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Category: Elevators In The News

All About Gears: From Elevators to Farm Machinery and Everything in Between

Gears are important parts of many types of machines, from clocks to elevators to cars, trucks, and tractors. Understanding what gears are and how they work can give you a better appreciation for the world of mechanical devices all around us every day.

What Is a Gear?

A gear is a rotating component featuring cut teeth, or cogs, that mesh with the teeth of another gear to transfer rotational force, or torque. Gears can alter the speed, torque, and direction of motion. Two or more gears working together are called a gear train.

Parts of a Gear

Gears consist of a hub, the central part of the gear that connects to a shaft, and teeth, the protruding parts around the edge of a gear that interlock with the teeth of another gear. The size of a gear is typically measured as if it’s a circle; the pitch circle is a circle drawn through the teeth of the gear, and the pitch diameter can then be measured based on the pitch circle. These measurements can help people to calculate which gears will fit together properly.

Parts of Gear Teeth

Drawing a pitch circle through the teeth of a gear separates those teeth into two parts: the addendum, which extends out past the circle, and the dedendum, the part of each tooth that is inside the pitch circle. At the base of each tooth is the root, the bottom of the space in between teeth. At the top of each tooth is a flat surface called the top land.

How Gears Work

Gears work by meshing their teeth with the teeth of another gear or toothed component. When one gear rotates, it transfers motion and force to the other gear, causing it to rotate as well. This interaction can change the direction, speed, and torque of the movement, depending on the sizes and types of the gears involved. For instance, a larger gear turning a smaller gear will increase speed but decrease torque, while a smaller gear turning a larger gear will increase torque but decrease speed. Whenever two gears mesh, the direction of gear motion changes; a clockwise-turning gear will cause the gears it’s connected to to turn counterclockwise and vice versa.

Materials Used in Gears

Gears can be made from many different materials, from iron to plastic, but the most common material is steel, chosen because of its strength, durability, and resistance to wear. It’s often used in high-stress applications like automotive transmissions. Cast iron gears are commonly found in industrial machinery, as they’re strong and inexpensive to manufacture. Brass is also used to make gears, especially in situations where the gear will be exposed to corrosive materials, as it’s more resistant to corrosion. Advanced plastics can also be used to make gears; they’re not as strong as metal gears, but they are lighter in weight and don’t corrode.

Types of Gears

When most people hear the word “gears,” they think of spur gears, flat circles with teeth sticking straight out around the edge that mesh together. Spur gears are used in many places, like inside of clocks or home appliances. Helical gears have teeth cut at an angle to the gear axis. This design allows for smoother and quieter operation than spur gears. These gears are used in auto transmissions and other high-speed applications. Bevel gears have teeth that are cut on an angle, allowing them to intersect at different angles, typically 90 degrees. These are used in the differential drives of vehicles to allow the wheels to turn at different speeds during cornering. Worm gears are the ones you’ll find in a screw-drive elevator; the worm is a gear shaped like a screw, and it meshes with a worm wheel to provide high torque for devices like wheelchair lifts. Construction equipment, farm machinery, and automobiles may also contain planetary gears, parts of a complex gear train including a central sun gear, planet gears, and an outer ring gear. This system allows for high torque in a compact space and is commonly used in automatic transmissions.

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Electrical and Electronics Engineering Glossary

Electrical engineering is an increasingly important field that impacts many different industries and areas of life. It also offers a wide range of career opportunities, from designing the electronics that power elevators to creating more efficient distribution systems for power plants. But breaking into the field of electrical engineering begins with having a firm grasp of common terminology used in this industry.

AC/DC Converter: An electrical circuit capable of transforming an alternating current (AC) into a direct current (DC)

Alternating Current (AC): An electric current capable of periodically reversing its direction. AC is often used in the power supply systems found in homes, businesses, and industrial settings because it is a more efficient means of transmitting electricity over long distances.

Analog Signal: A continuous signal that varies over time. It is capable of having any value within a given range.

Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC): A type of circuit that is capable of converting analog signals into digital, computer-readable signals

Amplifier: A device that is capable of increasing the power of a signal. An amplified is commonly used in audio and communication systems.

Apparent Power (AP): The combination of real power and reactive power. It represents the total power supplied by a source to a circuit, including both the power used to perform work (real power) and the power stored and released by the circuit’s reactive components (reactive power). Apparent power is important because it represents the total capacity that must be provided by power sources, transformers, and distribution equipment.

Asynchronous Converter: A power converter that uses a one-way diode to control the flow of electricity in one direction

Bit: The basic unit of information in computing and digital communications, representing a binary value of either 0 or 1. When an analog-to-digital converter switches an analog signal to a digital number, it expresses this number in binary form using a sequence of bits.

Brushed DC Motor: A type of motor that uses brushes to make a spinning magnet change direction, which causes the motor shaft to turn

Capacitor: A device that is capable of storing electrical energy in an electric field, used to smooth electrical signals and provide power during brief outages

CCM/DCM Multi-Mode Control: A control technique used to keep input current smooth and efficient, reducing electrical noise and improving efficiency

Circuit Breaker: A protection circuit that is tripped, opening the circuit, when high current flows through it or a short circuit is created. Circuit breakers are essential for maintaining the safety, protection, and reliability of electrical systems.

Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM): A mode in which the current in an inductor stays above zero, supplying devices and systems with a medium to high demand for power

Controller: An electronic circuit that functions to control the switching devices of a power converter

Coupled Inductor: A device with two coils in which the current in one coil induces voltage in the other

Current: The flow of an electric charge. A current is measured in amperes (A).

Current Limit Threshold: The maximum current that can be used without damaging the converter

Diode: An electrical component that allows electrical current to flow only in one direction

Digital Signal: A signal that has discrete levels or values, often represented as binary data (0s and 1s)

Direct Current (DC): An electric current that flows consistently in one direction at a steady voltage level. It is commonly used in batteries, electronic devices, and some industrial applications.

Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM): A mode in which the inductor current drops to zero before the next cycle

Driver: A circuit or component designed specifically to control the voltage of another component

Dual-Phase Controller: A converter that uses two controllers working together to reduce ripple currents in the input and output

Electric Motor: A device capable of transforming electrical energy into mechanical energy

Electrical Isolation: When DC and unwanted AC are prevented from passing through a power converter, often using a transformer or a coupled inductor, in order to protect against high voltage

Feedback: A process in which a portion of the output signal of a system is returned to the input

Foldback Current Limit: A circuit that reduces the current when there’s an overload to protect the system

Forward Converter: A switching power supply that can create a DC output voltage different from the DC input voltage and provide electrical isolation

Frequency: The number of times a periodic signal repeats per second, measured in hertz (Hz)

Galvanic Isolation: An electrical isolation method used in systems to create different voltage levels

Henry (H): A measurable unit of induction

Hertz (Hz): A standard unit of frequency measurement, with 1 Hz equal to one cycle per second

High-Voltage DC/DC: A converter powered by high-voltage DC, usually above 400 V

Inductor: A passive component capable of storing energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through it

Integrated Circuit (IC): A set of electronic circuits on a small chip of semiconductor material, used in electronic equipment

Inverter: An electrical circuit used to get an AC output from a DC voltage supply

Latency: In rotary angle sensors, latency is the time delay between when the sensor detects a position and when it reports that position

LED Driver: A electrical circuit that provides the power necessary for an LED or array of LEDs to operate safely and consistently

Linear Regulator: A device that keeps the output voltage steady using a transistor that adjusts smoothly, rather than switching on and off

Magnetic Encoder: A device that uses sensors to detect the position of a magnet and then reports this position

Magnetic Field: An invisible area of force surrounding a magnet or a moving electrical charge

Magnetization (M): A measure of the magnetic strength within a material

Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET): A widely used type of transistor used to amplify or switch electronic signals

Microcontroller: A compact integrated circuit designed to govern a specific operation in an embedded system. It contains a processor, memory, and input/output peripherals.

Ohm’s Law: A fundamental principle stating that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points, expressed as V = IR

Oscillator: A circuit that generates a periodic waveform, like those commonly found in clocks, radios, and computers

Overload: A condition that happens when a motor draws a current higher than it’s rated for and starts to generate heat. Damage and failure can occur if a system is kept in a prolonged state of overload.

Permanent Magnet: An object that can generate its own magnetic field

Power: The rate at which electrical energy is transferred in a circuit, measured in watts (W)

Power Converter: A device that changes electrical energy from one form to another

Power Factor (PF): A measure of how effectively electrical power is used by a system. It is the ratio of real power (measured in watts, W) that is used to perform work to the apparent power (measured in volt-amperes, VA) that is supplied to the circuit. Improving the power factor is important because it increases the efficiency of the power system, reduces losses, and can lower electricity costs.

Printed Circuit Board (PCB): A board used to mechanically support and electrically connect multiple electronic components through conductive pathways

Pulse Frequency Modulation (PFM): A technique in which the frequency is varied to control the power output

Real Power: The rate at which energy is transferred or converted into heat, light, motion, or other useful effects

Resistor: A component designed to resist the flow of electric current that’s used to control voltage and current in a circuit

Sensor: An electrical device that detects and responds to changes in the environment

Signal Processing: The analysis, interpretation, and manipulation of signals

Silicon Carbide (SiC): A material used in power semiconductors that can withstand higher voltages and operate faster than silicone

Single-Ended Primary-Inductor Converter (SEPIC): A type of DC/DC converter that can adjust the output voltage to be either higher or lower than the input voltage, keeping the output stable despite input changes

Volt-Amperes (VA): A unit of measurement for apparent power in an electrical circuit

Watts (W): A unit of measurement for real power, the actual power consumed or used by an electrical device to perform work

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Simple Machines: Pulleys, Levers, and Wheels

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Humans have always had work to do, and they have always looked for ways to make their work easier. Some of the first and most important inventions that humans ever made were six simple machines. These inventions made it easier to do things like redirect the energy of a force, transfer the force from one location to another, increase the strength of the force, or increase the speed or distance of a force. Many of the more complicated tools that humans developed later in history are just combinations of the original six simple machines.

Wheel and Axle

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One of the most significant inventions happened around 3500 B.C.E. The invention of the wheel allowed people to move stuff over greater distances and do it much faster. The development of trade routes was made possible by the development of the wheel. Wheels work by reducing friction. For example, someone needing to move a bookcase might struggle to push it across the floor. Pushing a hand truck under the bookcase, which has two wheels connected by an axle, makes it much easier to move the heavy piece of furniture. The development of the axle made wheels more effective. The axle made it possible to build wagons and carts that could be pulled behind animals. The Sumerians are believed to have been the first civilization that developed the wheel and axle.

Lever

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If you’ve ever played on a seesaw, you’ve seen a lever work. Archimedes, a Greek philosopher and inventor who lived in the third century C.E., is believed to have said, “Give me a lever and a place to stand and I’ll move the world.” He may have been exaggerating a little, but the truth is that leverage makes moving anything much easier.

Picture that playground seesaw, which consists of a long beam on a pivot point. That’s how all levers are built. Levers were invented by people living in what today is known as the Middle East around the year 5000 B.C.E. They invented levers because they wanted to lift things off of the ground without having to use a lot of effort. For example, without a lever, moving a 50-pound object requires using about 50 pounds of force to lift it about two feet in the air. However, if you’re using a lever and fulcrum (the pivot point), only about 25 pounds of force are required to lift the object the same distance in the air.

Inclined Plane

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Imagine standing outside a grocery store with a full cart. Moving from the sidewalk to the parking lot requires getting the cart over the curb. You could just shove it over the curb, but it’s a lot easier if you find a ramp to push the cart down instead. Inclined planes are just ramps that make it possible to move objects without having to lift them. Inclined planes and ramps have been used for centuries by civilizations all over the planet.

Pulley

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Pulleys make it easier to lift objects, and they also make it possible for people to live and work in very tall buildings. Elevators are based on the simple pulley. These machines involve attaching a pulley to a fixed point above a heavy object, running a rope over the pulley, and attaching one end of the rope to the heavy object. Pulling on the free end of the rope can lift the object with much less energy than simply trying to pick it up. Using two or more pulleys makes it possible to lift objects with even less force. It appears that Egyptians developed the pulley around the year 1990 B.C.E. Pulleys made building the pyramids possible!

Screw

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Some historians believe that Greek mathematician Archytas of Tarentum developed the screw during the fifth century B.C.E. If he did, he invented one of the most useful things ever. After all, screws are everywhere! Tiny screws hold together smartphones, bigger screws are used in furniture, and even larger ones make things like bridges and skyscrapers possible. A screw is simply an inclined plane that’s wrapped around a cylinder. The result is something that lets you join two things together using much less force than a nail requires.

Wedge

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The wedge has been in use since the Stone Age. It was probably invented when someone needed to separate two boulders and found that pushing a wedge between them made it easier. The metal part of a knife is also a wedge that makes it easier to break things apart. It’s a lot easier to turn an apple into pieces with a knife than just with your hands!

A Kid’s Guide to Renewable Energy

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A Kid’s Guide to Renewable Energy

What is Renewable Energy?

Energy is the force that makes things work. Without it, people couldn’t cook food, drive their cars, or power their homes with electricity. If there were no more energy, imagine how different and how much harder life would be. That’s why other, more renewable, sources of energy are necessary. Renewable energy is energy that comes from things that are natural and will always be available. It’s important to know what these types of energy are and why they are needed.

The Importance of Renewable Resources

Most of the electricity that people use comes from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels come from deep in the earth. They are dead plants and very tiny organisms, or animals, that lived millions of years ago. Time, heat, and pressure turned the plants into coal and the organisms into natural gas and oil.

The world uses a lot of energy every day and that takes a lot of fossil fuels. The problem is, the Earth doesn’t have an endless supply of fossil fuels. If we use it up, there isn’t a way to make more. Digging them up also damages the Earth and using them pollutes the air with harmful gases that are bad for people, animals, and the planet.

Renewable energy is different and comes in many different forms. Most renewable energy sources are clean and won’t cause pollution or hurt the Earth. Naturally occurring and, in many cases, increasingly available, it’s so important that we harness, collect, and use this energy.

Solar Energy

The sun is a huge source of renewable energy. It provides Earth with its light and heat. Without it, plants could not grow and people could not live on the planet. Energy from the sun is called solar energy. Sometimes, people can use solar energy without the help of technology. This is known as passive solar energy. Sunlight shining through a window and heating up a room is an example of passive solar energy. When a mechanical device turns solar power into electricity, it is active solar energy. Solar cells are devices that make solar electricity. Some houses have solar cells, or solar panels, on the roof as a source of power.

Wind Energy

The movement of air is called wind. The energy of motion is called kinetic energy. Wind energy is kinetic energy. People have used kinetic energy from the wind to create power for thousands of years. Windmills, for example, used the wind to pump water or help turn grain into flour. Today, wind turbines can use wind energy to create electricity.

Wind turbines are very tall and have blades that turn in the wind. Several parts connect these blades to a generator. The energy from the wind causes the blades to turn. When the wind moves the blades, the generator turns. When the generator turns fast enough, it creates electricity.

Hydropower

Moving water also creates energy. This energy can be turned into electricity called hydroelectricity. Like the wind, water makes electricity with the help of turbines. These turbines, however, are called water turbines. To make electricity, water from a river or a dam hits the blades of the water turbine and makes it turn. The turning blades cause the turbine’s generator to spin. The spinning generator turns the energy from the moving water into electricity.

Geothermal Energy

The core, or center, of the Earth generates heat. Sometimes, that heat rises to the surface and can be a source of renewable energy called geothermal energy. Hot springs are an example of groundwater heated by geothermal energy that has risen to the surface of the earth. It also rises to the surface through geysers and volcanoes. There are also power plants that turn geothermal energy into electricity.

Biomass Fuels

Almost anything that comes from plants or animals can be used for fuel. That’s possible because living things absorb and store energy from the sun. When they are used as fuel, they are called biomass fuels. Garbage, corn, wood, and even poop are all biomass fuels. Burning wood, for example, produces energy that can cook or warm a room. It is the most commonly used type of biomass. Certain types of rotting and smelly garbage release renewable methane gas, or biogas, that’s good for transportation. Animal fat and vegetable oil are examples of biomass that turn into biodiesel that fuels cars, trucks, or buses.

Nuclear Energy

Everything on Earth, and in the universe, is made of tiny particles known as atoms. Nuclear energy is the energy at the center of each atom. Energy is released from these atoms when they are broken apart in a process called nuclear fission. Energy also releases when atoms combine. That’s called nuclear fusion. In nuclear power plants, energy is released from uranium atoms using nuclear fission. The heat caused by the fission spins a turbine that generates electricity. Nuclear energy is not renewable energy, but it is clean energy that does not release pollution into the air.

Utilizing Rainwater and Gravity: A Guide to Rain Gardens

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Utilizing Rainwater and Gravity: A Guide to Rain Gardens

Rainwater is an abundant source of hydration for plants and animals, and it requires little effort to use. Condensation and gravity do most of the work, so all we need to do is direct the water where it’s needed. A rain garden goes a step beyond simply collecting rainwater and funneling it toward our plants. The purpose of a rain garden is to collect rainwater, but that’s just the first step. Once water has collected, the garden should disperse it to plants and then allow it to drain back into the water table at an ideal rate. Besides permitting controlled absorption of rainwater, rain gardens can also filter harmful pollutants before letting the water pass back into the ground.

How Do Rain Gardens Work?

When rainwater strikes non-porous surfaces like roads, driveways, and roofs, it becomes runoff, which can pick up chemicals on the surface and erode sediment, then carry these substances into storm drains. But when more rainwater is directed toward a rain garden, the water is slowed down and can seep into the ground. Because (gravity) ensures that the water runs downhill, there’s no need for pumps or electric power: The rainwater runs into a depression in the ground, whether natural or artificial. Carefully selected plants make use of the water as it flows into a holding area or pond, where it gathers and slowly drains back into the soil.

Rain Garden Benefits

When rainwater runs off hard surfaces like roads and driveways, it picks up pollutants such as oil and fertilizer. These chemicals can be concentrated in runoff and make the water harmful to the animals that drink from nearby streams and ponds. Enough pollution can even affect the safety of the drinking water we access from the water table. To combat this problem, rain gardens filter water from rain and storms. The rate of absorption can be adjusted by altering the garden’s mix of sand, gravel, and compost. The rainwater gradually returns to the ground and to nearby bodies of water, ensuring a safer water supply for people and animals. This process, known as bioretention, can act as a water treatment plant right in your own backyard. Bringing this ecological balance to your garden can even encourage pollinator activity, welcoming in bees and butterflies.

Designing Your Own Rain Garden

Selecting the site for your rain garden is one of the most important considerations. You’ll want an area with high and low spots or an area where you can artificially assist gravity. You may need to dig a trench or adjust the slope of a hill to ensure proper flow. Avoid sites under large trees where roots could infiltrate your garden. Also keep your rain garden away from homes and septic systems to avoid contamination. With your spot selected, make sure to test your soil. Clay-heavy soils will need a larger rain garden, while sandy or loamy ground can have smaller pond areas. Finally, a percolation test will tell you how quickly water drains through your soil. This is a simple matter of filling a hole with water and timing how long it takes to drain. Before digging any deep holes for your pond area, contact your local utility service (or dial 811 in the United States) to avoid any buried cables.

Selecting and Placing Plants

Selecting the plants for a rain garden must be done carefully, but it can also be a lot of fun. Concentrate on plants native to your area to give your garden the best chance to thrive. On the inflow side of the garden, make sure your plants can tolerate low-moisture conditions. Since they’ll be positioned on a slope, they’ll get a bit of moisture from rainwater but won’t soak in it. Plants destined for the pond area should enjoy a variety of moisture conditions. This is because they’ll experience dry conditions when rain isn’t coming in but also wet days as rainwater seeps back into the ground. Otherwise, let your imagination run wild as you select a combination of ferns, grasses, woody shrubs, and perennials.

Maintenance

Fortunately, rain gardens don’t require complicated or grueling maintenance schedules. You will, however, want to keep an eye on the health of your garden to ensure that it continues to thrive. This includes observing the garden during periods of heavy rain to verify that the rate of water drainage is optimal. Any invasive weeds or non-native plant species should be removed. Plants should be pruned according to their seasonal demands. If you find any plants suffering from too little (or too much) water, consider transplanting them to another area of the rain garden or replacing them with a more agreeable species. With a bit of trimming and some loving care, your rain garden should continue to perform well for many seasons.

SkyDeck Airplane Seats Can Be Accessed by Elevator

SkyDeckPeople who like to look out the window when flying on an airplane may soon be able to have an even better view than the pilot. Windspeed, an American aerospace technology company, has developed SkyDeck. Passengers can sit inside a transparent bubble-like canopy on top of the plane and look out as they fly through the sky.

Passengers can access the seats in the bubble by riding an elevator or climbing a set of stairs. Once they are seated in the canopy, passengers can rotate the single or twin seats up to 360 degrees. Windspeed says SkyDeck can be installed on aircraft with a variety of designs. It can be used with small private planes and wide-bodied commercial jets.

The canopy will be made of materials used in supersonic fighter jets that can withstand bird strikes and other stresses. It will have an aerodynamic teardrop shape to reduce drag. The canopy will be coated with anti-condensation film and a UV-protection coating.

Windspeed developed SkyDeck to improve entertainment on long flights. The company said it was inspired by the fact that in-flight entertainment options have not changed much in several decades. Windspeed says SkyDeck can provide passengers with experiential in-flight entertainment. It might also be used to generate revenue on commercial flights by charging passengers to ride in the seats on a pay-per-view basis.

The SkyDeck patent is pending. It has not been subjected to practical tests, but Windspeed believes the design is viable and will not affect the airplane’s handling. There is no estimate on when SkyDeck might be available to the public.

Recent Innovations in Elevator Technology

elevator technologyWhen people think about transportation infrastructure, they tend to think of roads, bridges, and railways. Vertical transportation is becoming increasingly important as cities expand. There have been several technological innovations in recent years.

The Shanghai New World Daimaru Store has the largest spiral escalator in the world. The system is located in the shopping mall’s main atrium and extends up six stories. It consists of 12 escalators arranged in a helix. Mitsubishi Electric, which designed the system, has been producing spiral escalators for 30 years. It uses customized chains that can respond to movement angles to produce smooth, consistent motion and can adjust the center of the spiral to maintain a consistent speed.

A sustainable social housing project in Reze, France will have a solar powered elevator from Otis. The Gen2 Switch elevator will get over 80 percent of its power from four solar panels on the roof of the Les Bouderies housing project. It will be able to make up to 100 trips during a blackout by using energy from solar-powered batteries.

One World Trade Center will have 71 elevators from ThyssenKrupp. Five super-fast elevators can transport passengers to the observation deck at speeds of up to 37 kilometers per hour, reaching the 102nd floor in as little as a minute. The elevators can reduce noise and minimize vibrations.

ThyssenKrupp has also developed multi-directional elevators that use a magnetic motor to travel both laterally and vertically. The elevators travel through a system of horizontal and vertical loop structures. This could dramatically increase elevator efficiency and convenience and save space.

Thoth Technology, a Canadian company, patented a design for an inflatable space elevator that would rise 20 kilometers from the Earth’s surface. It would have a free-standing tower made from Kevlar-polyethylene tubes held in place with helium. Cars could transport cargo and people from the Earth to a platform at the summit.

Kone Opens 235-Meter Elevator Test Tower in China

Kone elevator test towerElevator maker Kone recently opened one of the tallest elevator test towers in the world. The 36-story tower is located at the Kone Park manufacturing site, engineering facility, and research and development center in the Kunshan New and Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in China.

The tower contains 12 elevator shafts reaching 235.6 meters high. They can be reconfigured to test new high-rise elevators and components.

The Kunshan tower is the tallest of Kone’s eight testing facilities spread around the world. Its underground testing facility in Tytyri, Finland is 305 meters deep. It allows Kone to test elevators at speeds up to 17 meters per second, which is not possible anywhere else. The maximum speed at the Kunshan tower is 15 meters per second.

The tower also contains several permanent features. A high-speed elevator transports visitors to a sky lobby and showroom at a speed of 10 meters per second. It is the first double-decker elevator in the world to use Kone UltraRope super-light cable.

Kone developed the tower to promote research and development in mid- and high-rise elevator technology. The company hopes to further strengthen its position in the Chinese elevator market and deliver new products faster.

The R&D team in Kunshan works closely with researchers in Finland. The new tower is expected to bring the two units closer together and help them better serve the European and Asian markets.

Kone began operating in China in 1996. The Kone Park in Kunshan was opened in 2013 and is now Kone’s largest manufacturing unit in the world. Kone employs over 13,000 people at 500 locations throughout China. It is a leader in China in terms of new elevator and escalator orders.

Scientists Might Be Able to Build a Diamond Space Elevator

space elevator diamondsHumans traveling to space have traditionally needed to have supplies sent to them from Earth. This requires the launching of rockets to space, which is very costly. Scientists around the world have been working on designing an elevator to transport humans and cargo to space.

The space elevator concept calls for a 60,000-mile cable anchored at the Earth’s equator and extending up into space. Gravity at the lower end and centrifugal force at the upper end would hold the cable in place and allow vehicles to travel into space without the need for rockets. Creating a material that is strong enough and could be made into a long enough cable has been a challenge.

One design that may seem far-fetched but might be feasible involves using diamonds. Researchers at Penn State University discovered that applying enormous pressure to benzene with a machine called a Paris-Edinburgh device produced tiny diamond nanothreads, or chains of atoms made of the same carbon crystals that make up diamonds and are just as strong.

So far, the diamond nanothreads have only been produced by the lab at Penn State. It is unclear whether scientists would be able to mass produce them. There are also concerns that the nanothreads could get brittle as they become longer.

A team at Queensland University of Technology recently completed a modeling study that showed that inserting molecular defects into a repetitive benzene ring structure of a diamond nanothread causes the fiber to become highly ductile. The researchers believe that the right molecular design could allow them to create extremely strong three-dimensional nano-architectures. The structures could potentially be used in many applications, including nanotechnology, electronics, and possibly even a space elevator.

ThyssenKrupp Builds Model of Multi Ropeless Elevator

ThyssenKrupp Multi elevatorsThyssenKrupp announced a year ago that it was developing the Multi elevator system, which has multiple cabins per shaft that are moved with linear motors instead of ropes. It allows cabins to move horizontally and could dramatically change the way people travel in buildings.

Multi operates with a multi-level brake system and inductive power that is transferred from the shaft to the cabin. Several self-propelled cabins can operate in a loop, similar to a subway system. This can increase shaft capacity by up to 50 percent, which would make it possible to reduce the elevator footprint in buildings by up to half.

Since it requires smaller shafts than conventional elevators, Multi could increase a building’s usable area by up to 25 percent. ThyssenKrupp believes this is important since elevators and escalators currently take up as much as 40 percent of a building’s floor space, depending on its height.

Due to the increased efficiency of the elevator system, Multi could reduce the need for escalators and additional elevator shafts. This could significantly reduce construction costs and increase rent revenues, since more usable space would be available.

There are currently over 180 buildings under construction around the world that will be over 250 meters tall. About 50 are completed every year. There are also about 800 buildings under construction that will be over 150 meters.

ThyssenKrupp has created a 1:3 scale model at its Innovation Center in Gijon, Spain. The model has two 10-meter shafts with four cabins that move in a loop. It uses linear motor technology based on the system used in Transrapid magnetic levitation trains. CEO Andreas Schierenbeck said ThyssenKrupp is on track to make Multi a reality.