustable Cantilever Workstations
SmartLever builds a workstation from vertical uprights on legs, with cantilever arms that project forward from the uprights. Shelves and work surfaces sit on those arms. Because the arms carry the load from the back, there are no front posts at all. That is the key difference from ordinary shelving: you can sit or stand right up to the front edge, slide a long item across the surface, or roll a chair under it.
Arms adjust up and down the uprights, so the same station can be set for seated or standing work, raised for a tall operator or lowered for a different task. Shelves above the work surface keep parts, packing materials or supplies within reach, and grid brackets or hooks can hang tools and bins at the point of use.
| Task | SmartLever setup | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Packing bench | Work surface plus one or two shelves above | Boxes and tape above, packing on the surface |
| Assembly station | Work surface, shelf and grid with hooks | Parts in bins, tools hanging at hand |
| Lab bench | Work surface with shelves at eye level | Clear front edge, supplies above |
| Prep area | Surface and shelves in a corrosion-resistant finish | Cleanable, reconfigurable |
| Shipping and receiving | Long run of base and add-on bays | One continuous surface along a wall |
SmartLever Parts and How a Run Is Built
The simplest way to buy SmartLever is as kits. A base kit forms the first bay with two uprights. Each add-on kit shares one upright with the bay before it, so a run of three bays needs one base kit and two add-ons. Cross-brace kits stiffen longer runs, leg hook kits attach the legs, and replacement hooks and grid bracket kits let you add or rearrange accessories.
Add-on kitExtends the run by one bay.
UprightsCarry the arms.
ArmsCantilever support, no front posts.
LegsStand the uprights on the floor.
Cross brace kitStiffens longer runs.
Work surfaceThe bench top.
Leg hook kitConnects legs to uprights.
Grid bracket hook kitHangs grids for tools and bins.
Shelf mount hooksReplacement hooks for shelves.Design & price it online: Metro Workstations BuildQuote
Choose PrepMate or SmartLever, set the run length, number of bays, work surface and shelves, then add hooks, grids and casters where offered. The designer validates the station, totals it and rates freight to your ZIP. Save and share the quote.
Design & Price It Online All Metro Designers Call (800) 326-4403
If you already own SmartWall wall shelving, note that SmartLever is a separate system with its own uprights. Our SmartWall & SmartLever wall shelving guide explains which to use against a wall and which to use as a free-standing bench.
PrepMate vs SmartLever vs TableWorx vs a Workbench
Metro also makes TableWorx stainless steel tables and productivity risers for clean and lab environments. Those are tables first, with shelving added above. PrepMate is a mobile work surface, SmartLever is a configurable cantilever bench system, and a traditional industrial workbench is a heavy fixed bench for shop work. Each suits a different job.
If you want a heavy steel bench with vises, drawers and pegboard for maintenance or manufacturing, our industrial workbenches page covers that. If you want a clean, reconfigurable surface that matches Metro shelving, keep reading.
| Option | Moves? | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrepMate | Yes, on casters | Kitchens, catering, mobile lab prep | Not for very heavy loads on the top |
| SmartLever | Usually stationary | Packing, assembly, lab benches with open fronts | Plan the run length before ordering |
| TableWorx | Usually stationary | Clean and lab tables in stainless | Separate designer and options |
| Industrial workbench | No | Heavy shop and maintenance work | Does not match Metro shelving |
TableWorx 304 stainless tableFor clean and lab work.Planning a Workstation
- Describe the task: packing, assembly, prep, lab work or picking
- Decide seated, standing or both, and the height of the shortest and tallest user
- Measure the wall or floor run and any columns, outlets or windows
- List what must be within reach and what can go on shelves above
- Choose a finish to suit the room: chrome, epoxy, stainless or polymer
- Decide whether the station must move, and check doors and aisles if so
- Note any ESD, cleanroom or food-safety requirements
Load ratings for work surfaces and cantilever arms depend on the bay width, arm length and how the load is spread, so we confirm the current spec sheet for your layout with every quote. Put heavy items on the work surface near the uprights rather than at the front edge, and keep shelves above the surface for lighter supplies.
Ergonomics That Pay Off
A workstation that fits the person using it is faster and safer. Standing work surfaces are commonly set somewhere around elbow height, a little lower for heavy work and a little higher for fine assembly. Seated work needs knee room under the surface, which is where SmartLever’s open front helps. Keep the most-used items within a forearm’s reach, and put rarely used items on the top shelf. Because SmartLever arms adjust, you can set each bay for a different person or task and change it later.
| Work type | Surface height guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy packing | Lower than elbow | Lets users press down on boxes |
| General assembly | About elbow height | Most common setting |
| Fine assembly or inspection | Above elbow | Brings work closer to the eyes |
| Seated lab work | Desk height with knee room | Open front, chair rolls under |
Typical Layouts
| Space | Layout | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| E-commerce packing | Three-bay SmartLever run with shelves for cartons | One packer per bay, supplies above |
| Restaurant prep | Two PrepMate stations beside the line | Roll out of the way after service |
| Catering | PrepMate plus a hot workstation | Prep and hold at the event |
| Electronics assembly | SmartLever with grids, hooks and ESD-safe accessories | Tools and bins hang at hand |
| Lab | SmartLever bench with eye-level shelves | Clear front edge for seated work |
| Warehouse | Picking cart plus a fixed packing station | Pick on the move, pack at the station |
The most common change we make to workstation quotes is surface height. The second is run length: buyers often order one bay when two would let a second person work or give room to stage finished orders. Planning both before you order saves a re-order later.
What to Send Us for a Quote
- The task and how many people work at the station at once
- Available wall or floor length and ceiling height
- Preferred height or height range
- Shelves, grids, hooks and bins you need above the surface
- Room conditions and preferred finish
- Mobile or fixed
- Photos or a sketch of the space if you have them
With those details we can confirm the right kits and accessories. Or answer the same questions in the BuildQuote and compare a PrepMate with a SmartLever run before you order.
Materials, Cleaning and Food Safety
A work surface is touched all day, so the finish matters as much as the frame. Stainless work surfaces suit food prep, labs and anywhere staff sanitise often; they resist most cleaning chemicals and do not chip. Wire shelves above or below the surface come in chrome for dry rooms, Metroseal epoxy for humid kitchens and coolers, and stainless for washdown areas. Wipe surfaces with warm water and a mild detergent, rinse and dry, and avoid steel wool or abrasive pads that scratch stainless and epoxy finishes.
In kitchens, keep raw and ready-to-eat prep on separate stations or clean the surface fully between tasks, and keep chemicals off shelves above food. In labs and electronics areas, ask us about ESD-safe options and grounding so the station fits the rest of your controlled area. If a station will roll through a cart wash, tell us so the casters and finishes can take it.
Shop Metro Workstations Online
Buy select items directly from our online store, or request a quote for volume, custom sizes and freight-rated orders.
Metro SmartLever & PrepMate FAQ
What is Metro SmartLever?
What is a Metro PrepMate?
How is a SmartLever run built?
Can SmartLever work surfaces be adjusted?
Is SmartLever the same as SmartWall?
How much weight can a SmartLever work surface hold?
Can I price a Metro workstation online?
Build a Better Place to Work
Design it in the Metro Workstations BuildQuote or send us the task and space for a layout review. Call (800) 326-4403 or request a quote online.