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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
Lisbon Glória Elevator Accident: Non-Compliant Cable Procurement Cited
The preliminary report on the Lisbon Glória elevator accident (September 2025, 16 fatalities) revealed that the cable that failed was "not certified for use in passenger transport installations" and did not comply with Carris specifications. Key Findings: Specification Error: Carris sent specifications for the Santa Justa elevator cables to suppliers for the Glória and Lavra elevators, only changing the diameter. Non-Compliant Cable: The supplied cable was not suitable to be installed with swivels at its ends and had discrepancies in steel certification standards that went undetected. On-Site Concerns Ignored: Workers noted the cable's different composition and behavior (e.g., significant lengthening requiring a 4.5-meter segment cut) but lacked the knowledge to identify the non-conformity. Maintenance Failures: Recorded maintenance actions did not correspond to tasks actually performed, and inspections recorded as completed showed evidence they were not carried out. GPIAAF recom
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
Standardization vs. Diversification in Elevator Cable Market
The elevator cable market faces a strategic choice between standardization and diversification. Standardization offers benefits in maintenance and scalability, while diversification allows for tailored solutions for specific applications. Examples of Diversification: Oil-resistant cable: Derulcable offers oil-resistant elevator cables with a special jacket that remains soft at -15°C and provides flame retardancy. The cable features a copper wire braided shield for anti-electromagnetic interference. Flame-retardant and LSZH cables: Increasing demand for advanced safety cables, including flame-retardant PVC and low-smoke zero-halogen cables. Market players include Lapp Holding AG, Nexans, Prysmian Group, Su
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
Traveling Cable Termination Methods and Design Considerations
Prysmian Group has published comprehensive guidelines on elevator traveling cable design, termination, and installation. Termination Methods: Integral Support Member: Required for cables exceeding 60 meters in suspended length, using a flexible steel strand wrapped around a spool and clamped back to itself. Self-Tightening Devices: Used for cables with a suspended length of less than 60 meters. Mesh grips are common for round cables, while wedge clamps are used for flat cables. Looping Around a Bar: This method is not recommended as the severe bends cause stress points that eventually lead to conductor breakage. Key Design Considerations: Cable Strength: Use of steel support members to limit strain on copper conductors. Flexibility: Achieved through highly flexible copper conductors (e.g., 0.75mm² conductor constructed of 30 strands of 0.18mm wire) and specially formulated insulating materials. Torsional Balance: Preventing cables from untwisting under load to avoid vibration a
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
Elevator Flat Cable Patent Features Multi-Stage Tension and Pressure-Resistant Structure
A patent (CN104616761B) describes an elevator flat cable with a multi-stage tension and pressure-resistant structure to protect conductors from external stress and enhance durability. Key Innovations: Flexible Core: Each cable core includes multiple conducting wires stranded around a flexible core with an axial through-hole. This reduces weight and provides cushioning space for deformation. Polyester Fiber Enhancement Layer: A lapping layer and polyester fiber enhancement layer protect the cable core and improve its strength. Reinforcing Cores: Two first reinforcing cores are located at both sides of the cable bundle for enhanced side protection. Multiple second reinforcing cores are positioned between adjacent cables. Tensile Strength Differentiation: The tensile strength of the first reinforcing cores is greater than that of the second reinforcing cores to protect the cable sides from tearing. The structure ensures uniform stress distribution, making the cable difficult to stre
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
High-Speed Elevator Traveling Cable Patent Addresses Wind and Pressure Issues
A patent (CN102855988B) describes a high-speed elevator traveling cable with an oblong cross-section designed to address challenges in tall buildings, such as wind-induced sway and pressure. Key Innovations: Oblong Cross-Section: The cross-section is substantially oblong, increasing the cable's thickness and preventing it from being rolled by guide rail wheels. Depressions for Wind Stability: Two depressions at the ends of the long axis act as "root posts" stretching the cable under vertical hoistway wind action, minimizing lateral shift. Hollow Airbags: Two hollow airbags are arranged inside the cable to increase flexibility and improve anti-pressure ability when the cable is squeezed, protecting the cable core without damage. Aramid Fiber Ropes: Multiple aramid fiber ropes are arranged in the cable to increase stretching resistance and serve as tear lines. The design uses a large-diameter circular arc cylinder at the short-axis ends to reduce the impact of horizontal hoistway a
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
Transparent Sheath Flat Cable Patent Improves Identification and Maintenance
A patent (CN223956326U) describes a transparent sheath flat cable designed for elevator and industrial applications. The flat cable sleeve is made of transparent PVC elastomer material, allowing for easy visual inspection of internal conductors and facilitating quick identification during maintenance. Key Features: Transparent Sheath: Made of transparent PVC elastomer, enabling easy inspection of internal components and rapid identification of communication and control lines. Color-Coded Communication Twisted Pairs: Seven twisted pairs are sequentially colored red, black, light yellow, orange, light brown, blue, and gray for easy observation. Numbered Control Conductors: The surfaces of the second insulating layers of the twelve cable control lines are sequentially sprayed with numbers 1-12 for clear identification. Tear Lines: Five high-strength fiber tearing lines are arranged in the flat cable sleeve, corresponding to the positions of the central communication line group, the t
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
Rising Residential Construction Drives Elevator Flat Cable Demand
The growth of residential buildings is a key driver for the elevator flat cables market. Factors such as population growth, urbanization, and an expanding middle class are increasing the demand for multi-family units, apartments, and condominiums. Elevator flat cables play a crucial role in improving the efficiency, safety, and durability of vertical transportation in these buildings. They ensure seamless power and data transmission, reduce wear and tear through their flexible, space-saving design, and support reliable operation in modern smart elevator systems. Example: In January 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau reported a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,651,000 privately owned housing completions, marking a 7.6% increase from December 2024
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
Passenger Elevator Segment Leads Flat Traveling Cable Market
The Passenger Elevators segment dominates the flat elevator traveling cable market, valued at $310 million in 2024** and projected to grow to **$485 million by 2035. This is driven by urbanization, the demand for vertical transportation in tall buildings, and the need for enhanced accessibility in residential and commercial infrastructures. Other Application Segments: Freight Elevators: Steady expansion driven by e-commerce and logistics sectors requiring robust transportation for heavy loads in industrial facilities and warehouses. Service Elevators: Moderate growth for moving staff and equipment in hotels, hospitals, and restaurants. Home Elevators: Gradual increase due to demand for residential elevators for aging populations and in luxury living spaces. The material segment is led by copper due to its excellent conductivity and reliability. Aluminum offers a lightweight alternative, while optical fiber is gaining
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
Global Elevator Flat Cables Market to Reach $3.11 Billion by 2030
The global elevators flat cables market is experiencing strong growth, driven by high-rise construction, elevator modernization, and smart building trends. Key Market Figures: 2025 Market Size: $2.4 billion 2026 Market Size: $2.53 billion (5.4% CAGR) 2030 Market Size: $3.11 billion (5.3% CAGR) Market Segmentation: By Insulation Material: PVC cables dominate the market, followed by rubber, polyurethane, and other materials. By Voltage: Low voltage (below 500V), medium voltage (500V-1000V), and high voltage (above 1000V). By Application: Residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. By Region: Asia-Pacific was the largest region in 2025, while Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing. Key Trends: Growing demand for high-flex elevator wiring Rising adoption of low-smoke zero-halogen (LSZH) cables for enhanced safety Increased need for fire-resistant cable solutions Expansion of smart building connectivity needs
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Source:Industrial Automation / Time:2026-08-21
KONE UltraRope® Cuts Elevator Cable Weight by 80%, Enabling Kilometre-Tall Buildings
KONE's UltraRope®, a carbon fiber core rope with a high-friction coating, is transforming high-rise elevator design. Weighing only about one-fifth of a conventional steel rope, it enables significant reductions in moving masses and energy consumption. For a 500-meter elevator journey, UltraRope achieves energy savings of around 15% compared to conventional steel ropes. For an 800-meter journey, the savings exceed 40%. This is because the lighter rope allows for a smaller and lighter counterweight and sling, reducing overall deadweight. Additionally, carbon fiber resonates at a different frequency from most building materials, making UltraRope less sensitive to building sway and reducing downtime during strong winds. It also does not rust, stretch, or wear, and its special coating eliminates the need for lubrication. The technology has been adopted in landmark projects like Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Sky Tower in Auckland, and is set to feature in the world's tallest building-to-
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