Metro Starsys Workcenters & Cabinets
How to plan Starsys mobile and stationary workcenters, supply cabinets, XD extra-deep cabinets, undercounter carts and overhead storage for clinics, labs and supply rooms — then design and price the layout in the Metro Workcenters BuildQuote.
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Starsys product types
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Cabinet widths: single, double, triple
Mobile
or stationary builds
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Metro online designers
What Starsys Is, and Why Rooms Get Built Around It
Starsys is Metro’s modular polymer storage system for healthcare, laboratory and other clean working environments. Instead of fixed millwork that has to be torn out every time a department changes, a Starsys room is assembled from standard-width modules: workcenters with countertops, tall supply cabinets, undercounter carts, overhead wall cabinets and specialty procedure carts. The modules share the same widths and the same interior drawer, shelf and bin hardware, so pieces line up and parts move from one unit to another.
The practical payoff is flexibility. Metro describes Starsys mobile workcenters as built for change, and that is the right way to think about them. A nurse station can be rolled to a new wall, a supply room can be re-zoned when par levels change, and a lab bench can become a mobile cart. Because the enclosures are polymer, they do not rust, chip or dent the way painted steel can, and they wipe down with routine cleaning.
We have supplied Metro storage to hospitals, clinics, labs and universities across the West from Salt Lake City since 1997. If you already know the modules you want, the Metro Workcenters BuildQuote builds a valid configuration, totals the bill of materials and rates freight to your dock.
Starsys Workcenters: Mobile and Stationary
A workcenter is a work surface with storage underneath. Starsys offers two kinds. Mobile workcenters sit on casters and combine drawer stacks, door cabinets and an open knee space under a continuous top, so the whole station can move with the work. Stationary workcenters combine lower storage with finished modular countertops and can stand alone or be configured as one section of a larger run, including L-shaped corner layouts like the one shown above.
| Decision | Options | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Mobility | Mobile on casters or stationary | Whether the station can be moved for cleaning, re-layouts or shared use |
| Width | Single, double or triple-wide modules | Storage volume and how modules line up with cabinets above |
| Lower storage | Drawers, doors, open knee space or a mix | What gets stored at the point of use and whether staff can sit |
| Countertop | Modular tops sized to the base run | Working area and how the run meets walls and corners |
| Security | Non-locking, key locking or electronic PIN locking (by model) | Who can open drawers and cabinets with controlled supplies |
| Interior | Drawer dividers, bins and shelves | How quickly staff find and restock items |
The most common mistake with workcenters is choosing the top first and the storage last. Start with what has to be within arm’s reach: supplies used every shift belong in shallow drawers at the station; bulk backup stock belongs in a tall cabinet nearby; personal items and charting supplies go in a locking drawer. Once the storage list is clear, the module widths almost choose themselves.
Mobile workcenters suit rooms where the layout is still changing, rooms that are cleaned by moving everything off the walls, and shared spaces such as procedure rooms or teaching labs. Stationary workcenters suit permanent nurse stations, pharmacy prep areas and lab benches where the run is planned around plumbing, data and power.
Confirm the exact configuration
Starsys model numbers encode width, drawer and door mix, lock type and accessories. Configurations change over time, so we confirm the current spec sheet and drawing for every model before you order.
Starsys Supply Cabinets: Tall, Mobile, Tambour and Overhead
Tall cabinets carry the bulk of a supply room. Starsys builds them in stationary and mobile versions and in single, double and triple widths. Stationary supply cabinets can stand alone or be used beside other tall units and Starsys families, so a supply wall can be extended a module at a time. Mobile supply cabinets roll, which makes them useful as exchange carts between a central store and a unit, or as storage that has to move out of the way for floor care.
Stationary supply cabinetSolid-door tall storage for a supply wall.
Mobile supply cabinetTriple-wide storage with drawers and doors on casters.
Tambour door cabinetRoll-up door opens without swing clearance.Door style matters more than most buyers expect. Hinged doors are simple and give a full-width opening, but they need swing clearance and can be left open into a corridor. Tambour doors roll up into the cabinet, so they work in narrow alcoves and tight supply rooms where a swinging door would block traffic. Clear doors let staff see stock levels without opening the cabinet, which helps with par checks; solid doors hide contents and look tidier in patient-facing spaces.
Overhead cabinets put the wall space above a workcenter to use. Metro builds Starsys half-depth overhead units on the same widths as Starsys base units, so the wall cabinets line up with the run below, and the wall mounting rails and hardware ship with each wall cabinet. Clear doors are a popular choice above a workcenter because staff can see what is stored without reaching up and opening every door.
When you plan overhead storage, confirm wall construction and blocking with your facilities team before ordering. Wall cabinets carry their load through the mounting rail, and the wall behind them has to be able to take it.
Starsys XD Extra-Deep Cabinets
The XD family is the extra-deep version of the Starsys supply cabinet. The added depth gives more capacity in the same width and accommodates longer items, which makes XD a good fit for supply rooms that store long boxed products, catheters and bulky consumables. Metro presents XD as supporting a lean two-bin approach: the front bin is used, the rear bin is the reserve, and an empty front bin is the signal to reorder.
XD shelves can be repositioned and set from horizontal up to an angle of roughly 20 degrees, either tipped back to contain supplies or tipped forward for visibility and easier reach on upper shelves. According to Metro’s product data, preconfigured units ship with shelves installed at an upward angle; confirm the current shelf count and angle on the spec sheet for the model you choose. XD cabinets come with clear or solid doors in single, double and triple widths.
XD single-wide, clear doorsAngled shelves keep labels visible.
Catheter storage cabinetHanging storage for long catheters.
Mobile supply unitDouble-wide unit for exchange carts.Catheter storage is a specialised version of the same idea. Starsys catheter cabinets come in mobile and stationary versions, with tambour or hinged doors, and are rated by catheter capacity in the product name, which makes it easy to size a cath lab or interventional radiology store from a count of the items you keep on hand.
Undercounter Carts and Procedure Carts
Starsys undercounter carts are 34 inches tall so they roll under a standard counter or workcenter top. They come with drawers or a door, and in non-locking, key-locking and electronic PIN-lock versions. Metro describes them as polymer-based, adaptable storage that staff can relocate and reposition as workflows change, which is exactly how they get used: as a rolling drawer stack that lives under the counter during the day and moves to a bedside or procedure room when needed.
Locking matters when the cart holds controlled supplies. Key locks are simple and familiar; electronic PIN locks avoid lost keys and make it easier to change access when staff change. Pick the lock type before choosing the rest of the cart, because it decides which models are available.
The same modular parts build Starsys procedure carts: general use, biomedical, IV therapy, decentralized medication, isolation, critical care, trauma, cast, dressing and central line carts are all part of the family. These are covered in detail in our medical cart pages; on this page the point is that they share drawers, dividers and accessories with the workcenters and cabinets, so a department can standardise on one system.
Decentralized medication cartBins and drawers for unit-based meds.
IV therapy cartDrawer cart with IV pole.
General use medical cartModular drawers for everyday supplies.
Interior organisation is where Starsys earns its keep day to day. Drawer divider kits split shallow drawers into compartments sized for the items you keep, so a drawer of small consumables stays sorted after a busy shift. Plan dividers with the people who restock the drawers: they know which items get mixed up and which ones run out first.
Planning a Starsys Room Step by Step
- List what is stored in the room and how often each item is used: every shift, daily, weekly or as backup
- Decide which storage must be secured and who needs access, then choose lock types
- Measure walls, doorways, alcoves and corridor widths, including the route the units travel during delivery
- Mark plumbing, power, data and wall blocking before laying out stationary runs and overhead cabinets
- Choose mobile or stationary for each zone based on how the room is cleaned and how often it changes
- Size tall storage by bin count and par levels; consider XD where long items or two-bin replenishment are used
- Add workcenters where staff chart, prep or assemble kits, with knee space if they sit
- Plan dividers, bins and labels with the staff who restock the room
A typical clinic supply room might combine a stationary double-wide supply cabinet and an XD triple-wide cabinet along one wall, a stationary workcenter with an overhead cabinet for kit assembly, and two undercounter carts that roll to exam rooms. A hospital unit might add mobile supply cabinets as exchange carts from central supply. A research lab might use mobile workcenters as benches that can be pushed aside for equipment moves.
| Space | Usual Starsys pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Clinic supply room | Stationary supply cabinets plus XD | Dense, visible storage with room to grow |
| Nurse station | Stationary workcenter with overhead cabinets | Charting surface plus storage at reach |
| Procedure or exam room | Undercounter carts and a procedure cart | Supplies move to the patient |
| Central supply exchange | Mobile supply cabinets | Full carts swap with empty ones |
| Cath lab or IR | Catheter storage cabinets | Long items stored flat or hanging by count |
| Research or teaching lab | Mobile workcenters | Benches move when the room is reconfigured |
Design & price it online: Metro Workcenters & Furniture BuildQuote
Choose Starsys workcenters, supply cabinets and carts, set widths, doors, locks and interiors, and the Metro Workcenters designer validates the configuration, totals it and rates freight to your ZIP. Save and share the quote with your team.
Design & Price It Online All Metro Designers Call (800) 326-4403
Cleaning and care are simple, which is one reason clinical teams like the system. Polymer enclosures wipe down with routine cleaners, there is no painted finish to chip, and mobile units can be rolled away from the wall so floors and walls behind them get cleaned too. Check your facility’s disinfectant list against Metro’s care guide before standardising on a chemical, as with any polymer product.
Starsys Compared With Wire Shelving and Fixed Casework
Starsys is not the only way to store supplies, and it is not always the cheapest. Wire shelving such as Super Erecta is open, inexpensive and excellent for bulk storage in back rooms. Fixed casework looks permanent and can be the right answer in a showcase space. Starsys sits between the two: enclosed, clean-looking storage that is still modular and movable.
| Factor | Starsys modular polymer | Open wire shelving | Fixed casework |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enclosure | Enclosed drawers and doors | Open | Enclosed |
| Re-layout | Move or reconfigure modules | Easy to adjust | Usually demolition |
| Cleaning | Wipe-down polymer | Wipe wire; dust collects | Depends on finish |
| Security | Key or PIN locks by model | Needs enclosure kits | Locks available |
| Best for | Clinical supply, workstations, labs | Bulk back stock | Permanent showcase rooms |
Many supply rooms use both: Starsys for the items that need protection, visibility and organisation, and wire shelving for case-pack backup stock. If you are comparing open shelving, our Metro wire shelving finishes guide covers chrome, epoxy and stainless. For carts specifically, see the medical carts overview.
The biomedical cart is a good example of how the system crosses department lines. It is built from the same drawer modules and polymer shell as the workcenters, but configured with a work surface on top for biomedical engineering and equipment technicians. If your department already runs Starsys carts, adding workcenters and cabinets keeps drawers, keys and accessories consistent across the floor.
Five Starsys Buying Mistakes to Avoid
- Ordering by catalog photo. Two similar-looking cabinets can have different interiors, locks and door styles. Order by full model number and confirm it on the spec sheet.
- Forgetting the delivery route. Tall and triple-wide cabinets have to fit through doors and elevators. Measure the whole route, not just the room.
- Skipping wall checks for overhead cabinets. Confirm blocking behind the wall before you order wall-mounted units.
- Choosing locks last. Lock type limits which models are available. Settle security first.
- Planning without the restock team. Dividers and bin layouts that ignore how staff restock get rearranged within a month.
Lead times vary by configuration, and Starsys units are often built to order. Plan purchase timing around construction or move dates and ask us for current lead times with your quote. We can also suggest a phased approach, starting with the modules a department needs most and adding cabinets as budgets allow, since the modular widths make later additions straightforward.
Shop Metro Starsys Online
Buy select items directly from our online store, or request a quote for volume, custom sizes and freight-rated orders.
Metro Starsys Workcenter & Cabinet FAQ
What is Metro Starsys?
What is the difference between a mobile and a stationary Starsys workcenter?
What does XD mean on a Starsys cabinet?
Do Starsys cabinets lock?
Are Starsys enclosures easy to clean?
Can overhead cabinets line up with base units?
Can I price Starsys online?
Plan Your Starsys Room
Design it in the Metro Workcenters BuildQuote or ask a specialist to lay out workcenters and cabinets for your space. Call (800) 326-4403 or request a quote online.