Tomoyuki Hamada¹, Hiroaki Kasai¹, Takayuki Matsui² & Atsushi Sanekane²

1Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory, Hitachi,Ltd., ²Hitachi Building Systems Co.,Ltd., Japan

A data mining approach is introduced for designing safety of elevators especially against earthquakes. In this approach, the maintenance data and seismic data, observed through remote monitoring networks, are analyzed to obtain the optimum seismic shutdown level for elevators which gives the appropriate margin of safety ratio. The analysis results also provide the predictive number and distribution of shut-down elevators about prospective earthquakes, that is useful to organize the disposition of maintenance teams to speed up the process of restoring elevators that have shut down due to a large earthquake.

Beat De Coi

President & CEO, CEDES AG, Switzerland

On one hand, an elevator is simply a vertical transportation system. On the other hand, the elevator turned more and more into an important architectural element where visual glass and stainless steel are on the rise. It is common known that a new risk on glass doors is the gap between the door panel and the post during the opening of the doors. Children’s hands are especially vulnerable because they can’t resist pressing their nose against a glass car or landing door, and observing the hustle and bustle on the streets or in a department store lobby. In addition to that, the friction of glass is much higher than stainless or painted steel, which causes the hand to stick on the surface and then pulled into the dangerous gap. It is worth nothing that the commonly known door sensors do still not protect this dangerous area. The proposed paper discusses the risk for elevators with glass doors, the safety required according to EN 81,and outlines a new concept of a sensor system that does not only meet the standard but also eliminates extensive wiring and expensive installation.

Christian-Erik Thoeny, Dipl.Ing. FH

Managing Director of Bucher Hydraulics AG, Switzerland

Machine-room-less traction elevators are not the only solutions possible. The elevator market requires alternatives supplementing the demands of the free market. The leader in high quality driving systems for elevators is setting a new standard. Within its class, the driving package BeriPacÔ performs better than todays MRL systems available on the market. The robust high tech, but surprisingly simply MRL solution contains significant advantages such as extremely low installation time, very low energy consumption and very easy maintenance. This breakthrough new generation hydraulic system is explicitly environment-friendly. BeriPacÔ contains the full range of drive components including elevator controller and sets further standards in easy-to-use installation guides for best assistance.

Hans Eberle

Mayr Antriebstechnik, Mauerstetten, Germany

Innovative gearless drive systems have been in use for quite some time now. However, only in recent years, new brake concepts have been applied on a broader scale. One of those concepts are electromagnetic caliper brakes. Those are brakes, which look similar to the brakes in automobiles. However, they work on the fail-safe principle, with spring pressure and electromagnetic release. Compared to conventional drum brakes, that have been in use for many decades, electromagnetic caliper brakes have been on the market for a fairly short time. This paper introduces the benefits of innovative caliper brake systems for gearless drives and compares its performance with drum brakes. The presentation includes a lot of field experience from a leading manufacturer of gearless drive systems, who has been the partner to develop this new braking system.

Dr. Wolfgang Stein & Reiner Ludwig

Thyssen Fahrtreppen GmbH, Hamburg, Germany

* The following are the general demands for brake systems of escalators and moving walks:

Therefore first comprehensive measuring was carried out to obtain more exact data for the construction and calculation of brake systems (step load, deceleration, jerk, stopping distances). Based on these numbers, precise demands for brake systems were defined. Afterwards new solutions for brake systems were worked out (controlled hydraulic or electric brake system, 4/4 brake with or without brake damper or at a different time a start of the individual brake shoes). These solutions were valued based on the demands defined above. At least one solution was chosen and worked out. It is intended to present the above-mentioned steps and the solution, which was found.

Dr. Ing. C. Erdem Imrak & MSc. Eng. Mustafa Ozkirim

Mechanical Engineering Faculty, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey

The suspension ropes of an elevator with a traction drive hoisting machine are driven by friction in the grooves of the driving sheave. The maximum traction in the sheave grooves depends on the coefficient of friction and the angle of wrap. The shape of the groove effects the specific pressure distribution and both the resultant coefficient of friction and the abrasion. Therefore this study investigates the determination of the distribution of the specific pressure along the contact line between the rope and the undercut groove by means of Airy’s stress-function method.

Ing. Pietro Bet¹, Prof. Marco Giglio² & Prof. Carlo Gorla²

Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Recently, the demands of energy saving, an aging society, and an increasingly brutal level of crime in Japan have led to universal design and IT becoming the main social trends in Japan. These are the same trends pushing the modernization of elevators and escalators. We were quick to recognize these trends and have developed versatile menus.  We recognize that out-of-commission days for modernization cause serious problems for apartment buildings and hospitals that may only have one elevator and for department stores whose customers depend on the escalators. In exerting ourselves to the spread of modernization, we have solved these problems.

I. Herrera, C. Gragera, I. Montero &, I. Romero

Extremadura University, Spain

Following recent contributions and opinions of experienced elevator engineers, the idea has been developedthat the safety of the elevator is affected not only by the safety gear itself, but also by other components and devices. These components interact with the safety gear and can affect the functioning of the safety gear. The paper introduces the SGS, the safety gear system. Design, fabrication process, assembling parts process, test, verification, inspection and maintenance are taken into account for every component of the SGS. The risk is analyzed according to several points of weakness detected during many years of experimental work developed in testing and research programmes on safety gears. It is still necessary and cost-effective for the company to improve the overall safety of the SGS. Different recommendations on modifying safety regulations are proposed.

Dr. M-L Siikonen

KONE Elevators & DI Henri Hakonen, Helsinki University of Technology, Finland

The speed with which people can be rescued from a building can save lives in many emergency situations. In this article, evacuation studies are made for an ideal situation where no smoke effects, fire, and no destruction of the building is considered. This is analogous to a situation where another site nearby the building is in fire, or there is a bomb threat in this building. In the previous cases, the “safest” rescuing method for the people is consequently the fastest method. In this article, Building Traffic Simulator (BTS) is used to find out the evacuation times when using elevators, escalators or stairs, and with different elevator control methods. The models of the simulator are described briefly. As a result, the most efficient methods to evacuate different types of buildings with various heights and sizes are suggested.

Dr. Vladimir Blasko

Otis Elevator Company, USA

Otis has a long tradition in research, development, design and manufacturing of elevator drives. Architecture, design and salient features of modern state-of-the-art Non Regenerative (NR), Regenerative (RD), and direct frequency changers or Matrix Converter (MxC) drives are analyzed and compared. Regenerative drives provide superior ride through capability, near unity power factor and ability to boost DC bus voltage and use the same motor and inverter for 400V and 480V applications. Energy savings offset slightly higher initial cost of RD during first few months of exploitation. Theoretical and experimental results of new Otis RD with DC link designed with long life film, instead of traditional electrolytic capacitors, are presented. Emerging technological alternative to RD with DC link is MxC. The winner between RD and MxC is expected to be resolved by availability of semiconductor switch with reverse voltage blocking capability in a single device. Finally industrial drives design practice is compared with specifics of elevator duties. De-rating of industrial drives is required to meet lifetime and reliability requirements of the elevator drives.

This paper describes an overview of Hitachi's on-line elevator planning and design service system for customers. This system comprises four service applications as follows: (1) a traffic simulator to select product types and batch size, (2) a CAD symbol downloading service that includes an occupied space computation function, (3) a design and drawing service for unit layouts in the shaft, and (4) an interior CG simulator. The system has been utilized for the general public, after a customer subscribes to them. The system enables us to manage customer information individually, and to solve technical problems directly.

James W. Fortune

Lerch, Bates & Associates, Inc., USA

Up-peak boosters can be effectively utilized to increase the morning, one way traffic, up-peak group handling capacities in under-elevatored buildings or in situations where the lobby traffic (crowd) may be greater than anticipated. They generally work by increasing the number of elevator cycles during a 5 minute, peak dispatch period although the main lobby waits for individual elevators under this service may be longer than with a conventional, two button system. When these boosters are switched on, each elevator is restricted to serve fewer floors, the waiting passengers are encouraged to queue in front of a selected unit, car loads are reduced, and persons going to the same or contiguous floors are grouped on the same elevator. The up-peak booster controls are not a panacea for an extremely under-elevatored building or zones but they can be utilized to reduce main lobby crowding conditions and alleviate some psychological perceptions of poor elevator service.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator Inc. & Richard Peters, Peters Research Ltd., UK

The Thyssen Krupp ETD (estimated time to destination) traffic control system applies a range of artificial intelligence and optimising techniques to elevator dispatching.  ETD can operate as a full destination control system, for which passengers register their destination floors at landings.  ETD can also operate with conventional up/down hall call buttons, or with a combination of up/down hall call buttons and "booster" destination call stations on peak floors.  The system has been developed using Elevate simulation software to implement and test dispatching strategies.  Examples of improved passenger service and increased handling capacity are demonstrated with simulation.

Roger E Howkins, (Arup Research & Development - London) &  Alan M Johncock (Arup - Melbourne)

E4 (Evacuation, Emergency, Egress & Elevators) has ever constantly changing variables, models and risk assessments. These need to be analysed in order to provide safe, reliable evacuation by elevators regardless of the emergency scenario. Understanding how the building occupants will react in emergency scenarios will enable designers to predict response and program elevator system algorithms to make the evacuation scenarios more realistic. The psychological “Cognitive" model will be proposed as a method of conceptualising this. Current elevator systems do not take into account the psychological factors involved in using elevators during an emergency. If these are not addressed, the public may not actually use this new innovation.

Giovanni Varisco

Editor-in-chief of Elevatori magazine, Technical Director of Anacam (Italian Lift Installers Association) MILANO, Italy

This paper discusses the use of a pre-programmed electronic sheet for the final inspections of lifts in conformity with the European Lifts Directive 95/16/CE. It is explained how the procedure allows the defining of the characteristics of the unit to be checked prior to the inspection. This in order to know only the tests and verifications that have to be performed. In the last section of the paper it is also explained how the procedure can be usefully adopted for training purposes in the educational process of the lift inspectors.

Dr. Ing. C. Erdem Imrak & MSc. Eng. Mustafa Ozkirim

Mechanical Engineering Faculty, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey

Funicular technology employs both the technology of elevators and the technology of railroads. The cars on each side of the traction drive are interconnected and counterbalance each other so that they can easily travel up a steep incline. Therefore a funicular system has all the characteristics of an elevator system. This paper briefly presents some aspects of funicular systems and also one of the world’s earliest application for public transportation in service in Istanbul since 1875.

Hans M. Jappsen

Jappsen & Stangier Consulting Engineers, Oberwesel, Germany

During the next 20 years we expect a development of high rise elevators with linear drives. These elevators will be without any counterweights and will give the possibility for more then one elevator to run in only one hoistway. For an existing high rise building two elevator systems will be described; first the conventional existing system and second a system with separated elevator hoistways for up and down direction, equipped with a number of elevator cars running in each hoistway, depending upon the traffic intensity. The new elevator system should have the same handling capacity as the existing elevators and nearly the same interval times. For both systems the costs of the elevator installation and the needed space for the hoistways, lobbies and machine rooms will be calculated. Finally we will see how much building area is gained with the new elevator system, and what are its acceptable costs in order for the new system to be profitable for new high rise buildings.

Ing. Marco Belloli¹ & Ing. Luigi Borsani²

1IMQ S.p.A, Milano, ²SICOVER Lombardia S.R.L., Vanzago (Milan), Italy

Following the publication in the European Union Official Journal, since April 1999, in Italy, as in the rest of Europe, the new Lift Directive 95/16/CE has become operative. As a consequence, many modifications have involved installers, building managers and of course Notified Bodies. In this short report we try to show our experiences as Notified Bodies and the results of our work from 1999 until now. Furthermore, in our opinion we believe that the feature of a Notified Body has changed during the last two years and probably is going to change again in the near future. In fact, on the basis of our experience, very frequently many lift installers ask for a technical support in order to solve the design problems deriving from the standards.

Dr. Lutfi Al-Sharif, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., C.Eng., M.I.E.E., D.B.A.

Associate Director, Building Transportation, WSP Group, London, UK

With the issuing of the LG1 (Guidance notes on the thorough examination of lifts) in the United Kingdom, it has become necessary to carry out regular safety gear tests with full load on all lifts. In certain cases, the guidance notes allow alteration of these tests, provided a risk assessment is carried out. One method that has originated in Germany, is the use of an accelerometer to obviate the need to use weights during the test. This method allows the prediction of the free fall acceleration to check that it is below 0.2 g, as required by the European Standard. This method has a number of various advantages. The most important of which is that it prevents any damage to the lift system components caused by the large forces generated during a full load application of the safety gear. This paper describes a number of practical tests carried out to validate the method for railway station heavy duty lifts. The relevant formulae are derived and analysed. The conditions under which the method applies are also discussed. One of the concerns that arise during an unloaded car safety gear test, is the possibility of the counterweight ‘bouncing’ during the test, and the resulting dynamic forces generated when the counterweight comes to a stop. This paper further analyses how this effect can be measured and assessed, and how the results can be used in the design of the steelwork.

Ing. Carlo Belletti & Ing. Gilberto Crippa

IGV S.p.A., Vignate (Milan), Italy

The Lift Directive 95/16/CE (Annex I, art. 2) states, “a lift must be designed and constructed to prevent the risk of crushing when the car is in one of its extreme positions. The objective must be achieved by means of free space or refuge beyond the extreme positions. However, in specific cases, in affording member states the possibility of giving prior approval, particularly in existing buildings, where this solution is impossible to fulfill, other appropriate means may be provided to avoid this risk”. This paper presents a lift to be installed in existing buildings, where the appropriate means in order to avoid the risk when the car is in one of its extreme positions. The lift complies with the draft of the European Standard EN 81-21 “Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts - Part 21: Electric and hydraulic lifts - New passengers and goods passenger lifts in existing buildings”, January 2001. Particular attention is dedicated to the different and/or new design of devices compared to a lift complying with EN81-2: 1998.

Arch. Arianna Callocchia

Elevatori & Callocchia Architects, Rome, Italy

Times, needs and sensibilities of society have changed and throughout the world there is a growing public demand to enjoy historical and architectural heritage. Having Elevcon 2002 in Italy, one of the countries with the richest cultural histories in the world, gives us the possibility to deal with the relatively new subject of refurbishment and improvement of historical buildings, archaeological areas and old town centers, through the use of vertical transportation devices. They allow the elderly, the children and the people with impaired mobility to access, visit and enjoy the historical and architectural heritage. In this paper we will deal with the following aspects:

I. Herrera, C. Gragera, I. Montero & I. Romero

Extremadura University, Spain

The untimely wedging in elevators is analyzed. It is noticeable the health risks concerned with this event. The conventional solutions to avoid it may be extremely expensive to safety in case of free fall event or to economy due to inefficient design. A simplified mechanical model of the safety gear system, including the overspeed governor, is presented. The time and other factors needed for the system to produce the event is obtained. The model is applied to the mono- and bi-directional safety gear system. The result of the dynamic analysis reveals quantitatively the factors which may affect the untimely wedging probability to occur and, as a consequence, recommendations on design and procedures are given in order to avoid such a phenomenon and to optimize the cost.

Control Information Systems Laboratory, Seoul, Korea

In this paper we use TDEGs (timed discrete event graphs) to model EGCS (elevator group control systems). The global system state-event behavior, as well as the relations between different EGCS's modules is represented by TDEGs. All results reported in our previous works, such as velocity table generation and three passages concept are applied as well. As a additional concern, we focus our attention on the parking policies of the elevator cars. Finally, we show performance data obtained by the newly developed modeling concept and compare a couple of dispatching policies with one another.

Albert T. P. So, Terence T.M. Lai & Janson K. L. Yu

City University of Hong Kong

“In case of fire, don’t use the lift” is a very common notice at every lift lobby anywhere around the world. Although we have been talking about fire escape lifts for more than a decade, from the special conference organised by ASME to various Elevcons throughout the years, fire escape lifts are still a concept in the mind of elevator engineers. Before the September 11 incident with the WTC, the development of fire escape lifts was not so urgent. Now, it is of top priority in the elevator industry. The first author of this paper in a previous Elevcon presented the concept of fire escape elevators and a workshop was arranged. Technical considerations and psychological constraints were discussed. Now, subject to the urgency of the matter, we must turn the concept into real practice. In this paper, various technical requirements of a fire escape lift will be reviewed. In order to tackle the psychological constraint, fire escape lifts will only stop at the refuge floors and a special building plan will be designed and implemented. Finally, a egress simulation using a standard software package in fire simulation will be carried out to study the effectiveness and efficiency of this newly suggested fire escape lift system.

Dott. Ing. Paolo Tattoli

ISPESL Terni, Italy

The new approach European directives require also “market” surveillance. Its aim is to analyse products and their compliance to the directive’s requirements. In Italy, the Ministry for Productive Activities and ISPESL (Italian Superior Institute for Prevention and Safety at Work) signed an agreement entrusting ISPESL to carry out technical inspections established by the Lift Directive 95/16/CE. As what has already been done for the machinery sector, ISPESL created the GLAT-A (Working Group on Technical Inspections - Lifts). One of the best ways to pursue the “customer satisfaction” (MICA and MLPS) is to implement a Quality System for the GLAT-A activities through a continuous process that improves personnel training and education. This paper describes the evolution process to define the Quality Managing System for the activities carried out by GLAT-A. The process is presented under the light of the whole ISPESL activities in order to accomplish the standards and the requirements deriving from the Europeanisation of the machinery and lifting devices markets.

David. J. Mulvaney1 & Muna Hamdi ²

1 Dept. of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK. 2 Dept. of Computer Science, University of Durham, Science Site, South Road, UK.

Dynamic real-time scheduling can be applied to a broad range of industrial problems to provide a suitable allocation of resources. The majority of published work concentrates on systems in which a separate off-line monitoring system provides the knowledge that aids and reduces the complexity of the operations of the real-time scheduling system. In this paper a definition of a dynamic real-time scheduling system is given and a real-time intelligent lift scheduling system is taken as a case study.

Ing. Pietro Bet¹, Prof. S. Beretta², Prof. Marco Giglio² & Prof. Carlo Gorla²

1Sicover Nord Est-IMQ, ²Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Meccanica, Milan, Italy

The present paper deals with the risk analysis, with particular reference to lift systems. The main steps of the risk analysis process are considered. In particular, FMEA is applied for the identification of the failure modes while their failure occurrences are combined by means of Fault Tree Analysis. The applications proposed are taken from the field of lift system and are referred to an escalator and to a lift. The main data introduced in the models have been supplied by escalators and lifts manufactures. The application of Risk Analysis procedures, as described in this paper, represents the basis for the evaluation of the safety level of a system and for the identification of necessary improvements.

Bruno Dalla Chiara¹, Adelmo Crotti¹ & Nicola Imbimbo²

1Polytechnic of Turin - Department I.T.I.C. ²Certex SpA, Rivoli, Turin, Italy

The instrument for executing magnetic induction tests is essentially and typically constituted by three parts: the revealing device, the batteries for power supply, the recorder and amplification apparatus. On this last part the attention is firstly devoted since the primary aim is that of substituting the recording instrument with an adequate virtual; a numerical instrument should allow, in the easiest way, to analyse the revealed signal and to point out the particular sections of the wire rope where the presence of defects or anomalies have been charted. The proposed paper deals with the most recent development of non-destructive magneto-inductive tests, whose target is the analysis of the internal conditions of ropes, based on a long experience in the rope system field. Having conducted some tests on cableways and at the laboratory of Transport of the Polytechnic of Turin, some proposals are presented with the aim of enhancing magneto-inductive tests made on wire ropes of cableways and eventually applying to them to elevators.

Tomonori Yamashita

Hitahchi, Ltd. Building Systems Mito Building Systems Div. Escalator R&D Group Escalator Design Dept., Japan

The stations in which escalators are installed are increasing in recent years under the influence of the barrier-free times. Recent escalators are required to make good use of the limited space and to reduce the working hours of the basic work in installing the escalators over the original stairs. This paper introduces the reader to the characteristic and the concrete construction of the developed space-saving escalators.

Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Robert BUHMANN

AAB Aufzugs-Anlagen-Beratungs GmbH, Germany

Elevators have to fit many standards and regulations, not only for the design, construction and installation but also for the use and “putting into operation“, especially in Germany. There was and is still a big discussion in Europe about the European lift directive and the EN 81. EN 81 is also important in China. Generally a elevator needs the accordance to many other rules an regulations which are defined in other standards other than elevator codes. All regulations have the common idea: SAFETY. Safety for use, riding, maintenance and service and for the buildings and the relation to other building systems. This paper could be a general view to the involved standards for elevators.

Giuseppe Iotti

Director of KOPPEL A.W. Spa, Parma, member of the Lift Commission of UNI (Italian standard organization), and of CEN/TC10 WG1 and WG10, Italy

As stated in “Elevcon 2001” in the paper “On the idea of performance based lift codes”, by M/s Kuok, So & Liu, it should be advisable to replace any rigid prescriptive approach existing in the lift codes around the world. This would lead to making easier the technical development of the innovative products needed by the globalized market, also in view of a more free trade. In Europe indeed the chance of a more flexible approach has been already established by the Lift Directive 95/16/CE, at least from 1999. In the Annex I of this law some 29 essential safety requirements have been listed, so that it is possible for a lift manufacturer to put on the market a lift that complies with these principles but not necessarily with the exact “rigid” requirements of the harmonized standard EN 81-1 or –2. ISO as well, by the resolutions 131/96 and 153/98, realized the need of such approach on a global scale, thus a working group has been established to work out a list of Global Essential Safety Requirements and the corresponding GESP (Parameters). Within the available document (updated 15 November 2001) ISO/DTS 22559 there is a list of some 64 requirements and parameters, that would permit to put on the market new models of lifts, possibly not complying with any prescriptive code, but still fully safe for the users and the authorized personnel. The scope of this paper is to discuss and to analyse the relations between the essential safety requirement already defined in the 95/16/CE Directive and those presently proposed by the ISO work in the view of a possible future revision of this European Directive, so that to permit a standardization of the proper safety criteria on a larger scale.

Ing. Luciano Faletto

ANICA, Italian National Association of Elevator Component Manufacturers, Milan, Italy

The Lift Directive 95/16/CE is a big step towards the free circulation of new lifts in the European single market. The correct implementation of the Lift Directive can be greatly affected by the behavior of four major factors:

* customers;

* installers;

* notified bodies;

* member states.

This paper analyses the present situation. Its purpose is to identify the risks caused by deviations from the expected behaviors, due to difference in cultures and in the “understanding of rules”. Proposals are made and further steps are urged to prevent distortions in the market and compromises as regards the expected safety levels. Otherwise they would adversely affect the success of this milestone in the implementation of free trade.

R. Horimoto¹, S.Kubo¹, K.Matsubara¹, M.Okamoto¹ & M.S.Chen²

 ¹Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corp.  ²GFC,LTD., Japan

The Taipei Financial Center have 101 stories of 508m high. This building is to complete the construction in autumn of 2003. We will supply the elevator to have the world maximum high-speed 1010 m/min, that is, to run from the 1st basement floor to the 89th observation floor in 40 seconds. This paper introduces about the feature of the elevators and escalators supplied to the Taipei Financial Centers.

R&D Manager, LM-Liftmaterial GmbH, Pliening (Munich), Germany

Influence of different percentage of balancing (counterweight) to required torque, evaluation of traction and energy consumption. Experience with drive modernization of lifts (pay load 300kg to 630kg) with low balancing (reduced counterweight) in accordance to EN 81-1 No.9.10 "ascending car overspeed protection means". Optimization of balancing weight by use of standard VVVF drives (influence to life calculation of gears, influence of field weakening lay-out for motor and inverter). Further energy saving in elevators by selection of operating speed related to actual load situation.

Ing. Paolo Marcone

TÜV Italia srl - Certificazione impianti di sollevamento, Cinisello B. (Milan), Italy

This paper introduces the TÜV Süddeutschland website presenting a new module that gives answers about the nearest elevator safety components suppliers certified according to the Lift Directive 95/16/CE. The website also provides precise details on national regulations and/or EU directives about elevators, cranes, hoists and escalators. The new tool for the elevator industry, Upgrading Catalogue for Elevator Systems, is able to supply special services for elevator manufacturers, facility operators and maintenance companies. The “Elevators and Cranes” module is frequently updated, the information is available round the clock by means of a mouse click. It is able to offer information, support and tools in connection with elevators, cranes, hoists, escalators and related electrical systems. It is a great source of information for anyone working in the field of elevator manufacture, OEM suppliers, facility operators and maintenance companies. The information is searchable and organised for easy browsing and includes international and country-specific safety regulations, notes on standard implementation, the latest articles from the trade press and an on-line trade show with links to some suppliers of products and services.

1Industrial Electronics & Systems Laboratory,  Mitsubishi Electric Corporation