Engineering firm Hitachi has taken the lead in developing elevator products for tall buildings such as skyscrapers. In 2016, Hitachi will take over Toshiba’s title as the maker of the fastest elevator in the world by producing elevators that can hit speeds up to 45 miles per hour.
Here are some of the elevator’s features:
- In this elevator, one will be able to travel the length of a 440 meter (1,443 ft) shaft — from the first to 95th floor in merely 43 seconds.
- Achieves high speeds by utilizing a thin profile permanent magnet synchronous motor and a compact traction machine making the lifting system lighter in weight
- Weight of the system is further reduced by reducing the main rope diameter while increasing the rope’s strength
- To regulate the speed of the elevator, it is equipped with a “governor” which activates brakes when the system detects excessive speeds. For testing the system, Hitachi built a 698-feet tower in 2010.
- To make it safe to ride, the elevator is made from heat-resistant materials.
The elevators will be ready by 2016, where the public will see whether or not Japanese companies can hit insane vertical speeds similar to Japan’s high speed trains.
