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Control System for Experimental Model of Electric Elevator

Article · April 2015

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Mohammed Moanes Ezzaldean Ali Mustafa S. Bakr

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 Journalof Name,
Journal Control, Vol. 1, and Mechatronic Systems, Vol. 1 (1), 22-26, Mar. 2015
Robotics,
ISSN: Pending, DOI: Pending, Published online: www.unitedscholars.net/jcrms-archive

Control System for Experimental Model of Electric

Elevator
Mohammed M. Ezzaldean, Mustafa S. Bakr
(University of Technology), Department of Electrical Engineering, Baghdad, Iraq / email:
dr.mohammed.moanes@uotechnology.edu.iq

ABSTRACT
Modern elevator systems work under control of digital
system such as a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
or a single chip computer. A proposed control system for
an experimental model elevator is suggested and
developed. This system consists of a PC and a data
acquisition system. The system's functions are managed
by a visual basic program. The design used in this
program is formed in a manner that makes the elevator
suitable for educational and laboratorial purposes. The
operation of the control system is tested and all the
elevator operational activities are achieved. The
proposed control system upgrades the elevator model to
work as a modern elevator while preserving the
possibility of working under the old classical control
system.
Keywords: Data Acquisition Controller, LabJack,
Elevator, Visual basic, Upgrade.
early 1950s brought the earliest predictive systems
which could anticipate traffic patterns within a
building to deploy elevator movement in the most
efficient manner. Relay-controlled elevator systems
remained common until the 1990s during which
they were gradually replaced with solid-state based
controls, which are now the industry standard [1-3].
Modern elevator systems work under control of
digital system like PLC or single chip computers.
This paper describes the procedure of upgrading a
control system of the experimental model of the
electrical elevator. Originally the elevator system
was working under classical relay control, and the
suggested one is digital and operated under PC
control. Operation of this system is managed by a
suitable visual basic program [1, 4].

THE EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF THE

INTRODUCTION
Elevators are vertical lift transportation systems
that effectively move people between floors of
buildings. Most are powered by electric motors that
pull steel cables along pulleys.
Automatic elevators began to appear as early as the
1930s and their development was hastened by
striking elevator operators. These
electromechanical systems used relay logic circuits
of increasing complexity to control the speed,
position and door operation of an elevator or bank
of elevators. The Otis Autotronic system of the
ELEVATOR
The case study in this paper is an experimental
model of an electrical elevator which consists of a
real lift scaled down to 1:4. The Dimensions and
weight of it are 860x700x2400 mm – 230 kg. The
model simulates all the characteristics, operations
and structure of a full-sized lift for a three-story
building with maintenance room. The lift includes
real safety devices against rope breakage/stretching,
and control devices for the normal and abnormal
run of the cabin and fault simulator.
Layout of the elevator model is shown in Figure 1.

© 2015 Mohammed M. Ezzaldean, open access article. Distributed under the terms of Creative
Commons Attribution (CC BY) license 4.0.
Ezzaldean et al, Journal of Control, Robotics, and Mechatronic Systems, ISSN: Pending, Vol. 1 (1), 22-26, Mar. 2015
DOI: Pending

Input
Power

Control Circuit
Ready check

Start
program

Elevator call button PC

Running Elevator
From
Read call signal
Read both call and
from PC and
position signals
position signal
from elevator
from elevator

Elevator at Floor x
Input2 = true

Press Press up
check down check check
R2=true
R1= true Press x
Or
Fig. 1: Layout of the elevator model. or
R2=true
R3=true

Main electrical characteristics of the experimental Nothing

If n2 and (R1 or R2) If n2 and (R3 or
model of the electrical elevator: then
Contactor M and
R2) then Contactor
M and Contactor D

 8-pole, 0.15 HP motor with an electric

Contactor D Contact Contact

brake.
 Limit switches, actuator and lock for Motor
operate Motor not
Motor
operate

control and blocking of doors and limit elevator

down
operate elevator
up

switches and switches for motion and

stopping the cabin at floors.
 External pushbutton panel represents the Ready to next task
cabin control panel, and three call
Fig. 2: Flow chart of operation procedure of the
pushbutton panels for each floor.
The general algorithm by which the elevator can elevator.
decide where to stop, is summarized as follows:
 Continue traveling in the same direction
(up or down) while there are remaining  When it receives a call, the door will be
requests in that same direction. blocked by releasing the actuator and it will
 If there are no further requests in that
respond to that call.
direction, then stop and become idle, or
change direction if there are requests in the  When the elevator doors have locked, the
opposite direction. elevator will start to move to the intended
floor.
ELEVATOR WORKING PROCEDURE  As the elevator moves between floors, the
limit switches detects that the elevator is
Referring to the flow chart shown in Figure 2, approaching a specific floor and notifies the
the procedure of operation of the elevator model
can be summarized as follows [1, 2, & 5]: system.
 The normal condition of the elevator is  The system checks whether the elevator
staying at one of the floors at a ready should stop at this floor or not. If so, the
condition (i.e. not requested neither from system commands the driving motor to stop
floors nor the car). and the brake system to operate.

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Ezzaldean et al, Journal of Control, Robotics, and Mechatronic Systems, ISSN: Pending, Vol. 1 (1), 22-26, Mar. 2015
DOI: Pending

 When the elevator has stopped, the system
commands the actuator to open the lock of
the door.
 The elevator will be ready for the next task.
The circuit diagram of classical control of the
experimental model of the electrical elevator is
shown in figure 3.
ELEMENTS AND DESCRIPTION OF
THE SUGGESTED CONTROL SYSTEM
In this work, a new control system of the
elevator is suggested and developed. This system
consists of a PC and a data acquisition system. By
using the proposed control system the elevator
model will be able to work like a modern elevator
system. The elements of this system are:

 Data acquisition system (Labjack U12):

LabJack U12 is a multifunctional, low-cost
interface that provides a reliable connection
between the PC and the physical world.
This measurement and automation device is
generally used for measurements, data
logging, data acquisition and control
applications. Its connection to the PC in
MASIS is via the supplied USB cable.
LabJack U12 can be used with various
softwares, such as C++, Lab VIEW, Visual
basic, DASYLab and MATLAB [6].
 Inputs/Outputs circuit: LabJack U12 has
different and redundant protection
A mechanisms, however the inappropriate use
of the device can damage it and/or the
connected PC. An Inputs/Outputs circuit is
built to enhance the protection for LabJack
U12 and the PC.
 Balance of the system: other elements are
used in the control system. These elements
are a power supply, transformer, bridge
rectifier, contactors and fuses.

Inputs/Outputs circuit connects the elevator with

LabJack U12. It takes the input signals from call
buttons and limit switches of the elevator and
transfers them to the data acquisition system. The
Inputs/outputs circuit furthermore transfers the
output signals of LabJack U12 to the elevator
model. The circuit diagram of the control system is
shown in figure 4.
B
Fig. 3: Circuit diagram for the classical control of
the experimental model.
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Ezzaldean et al, Journal of Control, Robotics, and Mechatronic Systems, ISSN: Pending, Vol. 1 (1), 22-26, Mar. 2015
DOI: Pending

Fig. 5-b: Main form of the visual basic program

(during run).

The operation of the proposed control system was

tested and all the required activities of the elevator
model were achieved. The connection of the new
Fig.4: Circuit diagram of the digital control system. control system is arranged in such a flexible
manner that the elevator model could be operated
The algorithm of operation of the elevator is either under control of the original classic control
developed as a visual basic program. This program or under control of the new digital control circuit
manages the operation of the elevator model and it [7, 8]. Layout of the elevator model while it
is formulated as three parts: operates within the proposed control system is
 Reading the signals from the elevator shown in figure 6.
model.
 Processing the signals and specifying the
proper order.
 Sending the orders to the elevator model.
The main form of the visual basic program is
shown in figure 5, a and b.

Fig. 6: The elevator model operated with the digital

Fig. 5-a: Main form of the visual basic program control system.
(before run).

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 Ezzaldean et al, Journal of Control, Robotics, and Mechatronic Systems, ISSN: Pending, Vol. 1 (1), 22-26, Mar. 2015
DOI: Pending

CONCLUSION
In this paper, a new digital control system is
proposed. This control system is designed to
improve the classical model of the elevator's control
system. Basically, the operation of the new control
system is matched with the old one, nevertheless
the proposed control offers many advantages like:
1. It behaves like the control of the modern
elevator.
2. It is upgradable where by modifying the
software's different modes of operation can
be obtained.
3. It is more flexible for educational and
training purposes.

REFERENCES
[1] Amer Abed Mansour Al-Mesaody; Design and
Implementation of an Elevator Simulator
Controlled by a PLC, M.sc thesis, University of
Technology - Baghdad, 2007.
[2] G. C. Barney, Elevator Technology, Published
for The International Association of Elevator
Engineers by Ellis Horwood Limited,
Publishers. Chichester, 1986.
[3] Harvey M. Sachs, Opportunities for Elevator
Energy Efficiency Improvements, American
Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, 2005
http://www.aceee.org.
[4] George R. Strakosch, Jaros, Baum &
Bolles, Vertical Transportation: Elevators and
Escalators; JOHN WILEY & SONS, 2nd
edition, 1983.
[5] Ford, M.; New Elevator Technology: The
Machine Room-Less Elevator Architectural
Record. McGraw Hill Financial. Retrieved
2009.
[6] http://LabJack U12.com.
[7] Ashish Tewari, “Modern Control Design”, John
Wiley & Sons. Ltd., 2002.
[8] Barney, G., C., “Elevator Traffic Handbook”,
Taylor & Francis Group, 2003.

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