KONE Corporation, trade press release, March 14,2012
KONE, a global pioneer in developingenergy-efficient solutions for People Flow in buildings, haslaunched the KONE Direct Drive for escalators, an innovative andenergy-efficient escalator drive system designed for heavy use. TheKONE Direct Drive has been widely used in KONE's highly praisedKONE EcoMod(TM) 2 modernization solution, and is now available on awider scale for new escalators. This tested and proven technologyis already in use in over 130 references worldwide, such asMcCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, U.S. and the RomeMetro in Italy.
The new KONE Direct Drive consumes lesselectricity compared to standard drives on the market such ashelical or worm gear drives. For example in typical cases, the KONEDirect Drive can consume between 10 and 20 percent less energy thana conventional worm gear drive*.
"We take very seriously our commitment toeco-efficiency and safety," says Reino Hyvärinen, Senior VicePresident, Escalator Business, KONE. "Our latest innovation, theKONE Direct Drive for escalators makes good on that promise anddelivers a drive solution that not only increases the energyefficiency of the drive but can also make the escalator safer andeasier to maintain, which in turn provides a safer escalator forpassengers in the long run."
Due to its location outside of the step band, theKONE Direct Drive is easily accessible, meaning most maintenancetasks can be performed in the pit without the need to disassemblethe steps. This saves time and money and significantly improvessafety for the escalator users as the maintenance work can beperformed in a more efficient manner. The drive's location outsidethe step band also eliminates the risk of lubrication oil drippingon the steps.
Another important element to the KONE Direct Drivefor escalators is its chainless design. The KONE Direct Drive isconnected directly to the main shaft which means that the lack of aconventional chain system not only reduces maintenance and spareparts costs but also eliminates the risk of a drive chainfailure.
Highlights of the KONEDirect Drive
Safe and reliable
- Chainless drive design eliminates risk of chain failure andneed for oil
- Proven technology already used in over 130 metro and railreferences worldwide
Efficient
- Motor is directly connected to the main shaft whichincreases efficiency
- Lower input power needed
- Up to 96% energy efficiency
- Up to 20% more efficient than a worm gear drive*
- Ideal with energy feedback system, possible to recover up to63% of input power, compared to 37% with a helical gear and 29%with a worm gear.
Easily maintainable
- Drive located outside the step band provides easier accessfor maintenance
- Fewer spare parts needed due to simple configuration andchainless design
*) References for energy savings are based on a typical commercialescalator installation moving upwards 50% of the time and 50%downwards. Vertical rise: 4.5 m. Step width: 1000 mm. Speed: 0.5m/s. Operating time: 14 h/day, 6 days/week, 52 weeks/year. Loadprofile: 2.5 h - 0%, 10 h - 25%, 1 h - 50%, 0.5 h - 75%, 0 h -100%.
For further information,please contact:
Tuukka Pakkala, Sales and Product Marketing Manager, KONECorporation, tel. +86 13501614967
KONE's escalator team will be at Asia Pacific Rail 2012 in HongKong on March 13-15. Come hear experts Norbert Balkenhol, Johannesde Jong, and Chan Kin Wai present on topics ranging from energyefficiency and the new KONE Direct Drive for escalators topreventive maintenance and its importance in increasing safety forend users.
View a rendering of the KONE Direct Drive in KONE's Media Library
About KONE
KONE is one of the global leaders in the elevator and escalatorindustry. The company has been committed to understanding the needsof its customers for the past century, providing industry-leadingelevators, escalators and automatic building doors as well asinnovative solutions for modernization and maintenance. Thecompany's objective is to offer the best People Flow® experience bydeveloping and delivering solutions that enable people to movesmoothly, safely, comfortably and without waiting in buildings inan increasingly urbanizing environment. In 2011, KONE had annualnet sales of EUR 5.2 billion and on average 35,000 employees. KONEclass B shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd inFinland.