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18m 4-Stop Reciprocating Lift for Wet Wipes Industry

Q: The lift travels 18.6 metres with 4 stops – how do you ensure every stop is accurate and stable?

Answer: This is our core design challenge. We use T90 elevator‑grade guide rails running through the full 18.6m travel – ensuring verticality from bottom to top. Each floor is equipped with precision levelling sensors – the car automatically decelerates and aligns at each stop, with positioning accuracy controlled within ±3mm . Limit switches and polyurethane buffers at both top and bottom, combined with a safety gear linkage mechanism , provide instant braking in case of overspeed or chain failure. In short: T90 rails for straightness, precision sensors for accuracy, safety gear + buffers for reliability.

Q: How does the “opposite‑direction access” work – Floors 1&2 share the same direction, while Floors 3&4 use the opposite direction?

Answer: This was designed to match the different production line layouts on each floor at the customer‘s site. Our Siemens PLC automatically identifies the exit direction based on the target floor: when the car reaches Floors 1 or 2, the conveyor runs in the same direction as entry; when it reaches Floors 3 or 4, it automatically switches to the opposite direction . The in‑car conveyor (W1200×D1500mm, powered by an SEW motor) precisely aligns with customer conveyors on each floor. Over‑width and over‑height detection light curtains continuously monitor the load throughout the process to ensure safe conveying.

Q: The car is unenclosed – no floor, side panels, or roof. Doesn‘t this affect structural rigidity and operational stability?

Answer: No. The customer requested an open‑frame car to allow products to enter and exit directly via roller conveyor , eliminating intermediate handling steps. We use 120×60×5mm rectangular tube for the car main frame – ensuring overall rigidity despite the open structure. The main frame uses 120×120mm square tube , and the enclosure is diamond steel mesh with full powder coating – balancing structural strength with safety ventilation. The equipment is mounted directly on the indoor concrete floor (pit‑less), with docking height matching the customer‘s conveyor system (500mm above floor).

Q: Why use Siemens PLC for the lift control and communicate with a Beckhoff PLC?

Answer: This lift is not a standalone unit – it‘s a critical logistics node embedded in the customer‘s entire wet wipes automated production line . The customer‘s conveyor system uses a Beckhoff PLC , and our lift needs to exchange real‑time signals via I/O communication – when the conveyor has a load ready, it notifies the lift to open the door; after load transfer is complete, the lift sends a position‑reached signal back. This enables fully synchronised line‑wide operation . The main lift control uses Siemens PLC + Siemens VFD , with all low‑voltage components from Schneider – ensuring reliable, long‑hour operation in the high‑frequency wet wipes production environment.

POSTED: 17/7/2026

Overview

Project Type: Chain reciprocating lift (4 stops / 4 levels)
Client: Intelligent wet wipes manufacturing equipment provider
Industry: Wet wipes and hygiene products smart manufacturing
Core Function: Automated vertical transfer of palletised wet wipes products between four floors
Key Parameters: 1000kg capacity, 18,600mm travel, 4 stops / 4 levels, 50-60m/min speed, 15kW SEW drive, Siemens PLC, RAL2009 orange powder coating with full diamond mesh enclosure

Industry Context

Driven by consumption upgrading and automation trends, wet wipes manufacturers are placing increasing demands on fully integrated, continuous production lines – from raw material conveying, folding, liquid adding, cutting, and packaging to palletising – requiring seamless automated connectivity across the entire process.

This equipment is installed at the client’s factory, for automatic vertical transfer of finished wet wipes products (palletised on Chuan‑style pallets, dimensions W1100×D1300×H2000mm) between four floors. Products enter and exit the lift car via the customer‘s roller conveyor system (500mm above floor level), enabling efficient cross‑floor material flow.

Basic Parameters

Parameter	Value
Rated load	1000 kg
Travel height	18.6 m (4 stops / 4 levels)
Car size (W×D×H)	1700×1500×2500 mm
Lifting speed	50-60 m/min
Drive motor	15 kW SEW
Control system	Siemens PLC + VFD, Beckhoff I/O communication
Access direction	Floors 1&2 same / Floors 3&4 opposite (1700mm side)
In-car conveyor	W1200×D1500mm, SEW motor
Safety features	T90 guide rails, safety gear, polyurethane buffer, light curtain
Enclosure colour	RAL2009 orange, diamond steel mesh with powder coating
Installation	Pit-less floor mounting

Solutions

Ultra‑High Travel with 4‑Stop Positioning – Elevator‑Grade Rails + Precision Levelling

Guide rail system: T90 car guide rails + TA5A counterweight guide rails – ensuring verticality across the full 18.6m travel
Levelling accuracy: Precision levelling sensors at each stop – accuracy within ±3mm
Safety devices: Polyurethane buffer + safety gear – automatic braking in case of overspeed or suspension failure
Top limit: Anti‑over‑travel protection

Opposite‑Direction Access Configuration – Intelligent Floor Recognition & Control

Access direction: W1700mm side – same direction on Floors 1 & 2, opposite direction on Floors 3 & 4
Control logic: PLC automatically identifies the access direction based on target floor – conveyor operates in the preset direction once the car is in position
Flexible docking: In‑car roller conveyor (W1200×D1500mm, SEW motor) precisely aligns with customer conveyors on each floor

Open‑Frame Car & Rigid Structure

Car frame: 120×60×5mm rectangular tube – ensuring overall rigidity with an open structure
Unenclosed car: No floor, side panels, or roof – products enter and exit directly via roller conveyor
Enclosure: Full diamond steel mesh with powder coating – balancing safety protection with ventilation

Pit‑less Floor Mounting

Equipment mounted directly on indoor concrete floor – floor openings sized per design specifications
Car docking height matches customer conveyor system (500mm above floor)
Saves civil work costs and shortens installation time

Intelligent Control System & Third‑Party Communication

Main control: Siemens PLC + Siemens VFD
Low‑voltage components: Schneider Electric
Communication protocol: I/O communication with customer‘s Beckhoff PLC for integrated line control
Safety detection: Over‑width and over‑height detection light curtains at entry/exit (domestic quality brand)
Drive motor: 15kW SEW geared motor – ample power for high‑frequency start/stop cycles
Lifting speed: 50‑60 m/min adjustable

Workflow

Step 1: Load enters car – Palletised wet wipes products are transferred from customer roller conveyor (500mm above floor) onto the in‑car conveyor (W1200×D1500mm). Load‑in‑position sensor triggers the next action.

Step 2: Vertical lifting – The car lifts at 50‑60 m/min to the target floor. T90 guide rails + precision levelling sensors ensure positioning accuracy within ±3mm.

Step 3: Load exits in correct direction – Based on the target floor, the system automatically determines the exit direction: same direction on Floors 1 & 2, opposite direction on Floors 3 & 4. The in‑car conveyor starts, transferring the load to the customer‘s floor conveyor.

Step 4: Cycle repeats – The car returns to standby or accepts the next task. Fully automated material flow across all four floors.

Product Certificates

FAQ

Answer: This is our core design challenge. We use T90 elevator‑grade guide rails running through the full 18.6m travel – ensuring verticality from bottom to top.

Each floor is equipped with precision levelling sensors – the car automatically decelerates and aligns at each stop, with positioning accuracy controlled within ±3mm.

Limit switches and polyurethane buffers at both top and bottom, combined with a safety gear linkage mechanism, provide instant braking in case of overspeed or chain failure.

In short: T90 rails for straightness, precision sensors for accuracy, safety gear + buffers for reliability.

Answer: This was designed to match the different production line layouts on each floor at the customer‘s site.

Our Siemens PLC automatically identifies the exit direction based on the target floor: when the car reaches Floors 1 or 2, the conveyor runs in the same direction as entry;

when it reaches Floors 3 or 4, it automatically switches to the opposite direction.

The in‑car conveyor (W1200×D1500mm, powered by an SEW motor) precisely aligns with customer conveyors on each floor.

Over‑width and over‑height detection light curtains continuously monitor the load throughout the process to ensure safe conveying.

Answer: No. The customer requested an open‑frame car to allow products to enter and exit directly via roller conveyor, eliminating intermediate handling steps.

We use 120×60×5mm rectangular tube for the car main frame – ensuring overall rigidity despite the open structure. The main frame uses 120×120mm square tube, and the enclosure is diamond steel mesh with full powder coating – balancing structural strength with safety ventilation.

The equipment is mounted directly on the indoor concrete floor (pit‑less), with docking height matching the customer‘s conveyor system (500mm above floor).

Answer: This lift is not a standalone unit – it‘s a critical logistics node embedded in the customer‘s entire wet wipes automated production line.

The customer‘s conveyor system uses a Beckhoff PLC, and our lift needs to exchange real‑time signals via I/O communication – when the conveyor has a load ready, it notifies the lift to open the door; after load transfer is complete, the lift sends a position‑reached signal back.

This enables fully synchronised line‑wide operation. The main lift control uses Siemens PLC + Siemens VFD, with all low‑voltage components from Schneider – ensuring reliable, long‑hour operation in the high‑frequency wet wipes production environment.

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