mitsubishi electric advance vol88

ISSN 1345-3041

VOL. 88/DEC. 1999

Elevator Edition

MITSUBISHIELECTRIC

● Vol. 88/Dec. 1999 Mitsubishi Electric ADVANCE

A Quarterly Survey of New Products, Systems, and Technology

Elevator Edition

CONTENTSShin Suzuki

Haruki NakamuraToshimasa UjiMasakazu OkuyamaKazunori SasakiMasao HatayaHiroshi MuramatsuYutaka KamataMasashi HonjoTakashi NagamineHiroaki KawachiHiroshi KayashimaKouji IshikawaTsuneo TsuganeToshikazu SaitaAkira Inokuma

Hiroyuki Ikejima

Masakazu OkuyamaCorporate Total Productivity Management& Environmental ProgramsMitsubishi Electric Corporation2-2-3 MarunouchiChiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8310, JapanFax 03-3218-2465

Yasuhiko KaseGlobal Strategic Planning Dept.Corporate Marketing GroupMitsubishi Electric Corporation2-2-3 MarunouchiChiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8310, JapanFax 03-3218-3455

Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Inquiries

Mitsubishi Electric Advance is published online quarterly (in March, June, September,and December) by Mitsubishi ElectricCorporation.Copyright © 1999 by Mitsubishi ElectricCorporation; all rights reserved.Printed in Japan.

Editorial Advisors

Vol. 88 Feature Articles Editor

Product Inquiries

TECHNICAL REPORTS

OVERVIEW

Introducing the Special Edition on Elevators ..................................... 1by Sueo Okabe

Current Trends and Future Directionsin Elevator Technology ........................................................................ 2by Shigeru Abe

New Model GPS-III and GPM-III Series Elevators ............................... 4by Hiroshi Ando and Hiroyuki Ikejima

Elevators Without a Machine Room:the Mitsubishi GPQ Series .................................................................. 8by Takenobu Honda and Eiji Ando

High-Speed High-Capacity Elevatorsfor Ultrahigh-Rise Buildings ............................................................. 12by Hiroshi Araki and Yasushi Chadani

A Modernising Control System forHigh-Speed DC Elevators ................................................................ 16by Toru Tanahashi and Masami Kawamura

New Elevators for Residential Use .................................................. 20by Yoshio Kamiya and Hiroshi Hirano

A Remote Inspection System for Elevators .................................... 24by Kiyoji Kawai and Hideki Shiozaki

NEW PRODUCTSThe FPR-MKII Finger Print Recognizer ............................................ 28

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC OVERSEAS NETWORK

Our cover for this issue features the newtraction machine for the latest generation ofour GPQ series elevators, using a newsyncrhonous permanent magnet motor, andthe control panel for this series, 80% smallerin volume than preceding comparable types.

TECHNICAL REPORTS

OverviewIntroducing the Special Edition on Elevators

The last century has seen vertical transportation extend human living and workingspace to high-rise buildings and areas below ground. Few would deny the critical role itplays in supporting urban life as we know it, with its high population densities anddependence upon sophisticated functions.

Inverter technology and elevator group control using artificial intelligence are amongthe important innovations designed to improve convenience and comfort. Elevators arealso being designed to add a visual accent to the buildings within which they are used.

As we enter the 21st century, we can expect to see elevators that are friendlier to theuser and to the environment, with measures adopted specifically to meet the needs of theelderly and and the physically challenged. The widespread adoption of universal designwill make using elevators a simple pleasure for everyone, and environmental concernswill be addressed by further reducing energy requirements and increasing the amount ofmaterials that can be recycled.

The corporation’s introduction of the latest technical innovations has made MitsubishiElectric a world leader in low energy consumption. Our ongoing commitment to higherefficiency will result in less materials being used in our elevators, and more of those usedwill be recyclable. By offering a comprehensive selection of modernization options, wealso expect to satisfy a large and growing demand for modernization.

Finally, the corporation will continue to develop and adopt the most advanced technolo-gies, creating products that will appeal to our customers while meeting the needs ofsociety. We thank all our customers for their support and encouragement in this continu-ing effort.❑

by Sueo Okabe*

*Sueo Okabe is the Manager of Inazawa Works.

December 1999 · 1

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Mitsubishi Electric ADVANCE2 ·

Current Trends and Future Directionsin Elevator Technology

by Shigeru Abe*

*Dr. Shigeru Abe is with Inazawa Works.

Market TrendsJapan’s economy has been slow and the eleva-tor market sluggish since the collapse of thespeculative bubble, but signs of an economicrebound are visible and encouraging. This slow-down has hurt elevator sales. The Asian eco-nomic crisis ended a highly visible constructionboom in major southeast Asian cities, leadingto the cancellation of some building projects anddelays in others. China, one of the largest mar-kets for elevators, has seen funds for buildingconstruction dry up, although not so severelyas in southeast Asia. Full recovery is not gener-ally expected before the beginning of the newcentury, but high-rise building construction andother redevelopment projects in Shanghai’sPudon district promise to support the market inthe long term. Mitsubishi Electric has deliveredhigh-speed elevators to the high-rise Jin Maobuilding and expects to receive further contractsas the Shanghai economy picks up.

Trends in Standards and RegulationStandards in the European Union are undergo-ing change. The EU has revised EN81, a uni-fied set of elevator safety regulations for theregion.The European Lift Directive 96/16/EC,which has been fully ratified since July 1999,set the obligatory rules for building and operat-ing elevators in the European Union. The USbased ANSI and ASME are also revising theirelevator standards. The ISO is working activelytoward a single set of elevator standards, butthe process is expected to take considerabletime.

Technical Trends

ELIMINATING THE MACHINE ROOM. Traction-type elevators that hoist the car with a wirerope require a machine room at the top of thebuilding. This need affects the building shapeand constrains locations where elevators canbe installed. Hydraulic elevators offer more flex-ibility regarding equipment location, but limitthe maximum travel and consume more energy.The environmental impact of the mineral oil hy-draulic fluid may also be an issue. Mitsubishi

Electric has focused on developing machine-roomless elevators for the European and Japa-nese markets. The Mitsubishi GPQ Series fitsthe traction equipment and control electronicsentirely within the elevator shaft, eliminatingthe need for an external machine room.

PERMANENT MAGNET TRACTION MOTOR. Inadvance of other manufacturers, MitsubishiElectric has introduced a new type of gearlesstraction machine with a permanent magnet (PM)for high-speed elevators. This unique applica-tion of a PM motor effects several improvementsincluding higher efficiency, greater comfort, andminiaturization.

HIGHER SPEEDS, LARGER LOADS. Passengertransportation efficiency is a central issue asbuildings grow larger and taller. The group con-trol systems that manage multiple elevatorimplement new scheduling algorithms that sig-nificantly boost transport efficiency. In a mar-ket climate that increasingly emphasizescapacity, double-deck elevator cars capable ofserving two floors at a time have appeared.Mitsubishi Electric has developed high-capac-ity power modules and motors for this applica-tion and is already delivering them to customersworldwide.

Toward Harmonized RegulationElevator regulations differ from nation to nation.An elevator manufacturer serving the globalmarket must satisfy three key sets of standards:EN in Europe, ANSI in the United States, andJIS and national building code in Japan. Othercountries add their own requirements, but mostgenerally follow European standards. While theEU has established a single standard for itsmember countries, Canada and the US havemerged their regulations. China generally fol-lows the EU standards while retaining someelements of the British code. Manufacturers arecontinuing to work through the ISO towardworldwide standards.

ModernizationMore than five million elevators are estimated

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 3December 1999

to be in use worldwide. The life of an elevatordepends on its maintenance and operating en-vironment. Most are renewed after 20 to 30years. With such a large base of installed eleva-tors needing renewal, this market is a signifi-cant one.

Older elevators suffer from higher power con-sumption, longer passenger waiting times, lowertransportation efficiency and lower riding com-fort than newer models. These factors will nec-essarily expand the volume of modernizationprojects.

Environmental ConsiderationsConsidering environmental issues is imperativein the design of modern elevator products. Threeareas stand out:

ENERGY SAVINGS. Fig. 1 shows energy savingsachieved in successive Mitsubishi elevator prod-ucts. Continued energy savings are needed to con-serve fossil fuels and minimize man’s contributionto global warming.

RESOURCE CONSERVATION. Resources can besaved by designing products to be lighter, by de-signing them to consume less energy in manu-facturing, by simplifying product packaging andby recycling packaging materials.

Fig. 1 Energy savings in successive elevatorproducts.

120

100

80

60

40

20

0'70 '75 '80 '85 '90 '95

Hydraulic elevators

High-speed elevators

Low-speed elevators

%

year

WASTE MANAGEMENT. Processes are designedto minimize waste products. Wastes are re-cycled wherever possible.

Various plans for larger, higher buildings havebeen proposed. Mitsubishi Electric has deliveredthe world’s fastest elevators—with a top speedof 12.5m/sec (750m/min)—to the YokohamaLandmark Tower and will continue to push theenvelope. While these elevators may be the fast-est, new technologies allowing multiple cars toshare a single shaft or to operate entirely with-out hoist cables will surely draw attention. ❑

TECHNICAL REPORTS


New Model GPS-III and GPM-IIISeries Elevators

by Hiroshi Ando and Hiroyuki Ikejima*

*Hiroshi Ando and Hiroyuki Ikejima are with the Inazawa Works.

The article introduces features and new tech-nologies in Mitsubishi Electric’s new-model GPS-III and GPM-III series elevators designed forimproved efficiency, reliability and comfort. SeeFig. 1.

Traction MotorInduction motors are used. A traction motor witha 10% smaller sheave diameter saves machine-room space in elevators with load capacity un-der 600kg and speed and 60m/min, whileredesigned gearing and a smaller traction mo-tor save space in 120~150m/min elevators with750~1,050kg capacities.

Shaft DimensionsThinner car walls and doors have been devel-oped that reduce the shaft size of these made-to-order elevators. Reinforcing members in thecar walls have been repositioned and optimizedthrough structural analysis to reduce wall thick-

ness by 20%. New stamping and joining tech-nologies reduce the number of door componentswhile trimming door thickness by 40%.

Fig. 1 Feature List.

Smaller sheaves

Thinner car walls

Aesthetically designed car and ceiling

Multibeam photoelectric sensor (optional)

- VLSI for elevator control- Group control system without separate enclosure- Compact, with single-side maintenance access - Data networking for supervisory control

- Thin landing indicator- "Clicking buttons" with improved legibility

- Aesthetically designed car control panel- "Clicking buttons" with improved legibility- Optional "landscape" oriented control panel- Electroluminescent display

- Thinner door-control device- Improved belt-drive mechanisms- Mass-sensing door control

Fig. 2 The control board showing the AML centralprocessor unit.

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 5December 1999

Drive and Control Circuitry Implemented inVLSIIntegrating major elevator control circuitry in asingle VLSI called Associated ManagementLogic (AML) boosts performance while reduc-ing the control electronics to the small boardshown in Fig. 2. The AML chip implements atraction motor drive control processor and op-eration control logic in 300,000 gates. The de-vice generates control signals for the inverterand the transistor converter. Fig. 3 shows a blockdiagram of the control system and AML archi-tecture. The AML chip can compute motor cur-rent control commands in one fifth the time ofprevious processors, which permits smoother,more precise and more comfortable car opera-tion. High-speed elevators feature a smaller andmore reliable inverter due to a new short-cir-cuit protection function that no longer requiresa voltage feedback circuit to correct its timecharacteristics.

Compact ElectronicsThe enclosure for the control system electron-ics is located in the machine room. Its volumehas been reduced by 30 to 50%. The controlpanel for high-speed elevators has been rede-signed to permit all maintenance access from

one side of the enclosure. This single-side ac-cess simplifies machine room equipment lay-out and reduces room size. Group controlfunctions for 45~105m/min elevators are nowintegrated in the control panel, eliminating theseparate enclosure previously required.

More compact dimensions were achieved byintroducing low-impedance insulated copperbusbars that can be closely spaced. Two kindsof insulated busbars are used. One type is insu-lated by a sandwich of PET film, the other has aPPS coating formed by injection. Thermal analy-sis has made it possible to redesign the inverterheat sinks for reduced volume while boostingmain circuit reliability.

Simpler connections to the main control boardalso save space. Interface boards are connectedvia high-speed differential-operation serial buses.All cards receive power from a bus bar in thefront panel. The bus connectors also exit thefront of the panels. This eliminates the need forbackplane connections, boosting reliability andreducing rack size.

Improved Door OperationSeveral improvements in belt-drive mechanismsnow enable them to replace the mechanicallylinked drives previously required to operate spe-

Fig. 3 A block diagram of the control system.

CL (LSI)Signals for

group controlboard,

landing halland car

Serialinterface UART

Processorcore

ROM RAM

Dual-port memory

Car travel andspeed control

computer

AML (VLSI)

DC currenttransformer ADC

Resistorfile

MOTOR DRIVECONTROLPROCESSOR

Processorcore

Memory

Digital PWM

Timerinterruptcontroller

Watchdogtimer

Speedfeedback

circuit

Additionallogic

Mainte-nance

computerinterface

Maintenancecomputer

Gate-drive signals forpower switching devices

Motor pulsegenerator

Parallel I/Ointerface

CONTROL BOARD

TECHNICAL REPORTS


cialty doors incorporating glass and other heavymaterials, see Fig. 4.

STRONGER MECHANISM. The belt-drive mecha-nism is 25% faster than previous belt systemswhile weighing 30% less than mechanicallylinked drives. Durable high-traction belts havebeen adopted, especially for the heavily loadeddeceleration mechanism.

MASS-SENSING DOOR CONTROL. A control sys-tem that automatically adjusts the motor powerand speed to suit doors of various weights hasbeen developed. A RISC-type high-performance32-bit monolithic microprocessor provides the

Fig. 5 Five levels of the new elevator lineup.

New Series (unifying domestic and export options)

S-De Luxe-2DS-11MIndirectly lighted archand acrylic blocks

DS-21MRoof with side lighting

S-De Luxe-1

GS-11S, MIndirectly lighted archwith down light

GS-21SAcrylic block roof

GS-31MLarge arch of whitetranslucent plastic

GS-41MGable of acrylic blocks

De Luxe-B

SS-11S, MAcrylic blocks andindirect lighting

SF-11MAcrylic blocks inrectangular frame

SP-11MAcrylic blocks

SL-31M90% Down light

SE-21S, MCentral louver

SE-21MHalf-silvered mirror inrectangular frame

SP-21MPunched holes with acrylic

SL-41M90% Louvers

SS-21S, MWhite translucent plasticpanel with central arch

De Luxe-A SE-11S, MDown light

SL-11S, MPunched holes plus whitetranslucent plastic panel

SL-21S, MWhile translucent plastic panelwith Japanese paper pattern

StandardCN-11S, MCentral globe of whitetranslucent plastic

CN-31MTwo globes of white translucentplastic, one on each side

Grade

Fig. 4 Motor speed during door operation.

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.50

20

40

60

80

100

Mot

or s

peed

(ra

dian

s/s)

Time (s)

Motor speed command

Actual motor speed

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 7December 1999

computing power needed to process motortorque commands for opening or closing thedoors while monitoring a pulse generator to de-termine actual motor speed. The motor speedreveals the door mass, and the processor usesthis information to adjust torque commands ac-cordingly.

MULTIBEAM PHOTOELECTRIC SENSOR. Two pho-toelectric sensor systems are available to re-verse closing doors if a person or object isblocking the doorway. One is a two-dimensionalsensor that detects objects in the plane of thedoor. The other is a three-dimensional sensorthat extends the detection area in the direction

Fig. 6 Aestheticaly designed control panels

(a) CBM-B150, "landscape" oriented control panel

(b) CBM-A110, control panel

of the landing so that a closing door will open toadmit a late-arriving passenger.

Aesthetic Design

CAR INTERIOR. New car interiors have been de-veloped. Separate ceiling illumination choicesfor export and domestic markets have beenfolded into a new five-level product scheme thatshares incandescent down lights and indirectillumination. These products, listed in Fig. 5,are designed to harmonize with modern archi-tectural design and building interior decor.

CAR CONTROL PANEL. Fig. 6 shows the two con-trol panel choices. An auxiliary control panelwith buttons arranged in a horizontal directionis available for placement at heights of 900~1,100mm to facilitate travel by children and wheel-chair users. The new elevator cars retain theLED dot-matrix display and the wave design ofprevious door controls. The buttons now incor-porate a tactile-feedback mechanism so that theyclick when pressed. To improve legibility, thefont size for the button labels has been increasedby 1mm to 13.5mm and high-contrast colorshave been used.

LANDING INDICATOR AND CALL BUTTON. Thethin, 16.9mm landing indicator can be bolteddirectly to the wall, eliminating the labor andmaterials cost of a recessed box. An electrolu-minescent display that is bright, easy to readand displays more information than the stan-dard indicator is also available. The electrolu-minescent panel was selected for flicker-freeoperation and a wide viewing angle.❑

TECHNICAL REPORTS


Elevators Without a Machine Room:the Mitsubishi GPQ Series

by Takenobu Honda and Eiji Ando*

*Takenobu Honda and Eiji Ando are with the Inazawa Works.

Designed for residential/business complexes,Mitsubishi Electric GPQ Series elevators accom-modate all traction equipment within the eleva-tor shaft, eliminating the machine room andeasing architectural constraints. The 45m/minmodels require an overhead of 3,150mm at thetop of the shaft, comparable with hydraulic el-evators and less than previous traction designs.A 60m/min model with nine-passenger capac-ity and five landings consumes 30% less spacethan a comparable hydraulic model.

Table 1 lists the basic elevator types. The el-evators target the domestic Japanese market andcomply with JIS regulations. Traction technol-ogy permits the elevators to handle travel dis-tances up to 60m and as many as 25 landingscompared to the 20m travel limit of hydraulicelevators.

Table 2 compares the floor space taken up byGPQ, hydraulic and previous traction modelsassuming a 9-passenger capacity, 60m/min

speed and five landings. The GPQ series takesup 30% less floor area than hydraulic elevatorsand 35% less than conventional traction mod-els, allowing more floor space for income-gen-erating purposes.

Table 3 compares the energy consumption ofthe same three elevator types. Use of a perma-nent magnet synchronous traction motor and gear-less drive reduces the power consumption of GPQelevators to 20% less than traction elevators.

The ride comfort of GPQ series elevators iscomparable to high-speed elevators thanks to aquiet and responsive traction motor and sophis-ticated motor control technology.

To simplify building structural design, theweight of the elevator equipment is carriedthrough the guide rails to the pit floor, placingminimal loads on the top of the building.

The control panel is installed in the shaft,supporting flexibility in landing design. Call but-tons with tactile feedback, car buttons withaudible feedback and braille indications serveriders of all abilities.

Table 2 Comparative Space Requirements of Mitsubishi ElevatorsElevator GPQ "Packaged" Series Hydraulic model Earlier traction model

Shaft Width x depth 1.55 x 2.1m 1.65 x 2.3m 1.55 x 2.1m Floor area used (5 landings) 16.3m2 19.0m2 16.3m2

Machine roomWidth x depth 0 2.4 x 1.9m 2.4 x 3.8mFloor area used 0 4.56m2 9.12m2

Total floor area used 16.3m2 23.5m2 25.4m2

Overhead 3,200mm 3,200mm 4,450mm

Table 1 Product TypesType R P

Passengers 6 9 6 or 9 11, 13 or 15

Load (mass) 450kg 600kg 450 or 750, 900600kg or 1,000kg

Rated speed 45 or 45, 60 or 45, 60 or 45, 60, 9060m/min 90m/min 90m/min or 105m/min

Maximum car travel 60m

Maximum landings 25

Drive Traction

Table 3 Comparative Power Consumption ofMitsubishi Elevators

Elevator GPQ Earlier traction model

Motor capacity 3.7kW 5.5kW

Power feed capacity 4kVA 6kVA

Yearly power 2,590kW.h 3,230kW.hconsumption

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 9December 1999

LayoutFig. 1 shows a vertical section of the elevatorshaft. Fig. 2 shows shaft cross sections for threeelevator types. The traction machine is installedat the base of the shaft under the guide railswith a sheave at the top of the guide rails. Thehoist cable also passes over pulleys at the bot-tom of the elevator car and the top of the coun-terweight. The ends of the hoist cable are fixedat the top of the guide rails, one on the side ofthe elevator car, the other at the side of thecounterweight. With this arrangement the en-tire mechanical weight of the elevator is sup-ported by the pit floor. The upward pull of thetraction motor and downward load of the sheavecompress the guide rails, relieving the buildingof these loads.

Traction MachineFig. 3 shows the traction machine. A disk-typebrake mechanism with dual calipers is used. Thebrake is normally released by an internal elec-tromagnet, although it can also released manu-ally from the landings in emergencies.

Fig. 4 shows the configuration of the tractionmotor and drive system. The drive system en-sures a smooth, comfortable ride by utilising a

Fig. 2 Shaft cross sections (dimensions in mm).

Controlboard

Shaft width 1,550 min.Car interior width 1,050

Door opening 800

1,15

0 fo

r 6

pass

enge

r m

odel

1,52

0 fo

r 9

pass

enge

r m

odel

1,70

0 fo

r 6

pass

enge

r m

odel

2,10

0 fo

r 9

pass

enge

r m

odel

Door opening800~900

Car interior width 1,400~1,600

Shaft width 1,800~2,150

Car

inte

rior

dept

h 85

0~1,

500

Sha

ft de

pth

1,50

0~2,

150

Shaft width 1,550 min.Car interior width 1,050 Control

board

Car

inte

rior

dept

h 1,

520

Sha

ft de

pth

2,35

0 m

in.

Door opening 800

950

480

b) R type with trunk c) P typea) R type

Fig. 1 Elevator shaft, vertical section (dimensionsin mm).

Pit

de

pth

1

,25

0 m

in.

Ele

vato

r tr

ave

l 3

0,0

00

ma

x.

Do

or

he

igh

t 2

,00

0

Guide rail (at side of car)

Car

Sheave(at side ofcounterweight)

Sheave(at side of car)

Counterweight

Guide rail(at side ofcounterweight)

Traction machine

Ove

rhe

ad

3

,15

0

TECHNICAL REPORTS


Fig. 3 Traction machine.

Fig. 4 Drive system.

3-Phase AC

Diode converter

Regenerativebrakingresistor

INTELLIGENTPOWERMODULE

IGBT inverter

Gate drive circuit

Currenttransformer

Counterweight

Car

TRACTION MACHINE

Drivewheel

KeyPM: Permanent magnet synchronous motorENC: Encoder

Currentfeedback

Car travelcontrol circuit

Speed controlcircuit

Current controlcircuit

Magneticpoleposition

Speed feedback

PM

ENC

Armature current

Speed

Acceleration

Fig. 5 Operating waveforms.

system that precisely controls traction motorspeed and torque. Encoder pulses provide feed-back to the speed-control loop while armaturecurrent and magnetic polarity serve as feedbackfor the current control circuit.

Fig. 5 shows the speed, acceleration and ar-

mature current waveforms for upward operationwith a full load at a top speed of 60m/min.

Control BoardThe control panel functions are divided between

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 11December 1999

Fig. 6 Control board.

Fig. 7 Car interior.

landing control units on each floor and a mainequipment enclosure at the base on the shaft. Fig.6 shows a photo of the enclosure. To fit betweenthe shaft wall and elevator car side wall, the vol-ume of the main unit has been reduced by 80% ina new design with an 87mm thickness and 340mmwidth. The entire unit can be raised or lowered toallow maintenance as required.

The size of the control panel was reduced dra-matically by replacing the power supply circuit’sline-frequency transformer with a switchingtransformer and using a low-voltage DC supplythroughout. A voltage-multiplying chopper cir-cuit provides high-voltage power for the brakeexciter circuit and door drive inverter. The thick-ness of the traction motor’s inverter unit hasbeen halved by using a specially developed heat-pipe cooling unit just 22mm thick. Wiring be-

tween the inverter and power supply unit is asshort and direct as possible.

The aesthetic design of the elevators followsthat of GPS series elevators, with enhancementsto the car interior, shown in Fig. 7. The ceilinghas a translucent arch with soft backlightingand slit-shaped accents on either side.

Mitsubishi GPQ series elevators combine thespace savings of hydraulic elevators with powerefficiency even better than previous traction mod-els, making them desirable in buildings where floorspace is at a premium. ❑

TECHNICAL REPORTS


High-Speed High-Capacity Elevatorsfor Ultrahigh-Rise Buildings

by Hiroshi Araki and Yasushi Chadani

Recent years have seen a resurgence of interestin extremely high-rise buildings. These buildingsplace extraordinary demands on elevator sys-tems—their primary mode of transportation.Mitsubishi Electric has developed new technolo-gies extending the speed of its elevators to anindustry-leading 540m/min with a load capacityof 4,000kg. Permanent-magnet traction motors,inverters, an improved safety gear device, oilbuffer and other new technologies were devel-oped.

Traction MotorSquirrel-cage AC induction motors have beenused to provide variable-speed capabilities forgearless, direct-coupled traction applications formore than a decade, replacing the DC motorspreviously used. Applications of rare-earth per-manent magnets to electric motors have ex-panded dramatically as new formulations withincreased flux density and coercive force havebeen developed and become available in produc-tion quantities. Mitsubishi Electric has devel-oped the industry’s first permanent-magnet basedhigh-capacity traction motors for over 120m/minand over 300m/min elevator applications, replac-ing the squirrel-cage induction motors previouslyused. Fig. 1 shows the motor and its control sys-tem. The motor is more efficient since no exci-tation current is required, while lower levels of

*Hiroshi Araki and Yasushi Chadani are with Inazawa Works.

harmonics mean that operation is quieter. Herewe will introduce the features of permanentmagnet traction motors for speeds exceeding300m/min.

Rare-earth magnets are manufactured in sa-marium-cobalt, neodymium and praseodymiumformulations, each with different properties.Neodymium was chosen for this application forits high flux density and high coercive force thatyield a high energy value, the BH product. In ad-dition, neodymium has excellent temperaturecharacteristics. Table 1 compares characteristicsof the three types of rare-earth permanent mag-nets.

Smaller traction motors are desirable sincethey reduce the size and cost of the machineroom where the motors are housed. Smallermotor size is generally achieved by use of amulti-pole design that reduces the core diam-eter and coil end length. Size reductions in in-duction motors are limited by the drop in powerfactor associated with multi-pole designs. Per-manent magnet motors operate efficiently re-

Table 1 Comparison of Rare-Earth MagnetsRare-earth SmCo Nd Pr

Maximum accumulated energy High Very high High

Temperature characteristics Excellent Excellent Fair

Fig. 1 The traction motor and its control system.

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 13December 1999

gardless of the number of poles, and hence areappropriate for compact multi-pole designs, es-pecially now that solid-state inverters can oper-ate at the higher frequencies required bymulti-pole designs.

Since an increase in pole number means morecomponents and more complicated and time-con-suming manufacturing procedures, MitsubishiElectric selected the minimum pole number sat-isfying miniaturization requirements.

Hydraulic Brake UnitA hydraulic disk brake release unit was devel-oped to handle the high torques involved, andtwo of these brake units were used. The equip-ment layout is more flexible due to the com-pact dimensions and fewer design constraintsof the new equipment.

ControllerFig. 2 illustrates the components of the powercontrol system. The system consists of a powersupply panel fitted with circuit breakers, an aux-iliary panel with built-in reactors for the powersupply and output circuits, a control panel hous-ing the power converter and control circuitryand an inverter panel.

Heat-Pipe-Cooled Power ElectronicsThe weight of the hoisting ropes and electricalcables is larger in higher buildings, adding tre-mendous inertia to the passenger or cargo load.The traction motor must overcome this inertia

to accelerate or decelerate the car, and the mo-tor must sustain large currents to do so. Theconverter and inverter driving the motor em-ploy six 600A-rated insulated-gate bipolar tran-sistor (IGBT) modules connected in parallel.Heat pipes are used to cool the parallel-con-nected modules, preventing temperature differ-ences that would result in unbalanced currentflows. This better cooling permits denser com-ponent mounting—the controller can deliverdouble the output of previous equipment whileoccupying less floor space.

Control CircuitryA high-performance DSP controls the inverterand converter. Control of permanent magnetmotors is simpler than that of squirrel cage in-duction motors and efficiency is higher becausethere is neither the power consumption of theexcitation coils nor the delays in energizingthem. A more exacting requirement is that therotor position must be detected precisely. Thisis accomplished by a cost-effective encoder thatcombines two types of encoding systems: anabsolute encoder with markings at 45 degreeintervals, and an incremental encoder that pro-vides two phase signals and delivers a zero-sig-nal output once per revolution.

Rotor Position CompensationErrors in the rotor position detector output re-duce motor performance and efficiency and givepassengers a rougher ride. Errors in the abso-

Fig. 2 Configuration of the control system.

POWER INPUTPANEL

AUXILIARY PANEL

Circuitbreaker

CONTROL PANEL INVERTER PANEL

Contactor ACR ACR

CTCT

CPU

Converter Inverter

PM

Encoder

Counterweight

Pulley

Car

TECHNICAL REPORTS


lute encoder arise from variations in equipmentmechanical alignment during assembly. Alsothe electrical angle signal used in the controlsystem can differ from actual rotor angle, andthis error increases with the number of poles inthe motor. Elevator operation data was moni-tored, major error components identified andcompensation implemented to overcome theseeffects.

Elevator Test ApparatusThe performance of motors and control programsfor this high-speed, high-load application wastested by an apparatus consisting of a load mo-tor and flywheel connected through a torquemeter to the motor under test. The test simu-lates normal elevator operation, with the con-troller supplying voltage and current inaccordance with actual elevator speed instruc-tions. The load motor creates torques corre-sponding to the load of the elevator car andinertia of hoisting ropes and other components.This arrangement permits tests to be conductedunder conditions nearly identical to actual el-evator operation. Fig. 3 shows operation wave-forms of a traction motor for a 540m/min elevatormeasured by this apparatus.

Safety EquipmentFig. 4 illustrates the elevator safety equipment.The overspeed governor is located in the ma-chine room and detects the elevator speed. Iffor any reason the elevator exceeds permissibleoperating speeds, an overspeed governor acti-vates the safety gear device located under theelevator car. This device has brake shoes thatstop the car by clamping onto a guide rail thatruns the length of the elevator shaft. Oil buffersinstalled at the bottom of the shaft below thecar and counterweight will smoothly deceler-ate the car to a stop should it ever travel be-yond its lower position limit.

Safety equipment must operate correctly toserve its intended function. Standards organi-

zations of Europe, the US and Japan (ENI, ANSIand JIS, respectively) set performance standardsfor elevator safety equipment.

A DUPLEX SAFETY GEAR DEVICE FOR HEAVYLOADS. An elevator car twice the height of aconventional car can increase the transport ca-pacity of an elevator shaft. The added weight ofa double-decker car, its passengers, counter-weight, and the long hoisting ropes in high-risebuildings has the effect of increasing the mov-ing mass of the system so that the safety geardevice must provide more powerful braking ac-tion.

Mitsubishi Electric has developed a duplexsafety gear device that meets the needs of anultrahigh-rise 540m/min elevator with a double-decker car with braking power 50% higher thanthe company’s previous safety gear device. Stop-ping power was increased 50% over a previous

Fig.3 Waveforms during elevator operation at540m/min.

Motor current

DC bus voltage

540m/minCar velocity

Input current

Car acceleration (from torque meter output)

2s

Fig. 4 Safety device components.

Overspeed governor

Governor rope

Car

Safety gear device

Operating lever

Oil buffer

Tension sheaveBuffer footing

Traction sheave Main rope

Guide shoe

Guide rail

Pit

Counterweight

Brake shoe

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 15December 1999

system by using two brake mechanisms in tan-dem. Fig. 5 shows a diagram of this arrange-ment. Table 2 lists its specifications. Thissolution consumes less area under the elevatorcar than a single safety gear. A link betweenthe upper and lower brake mechanisms ensuresthat both brakes operate simultaneously. Aspring drives the jaw, clamping the shoes againstthe elevator guide rail, which provides frictionto stop the car.

The duplex safety gear required testing be-cause, while the braking behavior of shoes onvirgin rail is understood, the second shoes willbe gripping the rail after its surface characteris-tics have been altered by the braking action ofthe first jaw.

TESTING OF THE SAFETY GEAR DEVICE. The de-vice was tested according to standards and pro-cedures prescribed by the standards of the JapanElevator Association. The curves in Fig. 6a showelevator car velocity and acceleration as a func-tion of time while the safety gear is used to halta load of 18,000kg traveling at about 675m/min—25% over the rated maximum speed of 540m/min. The brake achieved a full stop in about9m, well within the required stopping distance.Fig. 6b shows similar curves when a single safetygear was used to stop a single-compartment el-evator car with a 9,000kg load traveling at 540m/min. The close match indicates that the duplexmechanism provides close to double the stop-ping power of a single mechanism.

Car frame

Jaw Link

Brake shoe

Fig. 5 Duplex safety gear device.

Table 2 Specifications of the Safety Gear DeviceCapacity 4,000kg

Travel 350m

Maximum operating speed 675m/min

Maximum mass 176.5kN

Stopping distance 6.4~18.4m

Advances in rare-earth magnet formulations areresponsible for a new generation of compact andpowerful traction motors. Mitsubishi Electric hasharnessed these capabilities to increase the speedand load capacity of elevators serving ultrahigh-rise buildings, while taking steps to ensure thesafety of the system under these more demand-ing operating conditions. ❑

Fig. 6 Results of safety gear tests at 675m/min.

Spe

ed (

m/m

in)

Acc

eler

atio

n (G

)Speed

Acceleration

Time (s)

-400

-200

0

200

400

600

800

0 1 2 3 4-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

Speed

Acceleration

-400

-200

0

200

400

600

800

0 1 2 3-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

Spe

ed (

m/m

in)

Acc

eler

atio

n (G

)

4Time (s)

(a) Duplex type, 18,000kg load

(b) Single type, 9,000kg load

TECHNICAL REPORTS


A Modernising Control System forHigh-Speed DC Elevators

by Toru Tanahashi and Masami Kawamura*

*Toru Tanahashi and Masami Kawamura are with the Inazawa Works.

Mitsubishi Electric has developed a new con-trol system for high-speed gearless DC eleva-tors with improved operating characteristics.The system will soon enter commercial produc-tion aimed at modernizing old elevators.

The new control system’s chopper circuit usesinverter technology borrowed from inverter-con-trolled high-speed elevators to achieve higherefficiency than thyristor Leonard systems withincreased rider comfort and reduced noise. Ap-plicable elevators will be those with speeds of120 ~240m/min and capacities below 1,600kg.The needs of a broader range of elevators willbe addressed later. This article introduces thenew control system and its chopper circuit.

Main Circuit ConfigurationFig. 1 shows the basic configuration of the con-trol system. The main circuit consists of a PWMconverter and chopper circuit. AC power sup-plied to the system is stepped down by a trans-former and then converted to a constant-voltageDC supply by the PWM converter. The choppercircuit converts this constant-voltage supply tovariable-voltage power for the DC motor.

Based on 1,200V 600A IGBTs connected inparallel, the PWM converter circuit has a proven

record in the company’s inverter-controlled high-speed elevators. The converter maintains asinewave input current waveform that dramati-cally reduces the harmonic current. Fig. 2 con-trasts the square current waveform supplied bya thyristor Leonard circuit with the sinusoidalcurrent waveform supplied by the PWM con-verter. The harmonic current distortion of thePWM converter is low enough that the building’spower feed requires no special harmonic cur-rent protection.

The power factor for the PWM converter’s in-put current is 1 during powering and −1 duringregenerative braking. This high power factor can

Fig. 1 Control system configuration.

3 PhasePower Source

Transformer

PWMConverter

ChopperCircuit

Field

D.C. Motor PulseGenerator Sheave

Car cage

Counterweight

Speed Control Circuit Speed feed-back

ConverterControl Circuit Voltage

feed-back

ChopperControl Circuit

Field CurrentControl Circuit

Fig. 2 Comparison of power source currentwaveforms.

b) At PWM convertera) At ThyristorLeonard circuit

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 17December 1999

reduce the substation capacity requirement by20~30% compared to a thyristor Leonard circuit.The transformer at the PWM converter inputprovides electrical isolation that protects otherequipment in the building from damage by leak-age currents originating in the elevator.

The chopper circuit employs an H-shapednetwork permitting full four-quadrant control.Powering and regenerative braking are availableduring both ascent and descent. The choppercircuit also uses parallel-connected 1,200V 600AIGBTs to perform the power switching. The largeamount of heat in the IGBTs, generated by theflow and switching of high DC currents, is car-ried away by compact heat sinks using heat-pipe technology.

Steep voltage gradients that occur during IGBTswitching can cause voltage ringing that propa-gates through the output cable causing voltagesurges in the motor’s armature winding. IGBTscan turn on or turn off in less than 0.1 micro-second. Surge voltages from this fast switchingcan build up potential differences between thearmature windings high enough to cause dielec-tric breakdown, arcing and damaging the insu-lation. Older motors with declining insulationresistance are especially subject to this type ofdamage.

An LCR filter on the chopper circuit outputlimits this danger by lengthening the rise timeof surge voltage and lowering peak voltage. Fig.3 shows current transients at the armature

8µs

320V

Fig. 3 Surge voltage waveform.

TECHNICAL REPORTS


winding terminals when the IGBT turns on. Thesurge has a long, eight-microsecond rise timethat limits inductive effects. As a result the peakvoltage drops dramatically, rising scarcely 5%above the DC bus voltage.

With thyristor Leonard circuits, the armaturecurrent includes a ripple at a frequency six timesthat of the power source, or 300~360Hz —rep-resenting electromagnetic energy that causesaudible noise. In the chopper system, a modula-tion frequency of 5kHz results in a high ripplefrequency that is attenuated by the impedanceof the armature winding, reducing audible noise.

Control CircuitA high-performance VLSI microprocessor devel-oped to control inverter-controlled high-speedelevators has been adapted to this DC applica-tion. A pulse generator on the motor shaft pro-vides speed detection for the main feedback loop.Speed control accuracy is further enhanced bya second feedback loop that senses the arma-ture current. The microprocesssor program for

Fig. 4 Car speed and acceleration under full load.

Speed pattern

Car speed

Car acceleration

1 2

controlling the chopper circuit performs calcu-lations to suppress elevator vibration, thus im-proving riding comfort by reducing noise andvibration.

In DC elevators, the current in the field wind-ing is often controlled to vary with elevator ve-locity. This method results in torque variationsthat can cause the car to vibrate. The newsystem’s control program minimizes thesetorque pulsations by coordinated control of thefield current and armature current.

Fig. 4 shows the speed and acceleration curvesfor the elevator operating at rated load capac-ity. The acceleration is as smooth as in the lat-est inverter-controlled elevators, with greaterride comfort than previous control systems us-ing a motor-generator (MG) set. A pulse encoderon the governor detects car position to within0.5mm and dramatically improves landing ac-curacy.

Other FeaturesThe new control system has cut energy use by

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 19December 1999

Fig. 5 Control panel.

40% compared to an MG control system. Re-placing the MG circuit by a chopper circuit hasreduced energy losses 20%. Another 5% powersaving comes from replacing relays with micro-processor control. A final 5% saving comes frommore efficient motor operation.

Mitsubishi Electric Model AI-2100N groupcontrol system is available for modernization tomanage multiple elevators. The system uses ar-tificial intelligence and neural network tech-nologies. Many other options of Mitsubishi GPMSeries elevators are also available.

When elevators are updated with a new con-trol system, the new control panel is carried to

the machine room through the interior of thebuilding. The control panel, shown in Fig. 5, isdivided into upper and lower parts to facilitatetransport through constricted locations.

With the control system described here, olderDC high-speed elevators can be upgraded to ef-ficiency and rider comfort levels approachingthose of the latest AC high-speed elevators. ❑

TECHNICAL REPORTS


New Elevators for Residential Useby Yoshio Kamiya and Hiroshi Hirano*

*Yoshio Kamiya is with Inazawa Works and Hiroshi Hirano is with Mitsubishi Electric Elevator Products Co., Ltd.

Mitsubishi Electric’s “Well Family” Series ofresidential elevators save space by locating theguide rails on the side of the elevator shaft nearthe traction unit. The elevators offer two carceiling designs, three designs for the elevatorhall and exterior doors, and a variety of otheroptions.

FeaturesThe new elevators offer significant improve-ments over previous models.

SMALLER. The cross section of the elevator shaftwas reduced to 1.89m2 for a three-person model,a savings of 10% in installation area comparedto the product it replaces.

QUIETER. Noise and vibration levels have alsobeen reduced, making the elevators better suitedto residential use. Smaller gaps and level differ-ences at the door threshold facilitate cart andwheelchair access.

CLEANER. To address environmental concerns,recyclable specialty plastics replace polyvinylchloride-metal laminated sheet in wall and ceil-ing liners, cosmetic panels and decorative ac-cents. Bacteria-resistant plastics help keep thecontrol panel and call buttons clean and hy-gienic.

OPTIONS. Several design and color variations areavailable for the cars and elevator halls. Carscan be provided with dual exits, an option avail-able for the first time in two-passenger models.

ConstructionFig. 1 shows a perspective view of the new eleva-tor, Fig. 2 a plan view of several shaft designs. Aswith previous residential elevators, the tractionunit is installed at the bottom of the shaft withthe lift cable passing over a pulley at the top ofthe shaft and down to the car.

The shaft cross section needed for a given sizecar has been reduced by moving the guide railsto one side of the shaft and by modifying thetraction unit mounts. The pit depth is un-changed. The space efficiency of a three-person

Fig. 1 Elevator construction.

Pulleys

Guide rails

Lift cable

Controller board

Traction motor

Landing halldoors

Car interior

Call button

Shock absorber

elevator—the ratio of the car floor area to theshaft cross section area—has been boosted byten percentage points to 57%.

A standardized design permits shared partsamong various configurations that include two-and three-passenger capacity cars, single- anddual-entrance cars, right- and left-opening doors,and installations in wood frame, steel frame andreinforced concrete structures. Wood frame in-stallations benefit from a shaft cross section that

TECHNICAL REPORTS

· 21December 1999

Sha

ft de

pth*

* 1

,350

mm

(1,4

00m

m in

woo

d-fr

ame

inst

alla

tions

)

Car

dep

th 1

,150

mm

Car width 900mm

Door opening 800mm

Shaft width** 1,350mm

**Inside dimension

Sha

ft de

pth*

* 1

,470

mm

Car

dep

th 1

,180

mm

Car width 900mm

Door opening 800mm


Sha

ft de

pth*

* 1

,170

mm

(1,2

00m

m in

woo

d-fra

me

inst

alla

tions

)

Car

dep

th 9

50m

m

Car width 730mm

Door opening 680mm


Sha

ft de

pth*

* 1

,270

mm

Car

dep

th 9

80m

m

Car width 730mm

Door opening 680mm


a) Three passengers, one exit, left-opening doors b) Three passengers, two exits

c) Two passengers, one exit, left-opening doors d) Two passengers, two exits

Fig. 2 Plan views of the elevator shaft.

is almost identical to that for other construc-tion methods.

The size of the control panel for the new el-evators has been reduced, allowing it to beplaced inside the open side door jamb at thelanding of the lowest floor. The control panelcan be removed via the door jamb inspectionport with wiring connected, allowing mainte-nance to be conducted in the hallway. This ap-proach saves space and improves the landing’s

aesthetic appearance by eliminating the needfor a removable door-retraction-bay wall.

Fig. 3 shows the basic electrical configuration.The elevators now use a 200VAC single-phasepower supply—available in most homes—insteadof the three-phase supply previously required. Theinverter is implemented using an intelligent powermodule, as in previous residential elevators, butwith a redesigned mounting that is more com-pact and reliable than before.

TECHNICAL REPORTS


A high-performance monolithic microproces-sor generates control signals for the inverterusing digital control programs designed to opti-mize comfort and safety.

Included in all models is a battery-poweredemergency-stop function that lowers the car tothe next landing if a blackout or other failuredisrupts the main power supply while the car isbetween floors. Circuitry for the function hasbeen moved onto the main controller board froma separate board in the controller box. The powerconnection board for the elevator has beenmoved into the door retraction bay in the eleva-tor hallway at the bottom floor. The board alsoincludes low-maintenance components that pre-viously resided on the controller board. A linefilter is provided to prevent electromagneticnoise generated in the inverter from affectingother home appliances.

Control functions are implemented using adistributed processing model. Two microproces-sors managing the elevator car are located on acircuit board mounted in the car ceiling. Onesends commands from the car’s control panel

to the elevator controller board and operates thelights and exhaust fan. The second generates PWMsignals for the DC-motor-operated doors. The de-celeration and landing switches located on theguide rails at each floor are combined into singleunits that simplify installation and adjustment.

The initial cars have been made of glass-fiberreinforced plastic (GFRP) but this is to be re-placed by a recyclable specialty plastic that is20% lighter than GFRP. The specialty plastichas a coefficient of thermal expansion that isfour times that of GFRP, making the car poten-tially liable to warping due to temperaturechanges. Various structural designs were testedunder controlled temperature and humidity con-ditions in a large test chamber and a configura-tion with minimal warping was selected.

A telephone handset provided as standardequipment serves day-to-day and emergencycommunication needs.

Aesthetic and Ergonomic DesignElevators for home use should use tranquil, re-laxing color schemes that blend well with home

Fig. 3 Electrical system configuration.

Power supply

Battery

POWER CONNECTION BOARD

Line filter

CONTROLLER BOARD

INVERTER UNIT

Diode converterIntelligent Power Module

Drive circuitry

Power supply detection

Power supply feedback

CONTROL CIRCUITRY

Microcontroller (processes user control commands)

Microcontroller (controls car movement)

Microcontroller (controls traction motor)

Emergency stop function

Speed feedback

Car position sensor

24VDC

CAR CEILING BOX

Microcontroller (processes control panel inputs)

Microcontroller (door control)

Traction motor

Encoders

Door motor

TECHNICAL REPORTS

December 1999 · 23

interiors while offering various options to suitindividual tastes.

Fig. 4 shows the elevator car interior. Verticalstripes from floor to ceiling establish a sense ofunity, while an arched ceiling and recessed con-trol panel contribute to a feeling of space.

Fig. 5 shows the elevator hall. Environmentalconsiderations have led to the replacement ofthe PVC cosmetic paneling previously used byprinted steel sheet. The call buttons can bemounted for access by wheelchair users, or atany height the customer specifies.

Fig. 6 shows the control panel. Large convexbuttons labeled with highly legible symbols fa-cilitate use by the young, elderly and those withFig. 4 Car interior.

Fig. 6 Control panel. Fig. 7 Handrail.

Fig. 5 Elevator hall.

Fig. 8 Mirror.

impaired vision. The cars can be optionally fit-ted with a choice of three types of handrails andthree types of mirrors, an increase over the pre-vious single-choice options. Fig. 7 shows a hand-rail and Fig. 8 a mirror. The L-shaped handrailfacilitates wheelchair access and assisted walk-ing.

A full-color painting option previously avail-able for custom manufactured products is nowavailable for the car’s rear wall. The rear wallcan also be fitted with an observation window.

This latest generation of residential elevatorsoffers an aesthetic and cost-effective solutionto improving access to individual homes. ❑

TECHNICAL REPORTS


A Remote Inspection System forElevators

by Kiyoji Kawai and Hideki Shiozaki*

*Kiyoji Kawai is with Inazawa Works and Hideki Shiozaki with Mitsubishi Electric Building Techno-Service Co., Ltd.

Mitsubishi Electric has developed a remote in-spection system that monitors elevator opera-tion continuously over leased and PSTN lines.Downtime is reduced because the elevator op-erating conditions can be inspected without in-terrupting passenger services. The systemgathers data frequently, allowing problems tobe recognized early and remedied promptly. Theauthors report on this system and operating ex-periences in Japan.

Fig. 1 illustrates the system configuration andbasic operating concepts. Each elevator is fit-ted with a remote inspection unit and a com-munications controller that is linked to acomputer at the remote monitoring center andto terminals in service facilities via PSTN and

leased lines.The remote inspection unit has various mea-

surement, monitoring and diagnostic functionsthat replace most field inspection items. Datacan be logged internally. The unit also has con-trol functions that can invoked from the moni-toring center. Data gathered by the unit can beused to generate optimal maintenance sched-ules and can serve as a basis for client consult-ing services.

The communications controller exchangesdata with the remote inspection unit, operatesthe elevator car’s intercom link to the monitor-ing center, and has modem and line control ca-pabilities for data communications with themonitoring center.

Fig. 1 Basic concepts of the remote inspection system.

Elevator remoteinspection report

CUSTOMER BUILDING

Elevator control board

Remoteinspection

unit

Commu-nicationscontroller

24-hour/365-daycontinuous inspection

Operating status

Normal/marginal/

failurecriteriafor each

item

Operation statistics Intercom

AnalogPSTN

Operation dataacquisition

Automatedreporting

Voicecommunications

MONITORING CENTER

Remote monitoringhost computer

Remote inspection

Technical support

Voice communications

Dispatch instructions

Dispatch instructions

Field engineer

Regular maintenance

Response to marginalor failure conditions

Report delivery

Operationdata

Marginal/failed

componentdata

SERVICE FACILITY

Terminal

Data analysis and archiving

Preventive maintenanceplanning

Remote inspection

Operationstatistics report

Operating conditions

TECHNICAL REPORTS

December 1999 · 25

The central monitoring host is a computerlocated in the monitoring center. It is indepen-dent, with its own control desk. Fig. 2 is a pho-tograph of the control room.

The terminals are computers installed in ser-vice facilities that provide service personnelaccess to elevator operation data logs on thehost computer. The terminals can check cur-rent elevator operating parameters and reviewdetailed inspection data. They also have report-generation functions that list remote inspectionresults and generate instructions for the fieldengineer.

As of November 1999, the remote inspectionsystem covers 14 types of elevators beginning withthe company’s first microprocessor-controlledmodels and extending to current products. Thelatest elevators have these capabilities built-in.Earlier models can be retrofitted.

System FunctionsThe system tracks marginal conditions as wellas failures, collecting more comprehensive andrevealing data than on-site inspections, see Fig.3. For our purposes, a marginal condition is de-

Fig. 2 A photograph of the monitoring center.

Remoteinspection

Failure

Marginal

Normal

Marginal

Failure

On-siteinspection

Fig. 3 Normal, marginal and failure indications.

TECHNICAL REPORTS


fined as an failure that is resolved by a retrywithin the context of normal operation. Me-chanical wear and contamination can affectrelay contacts causing occasional recoverablelogic errors. The early warning provided by thesesymptoms can be useful to ensure that fullequipment functionality is available at all times.Detailed tracking of the progress of these con-ditions provides data that can be analyzed tomodel failure mechanisms, predict failures, andgenerate cost-effective maintenance schedulesthat combine regular maintenance and timelyintervention.

There are three types of diagnostic function.One of these can be performed while the eleva-tor is delivering passenger services, and corre-sponds with the kind of parameters a fieldengineer would come to inspect. These arelisted in Table 1. The second type includes brak-ing tests, door operation tests and other sophis-ticated procedures that can identify impendingfailures in their early stages. These are per-formed regularly, generally late at night whenthere are few passengers. A third type is an op-eration test performed under remote supervisionby an engineer. These tests reveal many detailsabout the condition of the control electronics,tractor motor and hoist mechanism that werepreviously time-consuming to diagnose.

REGULAR INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCEITEMS. Elevator maintenance and component re-placement schedules are based on the cumula-tive number of elevator trips, time under power,and number of door openings at each floor. Thisinformation is combined with data on wear andfailure rates. Service interruptions are reducedby scheduling inspections, routine maintenanceand component replacement to be conductedconcurrently. Table 2 lists measurement, main-tenance and replacement items.

OPERATION STATISTICS CONSULTING. Elevatoroperation statistics are important to a buildingowner or manager because they reveal howpeople are moving through the building and howmany are visiting which floors. Statistics are alsoimportant to demonstrate that the elevator sys-

Table 1 Major Remote Inspection ItemsMachine room temperature

Brake valve status

Contactor status

Control electronics

Car operation during startup, travel and landing.

Landing accuracy

Car interior illumination

Emergency light bulb continuity and battery voltage

Door opening and closing times and safety functions, overloaddetector.

Door switch operation

Intercom power voltage

Operation of door open, door close and destination buttons.

Call button operation

Landing switch operation

Safety switch operation

Table 3 Operation StatisticsHall calls Sorted by floor and direction

Car calls Sorted by floor

No. of passengers Sorted by floor and elevator directionboarding or leaving

Passenger waiting times Sorted by floor and direction

Power consumption -

Table 2 Major Measurement ItemsMeasurement item Service item

No. of trips Brake equipment

Cumulative operating time Guide shoes

Cumulative distance Traction motor gear oil

Contactor operation count Control equipment

Door operations, overall Door equipmentand per floor

Car interior illumination startups Lamp bulbs and circuitsand interior illumination time

Hall indicator illumination time Related bulbs(per floor)

Direction indicator illumination Related bulbstime (per floor)

Hoist cable flex count Hoist cable

TECHNICAL REPORTS

December 1999 · 27

tems are achieving their service goals. The re-mote inspection unit also includes several func-tions for monitoring traffic statistics anddelivering the information in timely manner.Table 3 lists key items.

CUSTOMER REPORTS. Data gathered by theonline inspection system is delivered to custom-ers as monthly inspection reports and regularoperation statistics. The monthly inspectionreport is generated automatically and is printedby the terminal. It shows item by item the vari-ous normal, marginal and failure conditions. Fig.4 shows a typical report.

The addition of remote inspection capabilitiesto elevator systems helps to improve systemavailability while reducing maintenance costs.These capabilities are available for new as wellas existing installations. ❑

Fig. 4 An elevator remote inspection report.


NEW PRODUCTS

The FPR-MKII FingerPrint Recognizer

The new products in the FPR-MKIIseries of Mitsubishi Electric’s smallFinger Print Recognizers were mar-keted in April 1998. The series con-sists of low-price, compact unitswith simple verification proceduresfor great ease and convenience inuse.

This is achieved by implementingimage processing and verificationon a single-chip RISC CPU while atthe same time significantly reducingthe circuit component count bydirectly employing the digital signalfrom the video sensor. The volumeof these units is accordingly onlyone fifth that of the corporation’sprevious models, and the price, onethird.

Again, the adoption of a fasterand more accurate verificationalgorithm has made it possible toprovide an auto-verification func-tion. This function automaticallycompares the input fingerprint withall those previously recorded andidentifies whether or not it is to befound among them. This has thepractical advantage of dispensingwith the previously obligatory needto enter an ID number. Identificationis possible at the touch of a finger,greatly simplifying the whole proce-dure.

The series consists of two types:one is for access control of restrict-ed areas and the other is for con-nection to a personal computer. Theaccess control units lock and un-lock doors under fingerprint controlto deny or permit access to certainareas. Three types are available: the

FPR-200ADMKII provides for controlof one door and 200 fingerprints; theFPR-1000ADMKII for one door and1,000 fingerprints; and the FPR-1000CSMKII for four doors and1,000 fingerprints.

The unit for personal computerterminals is the FPR-DTMKII. This,as shown in Fig. 1, is placed on thedesk beside the computer. Finger-prints can then be used instead ofpasswords to authenticate userssigning onto the computer or thenetwork. This eliminates the forget-ting—and stealing—of passwords,greatly enhancing both conve-nience and security. ❑

The FPR-DTMKII Fingerprint Recognizer for Personal Computers.

Country Address TelephoneU.S.A. Mitsubishi Electric America, Inc. 5665 Plaza Drive, P.O. Box 6007, Cypress, California 90630-0007 714-220-2500

Mitsubishi Electric America, Inc. Sunnyvale Office 1050 East Arques Avenue, Sunnyvale, California 94086 408-731-3973Mitsubishi Electronics America, Inc. 5665 Plaza Drive, P.O. Box 6007, Cypress, California 90630-0007 714-220-2500Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics America, Inc. 9351, Jeronimo Road, Irvine, California 92618 949-465-6000Mitsubishi Semiconductor America, Inc. Three Diamond Lane, Durham, North Carolina 27704 919-479-3333Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. 512 Keystone Drive, Warrendale, Pennsylvania 15086 724-772-2555Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America, Inc. 4773 Bethany Road, Mason, Ohio 45040 513-398-2220Astronet Corporation 3805 Crestwood Parkway Suite 400 Duluth, Georgia 30096 770-638-2000Powerex, Inc. Hills Street, Youngwood, Pennsylvania 15697 724-925-7272Mitsubishi Electric Information Technology Center America , Inc. 201 Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 617-621-7500

Canada Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada Inc. 4299 14th Avenue, Markham, Ontario L3R 0J2 905-475-7728

Mexico Melco de Mexico S.A. de C.V. Mariano Escobedo No. 69,Tlalnepantla, Edo. de Mexico Apartado 5-565-4925Postal No.417, Tlalnepantla

Brazil Melco do Brazil, Com. e Rep. Ltda. Av. Rio Branco, 123, S/1504-Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 20040-005 21-221-8343Melco-TEC Rep. Com. e Assessoria Tecnica Ltda. Av. Rio Branco, 123, S/1507, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 20040-005 21-221-8343

Argentina Melco Argentina S.A. Florida 890-20-Piso, Buenos Aires 1-311-4801

Colombia Melco de Colombia Ltda. Calle 35 No. 7-25, P.12 A. A. 29653 Santafe de Bogota, D.C. 1-287-9277

U.K. Mitsubishi Electric U.K. Ltd. Livingston Factory Houston Industrial Estate, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 5DJ, Scotland 1506-437444Apricot Computers Ltd. 3500 Parkside, Birmingham Business Park, Birmingham, B37 7YS, England 121-717-7171Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. Corporate Office Centre Point (18th Floor), 103 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1EB 171-379-7160

France Mitsubishi Electric France S.A. Bretagne Factory Le Piquet 35370, Etrelles 2-99-75-71-00

The Netherlands Mitsubishi Electric Netherlands B.V. 3rd Floor, Parnassustoren, Locatellikade 1, 1076 AZ, Amsterdam 020-6790094

Belgium Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. Brussels Office Avenue Louise 125, Box 6, 1050 Brussels 2-534-3210

Germany Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. German Branch Gothaer Strasse 8, 40880 Ratingen 2102-4860Mitsubishi Semiconductor Europe GmbH Konrad-Zuse-Strasse 1, D-52477 Alsdorf 2404-990

Spain Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. Spanish Branch Polígono Industrial “Can Magí”, Calle Joan Buscallà 2-4, Apartado de Correos 3-565-3131420, 08190 Sant Cugat del Vallês, Barcelona

Italy Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V. Italian Branch Centro Direzionale Colleoni, Palazzo Persero-Ingresso 2, Via Paracelso 12, 39-6053120041 Agrate Brianza

China Mitsubishi Electric (China) Co., Ltd. Room No. 1609 Scite Building (Noble Tower), Jianguo Menwai Street, Beijing 10-6512-3222Mitsubishi Electric (China) Co., Ltd. Shanghai Office 39th Floor, Shanghai Senmao International Building, 101, Yincheng Road (E), 21-6841-5300

Pudong New Area, ShanghaiMitsubishi Electric (China) Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Office Room No. 1221-4, Garden Tower, Garden Hotel, 368, Huanshi Dong Lu, 20-8385-7797

GuangzhouShanghai Mitsubishi Elevator Co., Ltd. 811 Jiang Chuan Road, Minhang, Shanghai 21-6430-3030

Hong Kong Mitsubishi Electric (H.K.) Ltd. 41st Floor, Manulife Tower, 169 Electric Road, North Point 2510-0555Ryoden (Holdings) Ltd. 10th Floor, Manulife Tower, 169 Electric Road, North Point 2887-8870Ryoden Merchandising Co., Ltd. 32nd Floor, Manulife Tower, 169 Electric Road, North Point 2510-0777

Korea KEFICO Corporation 410, Dangjung-Dong, Kunpo, Kyunggi-Do 343-51-1403

Taiwan Mitsubishi Electric Taiwan Co., Ltd. 11th Floor, 88 Sec. 6, Chung Shan N. Road, Taipei 2-2835-3030Shihlin Electric & Engineering Corp. 75, Sec. 6, Chung Shan N. Road, Taipei 2-2834-2662China Ryoden Co., Ltd. Chung-Ling Bldg., No. 363, Sec. 2, Fu-Hsing S. Road, Taipei 2-2733-3424

Singapore Mitsubishi Electric Singapore Pte. Ltd. 152, Beach Road, #11-06/08, Gateway East, Singapore 189721 295-5055Mitsubishi Electric Sales Singapore Pte. Ltd. 307, Alexandra Road, #05-01/02, Mitsubishi Electric Building, Singapore 159943 473-2308Mitsubishi Electronics Manufacturing Singapore Pte. Ltd. 3000, Marsiling Road, Singapore 739108 269-9711Mitsubishi Electric Asia Co-ordination Centre 307, Alexandra Road, #02-02, Mitsubishi Electric Building, Singapore 159943 479-9100

Malaysia Mitsubishi Electric (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Plo 32, Kawasan Perindustrian Senai, 81400 Senai, Johor Daruel Takzim 7-5996060Antah Melco Sales & Services Sdn. Bhd. No.6 Jalan 13/6, P.O. Box 1036, 46860 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Daruel Ehsan 3-755-2088Ryoden (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. No. 14 Jalan 19/1, 46300 Petaling Jaya Selongar Daruel Ehsam 3-755-3277

Thailand Kang Yong Watana Co., Ltd. 28 Krungthep Kreetha Road, Huamark, Bangkapi, Bangkok 10240 2-731-6841Kang Yong Electric Public Co., Ltd. 67 Moo 11, Bangna-Trad Road KM. 20, Bangplee, Samutprakarn 10540 2-337-2431Melco Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. 86 Moo 4, Bangna-Trad Road KM. 23, Bangsaothong, Samutprakarn 10540 2-312-8350~3Mitsubishi Elevator Asia Co., Ltd. 700/86~92, Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate Park2, Moo 6, Bangna-Trad Road, 38-213-170

Tambon Don Hua Roh, Muang District, ChonburiMitsubishi Electric Asia Coordination Center 17th Floor, Bangna Tower, 2/3 Moo 14, Bangna-Trad Highway 6.5 Km, 2-312-0155~7(Thailand) Bangkawe, Bang Plee, Samutprakarn 10540

Philippines International Elevator & Equipment, Inc. K.m. 23 West Service Road, South Superhighway, Cupang, Muntinlupa, 2-842-3161~5Metro Manila

Australia Mitsubishi Electric Australia Pty. Ltd. 348 Victoria Road, Rydalmere, N.S.W. 2116 2-9684-7777

New Zealand Melco New Zealand Ltd. 1 Parliament St., Lower Hutt, Wellington 4-560-9100

Representatives

Korea Mitsubishi Electric Corp. Seoul Office Daehan Kyoyuk Insurance Bldg., Room No. 2205, #1,1-ka, Chongno-ku, Seoul 2-732-1531~2

India Mitsubishi Electric Corp. New Delhi Liaison Office Dr. Gopal Das Bhawan (8th Floor), 28 Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001 11-335-2343

Viet Nam Mitsubishi Electric Corp. Ho Chi Minh City Office 18th Floor, Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue Street, District 1, 8-821-9038Ho Chin Minh City

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC OVERSEAS NETWORK (Abridged)

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONHEAD OFFICE: MITSUBISHI DENKI BLDG., MARUNOUCHI, TOKYO 100-8310, FAX 03-3218-3455

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