IoT technology for lifts: how it has revolutionised the elevator industry

The lift industry has experienced a constant evolution throughout its history, especially thanks to the development and spread of new technologies such as IoT.

The first achievement in this regard was to connect devices around the lift and make it intelligent. This success was followed by another: the processing of huge amounts of data in the cloud (better known as ‘Big Data’).

Finally, ‘deep learning’ has arrived which, through the use of artificial intelligence, makes predictive maintenance possible. This has been a revolution! Thanks to predictive maintenance, it is possible to detect anomalies in the operation of lifts and correct them before failure occurs.

What is the IoT or Internet of Things? 

The term ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) refers to the collective network of connected devices and the technology that facilitates communication between these devices and the cloud, as well as between the devices themselves.

In terms of the type of objects or devices, this could be anything from sensors and mechanical devices to everyday objects: your fridge, your shoes, your clothes. Anything you can imagine could be connected to the internet and interact without the need for human intervention. The goal, therefore, is a machine-to-machine interaction or what is known as M2M (‘machine-to-machine’) interaction.

Today, digital systems have the ability to record, monitor and adjust the interactions between these devices. In this way, the physical and digital worlds go hand in hand and can cooperate with each other. 

With the application of IoT technology, economic sectors that were previously strictly industrial have been transformed into a mix of industrial and service sectors, focused on delivering an increasingly better user experience (or ‘UX’) to consumers.

IoT or Internet of Things application in lift industry 

The fame of this technology lies mainly in all the applications and possibilities it provides to improve both people’s daily lives and business environments, where it has been implemented for some time now.

Not surprisingly, IoT solutions for enterprises can improve current business models and build new relationships with customers and partners. However, they also bring with them certain challenges:

• The volume of data generated by a smart device system (or Big Data) can be overwhelming. The complexity of the process required to translate this massive amount of data into understandable and useful information must also be taken into account.
• On the other hand, security and personal data protection are other sensitive aspects to be considered during the design of IoT systems.

Nevertheless, it is worth making the effort to apply IoT technology: there are successful case studies in almost every sector!

If we focus on the lift industry, the IoT brought about by automating different processes is a reality. Not surprisingly, the ability to identify, study and resolve incidents before they occur saves costs, moving from reactive to predictive maintenance. This also increases the reliability, safety and availability of lifts… and improves the user experience!

Advantages of applying home automation technology in lifts

Below, we take a closer look at the benefits of using IoT technology in lifts. These include:

Monitoring of operating conditions

The IOT allows remote monitoring of the lift’s operating status through safety circuit information, load weighing, traffic trends, driving analysis, acceleration monitoring, etc.

Detection of behavioural patterns

The device constantly stores data on users, their habits, information that after being processed can help to predict which are the peak hours, on which floors the elevator stops the most, which days or hours are the least trafficked for maintenance, etc.

Real-time notifications

Thanks to IoT, a device can detect faults and problems before a person can. In this sense, remote monitoring is key to detect problems at an early stage.

Predictive maintenance

In recent years, new technologies have made possible the transition from reactive to predictive maintenance. Thanks to this, the time that the machine can be out of service is reduced, the travel costs of technicians are reduced and, consequently, the satisfaction of the end user and their assessment of the service provided by the maintenance company is improved. Currently, the devices can provide data through installed sensors on elements such as: temperature, availability times, number of trips, loads, etc. and, if certain elements reach certain predetermined values, the maintenance company receives a warning that the machine may be on the verge of a breakdown. On the other hand, the IoT also makes it possible to know the useful life of the lift itself and its different parts, in the medium or long term. In this way, the maintenance company knows in advance when a modernisation or, ultimately, a complete replacement of the machine will be necessary.

Remote diagnostics and troubleshooting

Thanks to the coordination and constant flow of information between the technical and IT departments. We cannot forget that IOT is the sum of OT and IT.

Decrease downtime

Thanks to the possibility of having connected lifts with IoT technology it is possible to plan work more efficiently avoiding lift downtime or the typical ‘WRONG’ sign that nobody likes to see.

Product reliability

A connected machine gives us the reliability that the machine is in perfect condition and under continuous supervision.

Increased service life

Constant monitoring of lifts not only helps to prevent breakdowns or entrapment, but also prolongs the lifts’ service life.

In addition to the above, there is no doubt that the application of new technologies in the lift sector meets the increasingly demanding requirements of customers: it allows the lift to be available when users need it, to identify where they are going or to show them personalised content.

If you would like more information about IoT in the lift industry or any of these products and services, you can contact us for a personalised, free, no-obligation quote.