RESOURCE CENTER > CASE STUDIES

Z‑Shape Reciprocating Lift for Cordyceps Waste Transfer

POSTED: 20/7/2026

Overview

Project Type: Chain reciprocating lift (Z‑shaped access)
Client: A cordyceps sinensis ecological cultivation and deep‑processing enterprise in Yichang (subsidiary of a major pharmaceutical and health industry group)
Installation Location: Yichang, Hubei
Industry: Cordyceps sinensis ecological cultivation and deep‑processing (biopharmaceutical / health products)
Core Function: Automatic cross‑floor transfer of production waste

Industry Context

The client is a company specialising in the ecological cultivation, production, R&D, and sales of cordyceps sinensis, affiliated with a major domestic pharmaceutical and health industry group. It employs over 3,000 people and is a benchmark enterprise in the industrialisation of cordyceps sinensis ecological cultivation worldwide.

Cordyceps sinensis cultivation and processing require a high‑cleanliness, biopharmaceutical‑grade production environment. Waste generated during production (culture medium waste, discarded mycelium, packaging waste, etc.) must be promptly removed from each floor to avoid contaminating the clean workshop environment. Traditional manual handling has several drawbacks:

Low efficiency: Waste is generated frequently, and manual handling consumes significant labour hours
Cross‑contamination risk: Waste is exposed for too long during manual handling, creating contamination risks
High labour intensity: Though each batch weighs only about 400kg, high frequency and long transport routes make the work physically demanding

The client needed an automated, enclosed, and clean waste vertical transport system to automatically convey waste from the second‑floor production workshop to the first‑floor waste collection area – reducing manual intervention and improving workshop cleanliness management.

Basic Parameters

Parameter	Value
Access direction	Z‑shaped (1500mm side)
Rated load	400 kg
Travel height	3.4 m / 2 stops
Car internal size	1500×1600×2000 mm
Lifting speed	30 m/min
Drive motor	7.5kW Guomao VFD motor
Roller conveyors	304 stainless steel ×3 units
Control system	Siemens PLC + touch screen
Safety features	Light curtains + door interlock + safety gear
Installation	Pit‑less, floor opening mounting
Colour	Orange‑red (ED6D00)
Throughput	≥20 pallets/hour

Solutions

Z‑Shaped Access – Adapting to Compact Space

Design approach: The shaft space is limited – floor opening only 2500×1800mm. Our Z‑shaped access solution: waste enters from one side of the car, is conveyed via the in‑car roller conveyor (1.3×1.6m), and after descending to the first floor, exits from the opposite side to the waste collection area. Entry and exit are on different sides of the car, flexibly adapting to different floor layouts without requiring additional transfer equipment.

Advantage: Enables automatic cross‑floor waste transfer within a limited shaft – adapts to different access direction requirements across floors.

304 Stainless Steel Clean Design – Meeting Biopharmaceutical Hygiene Standards

Design approach: The cordyceps production workshop has strict cleanliness requirements – waste transfer equipment must not become a contamination source.

Roller conveyors: 3 units (1 in‑car, 1 on first floor, 1 on second floor) – all 304 stainless steel rollers
Car: 100×50×4mm rectangular tube + 4mm flat plate – robust and durable
Enclosure: Diamond steel mesh – ventilated and debris‑proof
Colour: Orange‑red (ED6D00) – highly visible and easy to identify

Pit‑less Installation & Compact Structure

Challenge: No pit available – equipment must be installed directly at the floor opening. Height from ground floor to second floor is 3.4 metres.

Solution:

Equipment installed directly at floor opening – no pit
Overall lift height controlled within 8 metres
Floor opening 2500×1800mm (W×D) – maximising space utilisation
Second‑floor exit conveyor pit depth 200mm, conveyor height 100mm above floor

Safety Protection & Intelligent Control

Door interlock: 2 PVC high‑speed doors (sized to match car) – electrically interlocked with the lift
Safety light curtains: 2 pairs (domestic quality), 500mm height – mounted on the frames at both entry/exit sides
Control system: Siemens PLC + 10″ Kunlun Tongtai touch screen – control cabinet IP55 rated
Throughput guarantee: ≥20 pallets/hour – matching waste generation rate
Cable trays: Stainless steel – corrosion‑resistant and easy to clean

Power & Drive

Main drive: 7.5kW Guomao VFD motor, AC380V, 50Hz
Lifting speed: 30 m/min (VFD adjustable)
Chain: 20A‑1
Car guide rails: T90 + fasteners – counterweight guide rails TK5A + guide shoes
Safety devices: Safety gear (fall arrest) + polyurethane buffer

Product Certificates

FAQ

The shaft space is limited – floor opening only 2500×1800mm – making straight‑through access impossible.

Z‑shaped access uses the in‑car roller conveyor to transfer waste from one side and exit from the adjacent side, completing a “corner turn” inside the car.

No additional transfer equipment outside the shaft is needed – perfectly adapted to tight spaces typical of retrofit projects like this cordyceps workshop.

Cordyceps production is a high‑cleanliness biopharmaceutical‑grade environment.

Ordinary carbon steel would rust and accumulate dust, becoming a contamination source.

304 stainless steel is corrosion‑resistant and easy to clean – meeting GMP cleanroom standards.

Even for waste transfer, the equipment itself must not be a source of contamination – this is a baseline requirement in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

The equipment is mounted directly at the floor opening, with the main frame anchored to the concrete floor via expansion bolts.

T90 elevator‑grade guide rails, combined with safety gear and polyurethane buffer, ensure smooth, wobble‑free lifting.

Pit‑less does not mean “unstable” – rigidity and stability are guaranteed by the guide rails and frame structure, not by the presence of a pit.

One pair of light curtains (500mm height) is installed on each side of the entry/exit to detect personnel or foreign objects entering hazardous areas.

If a door is not fully closed, the lift cannot start. While the lift is running, all doors remain locked. Only after the lift arrives and levels at a floor does the corresponding door unlock.

The combination of light curtains and door interlocks provides dual electrical protection, with the safety gear as mechanical fall‑back – ensuring comprehensive safety throughout waste transfer.

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