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Reciprocating Lift for Factory Renovation|Pit‑less Through‑Floor + C‑Shaped Access

POSTED: 5/20/2026

Overview

Project type: Reciprocating lifts (2 units)
General contractor: A construction engineering company specialising in factory renovation and industrial finishing
Installation location: A factory in East Asia (converted basement garage as foundation)
Key features: Pit‑less through‑floor installation, C‑shaped access, 3 stops / 3 levels, SEW high‑power drive + dual safety gears

Challenges

  1. Pit‑less, through‑floor installation: The height from the basement floor to the ground floor is 4.65m. The lift columns had to be extended downward by 4.65m, passing through the opened slab and anchoring to the basement floor.
  2. Extremely tight space: Beam spacing is only 2.65m × 2.65m (square), severely limiting the lift shaft envelope.
  3. Special access directionC‑shaped access along the 1,600mm direction – materials enter from one side, are turned inside the car, and exit from an adjacent side (not straight‑through or right‑angle).
  4. High travel & capacity: Total travel 16.4m, rated load 500kg, 3 stops / 3 levels.
  5. Very short delivery time: Shipment required 30 days after order, with rapid engineering response to the field change.
Challenges

Core Specifications

ParameterValue
Equipment typeReciprocating lift (2 units)
Rated load500 kg
Travel height16.4 m
Number of stops3 stops / 3 levels
Car size (W×D×H)1,600×1,600×2,700 mm
Access directionC‑shaped, along 1,600mm side
StructurePit‑less through‑floor (columns extended 4.65m downward, anchored to basement floor)
Main frameF120 frame + J100×50×4mm connectors
Car frame100×50×4mm rectangular tube + 3mm flat panel
Car guide railsT90
Counterweight guide railsTK5A
Chain16A
Drive motor9.2kW SEW with brake, VFD (0‑40 m/min)
Fall arrest deviceSafety gear ×2 units
BufferPolyurethane buffer
ColourRAL7035 light grey
PitNone (direct floor mounting on basement garage)
Special requirementsSlab opened, 4.65m height from basement to ground floor; beam spacing only 2.65m square
Order dateFebruary 8, 2026
Shipment dateMarch 8, 2026 (30 days)

Solutions

Pit‑less through‑floor structure (responding to the on‑site change)

  • Lift columns extended 4.65m downward through the floor slab, directly anchored to the basement concrete floor.
  • Main frame: F120 frame + J100×50×4mm connectors. Added cross braces and diagonal supports on the suspended section to ensure overall stability at 16.4m travel.
  • Seamless integration with the slab opening – no additional pit excavation, saving construction time and civil work costs.

C‑shaped access & compact layout

  • Car size: W1,600×L1,600×H2,700mm. Access direction: C‑shaped along the 1,600mm side – material enters from one side, is conveyed or manually turned inside the car, and exits from the adjacent (90°) side. Perfectly fits the narrow aisle on site.
  • Within only 2.65m×2.65m beam spacing, the car, guide rails, counterweight and drive system are arranged compactly, maximising space utilisation.

High‑power drive & safety redundancy

  • Drive motor: 9.2kW SEW motor with brake – far above typical 500kg lift requirements, providing ample power for frequent start/stop and load fluctuations.
  • Lifting speed: 0‑40 m/min, variable frequency drive (VFD), smooth start/stop.
  • Chain: 16A industrial grade, reliable load transmission.
  • Safety devicesDual safety gears (mechanical fall arrest – one independent unit on each side of the car, fully redundant) + polyurethane buffer.
  • Guide rail system: T90 car guide rails, TK5A counterweight rails – smooth operation.

Structure & finish

  • Main colour: RAL7035 light grey.
  • Top frame with guardrails and maintenance ladder for easy servicing.
  • No pit – directly mounted on the basement garage floor.

Details

FAQ

The original plan was to excavate a pit on the ground floor, but site conditions made it impossible. By opening the floor slab and using the basement garage floor as the foundation, the columns were extended 4.65m downward through the slab and anchored. This eliminates deep pit excavation, saves civil work costs, and avoids damaging the ground floor structure.

C‑shaped access means materials enter the car from one side, are moved a short distance or manually turned inside the car, and then exit from the adjacent side (90° direction). Compared with straight‑through or right‑angle access, C‑shaped access requires less aisle width on site. It works perfectly in extremely narrow spaces such as a 2.65m×2.65m beam spacing, while still ensuring smooth material flow.

We arranged the car, guide rails, counterweight and drive system compactly within the limited space. Cross braces and diagonal supports were added to the extended column section to guarantee overall rigidity at 16.4m travel. T90 car guide rails, TK5A counterweight rails and dual safety gears (mechanical fall arrest) keep the lift stable even under eccentric loads or frequent start/stop cycles.

A conventional 500kg lift typically uses a 3‑5kW motor. We chose a 9.2kW SEW motor because of the demanding factory renovation application – frequent starts/stops and large load fluctuations. The power margin ensures the motor never overheats under long‑term heavy use, extends the equipment‘s service life, and reduces maintenance costs.

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