The British company who specialize in the design and manufacture of lift equipment are delivering 20 cabins for this new project. The development was unveiled in 2007 and includes office accommodation, residential apartments, exclusive shopping malls and a hotel complex. We specialise in the architectural aspect of lift systems,” explains Nick Fielder, the managing director of Innovation Lifts. “Typical products include, lift cabins and landing lobby finishes in stainless steel, glass, ornate timber, leather, glass, stone, marble etc, and antique bronze lift cars and door panels for historic buildings.”
Innovation Lifts approached Hydro Aluminium Extrusion UK with a view to replacing the more conventional fabricated steel structure of the lifts with aluminium extrusions.
“We had researched aluminium extrusions but it was a new for us, so it was great that Hydro could come in and give advice,” says Nick.
Close cooperation
The companies discussed the design concept and ultimate end use, and together created a profile that would meet the requirements.
In fact, the companies spent many hours producing the prototype for the project design team, who were very pleased with the end results when they saw the benefits provided by the aluminium extrusions in terms of stiffness and rigidity.
“The main structural shell of the lift cabin is made up of 16 mullions, each mullion has a core of formed from an aluminium extrusion,” says Nick. “The whole car is very rigid because each extrusion is one continuous piece, rather than the six different fabricated steel parts that it replaced.”
Aluminium also has one-third the density of steel and, when alloyed, can produce materials with much higher strength-to-weight ratios.
“This characteristic is what was needed to maximise strength whilst reducing weight,” says Colin O’Neill, sales development manager for Hydro Aluminium Extrusion UK.
Aluminium’s lighter weight, compared with steel, offers significant benefits, including :-
· Lighter cabin weight and corresponding reduction in the counter- balance, giving less mass in the system
· Less mass needs lower power to drive the lift motor, reducing energy consumption.
· Less weight gives reduced transport costs and easier handling to the site and on site
New opportunities
In the past we have predominantly used steel for the structure of our scenic lift cabs but we envisage using more and more aluminium in the future. Aluminium has opened our eyes to even more opportunities,” says Nick. We anticipate aluminium becoming a key consideration in all our future lift designs.
