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What
are your main priorities for elevator development at present? |
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| One of the key indicators
of an elevator’s performance is speed. We are already setting the world
standard in this area, but we are determined to achieve even better performance.
Specifically, our current goal is to develop the world’s fastest elevator,
a system capable of speeds in excess of 1,000 meters per minute. The pursuit of
speed is also the pursuit of safety, especially in relation to acceleration, deceleration
and emergency stopping. We also need to develop advanced systems to control noise
and vibration, which tend to intensify as the speed increases. These aspects cannot
be verified solely through simulations. |
SOLAÉ will allow us to conduct
tests in an environment that closely resembles actual conditions of use, and its
completion represents a major step forward in our efforts to create the fastest
elevator.
Speed is not our only priority. Users are demanding an increasingly diverse range
of features, including space-saving designs, barrier-free access, as well as reduced
energy consumption and other improvements in environmental performance. The technology
that we develop using SOLAÉ will greatly help to enhance the performance
of the elevators that we all use. |
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| The lift shaft inside the world’s
tallest elevator test tower |
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Please
tell us more about the inside of SOLAÉ and the tests taking place there. |
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| First and foremost, it
is crucial to perform elevator tests in a stable testing environment. To create
such an environment, SOLAÉ is equipped with oil dampers and vibration control
devices. At the same time, despite its slenderness, SOLAÉ can simulate
much more severe environments than those found in normal buildings, for instance
heavy exposure to wind and sun. We are not only able to run a wide variety of
tests; we can also run very drastic tests to establish wide margins for smoothness
and safety. |
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Apart from being the world’s tallest test tower, SOLAÉ is also important for other reasons, isn’t it?
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Yes. SOLAÉ is also a symbol
of Mitsubishi Electric’s continuing commitment to improvement and quality
and our passion for the creation of superior products.
I believe that the presence of SOLAÉ is a source of motivation for all
employees. We also wanted SOLAÉ to become a popular landmark for the people of Inazawa
City in Aichi Prefecture, where the Inazawa Works is located. We took special
care of the design, and at night we illuminate the tower. Even the height was
selected to emphasize the local link. In the Japanese punning language used to
create telephone number mnemonics, the number “173” sounds like
“Inazawa.”
To help protect the environment, SOLAÉ’s outer walls are covered
with tiled coated with a photocatalyst, which uses sunlight to initiate a chemical
reaction that breaks down airborne pollution into harmless particles. These are
then washed off by rain, meaning that the tower stays perfectly clean without any
detergent. In fact, SOLAÉ has the same air cleaning capacity as 560 poplar
trees. |
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| 173 meters in height, the SOLAÉ
elevator test tower soars above its surroundings |
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What are your ambitions for the future?
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| The most fundamental characteristics
of Mitsubishi elevators are safety and reliability, which also includes our maintenance
services. We are determined to live up to the slogan for Mitsubishi Electric’s
elevator and escalator business—“Quality in Motion.” |
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