Modular remote lift monitoring retrofitting

The Q-Bold is a new diagnosis box, which retrofits the remote monitoring feature in existing lifts.

By Dr Daniel Kolster

Breakdowns in many lifts are often only determined with a great delay due to the lack of remote monitoring. The shutdown times resulting create discontent and interfere with business processes both in the private real estate sector as well as in industry. Retrofitting digital lift technology is an economic alternative to complete lift renewal to reduce shutdown times for end customers.

The Q-Bold is mounted on the lift car and offers direct access to digital in- and outputs via a strip terminal. For start-up, only a 24V power supply and cables to trigger calls to the lowest and highest floors need to be connected. In addition, a total of six more out- and three inputs offer optional remote control options.

If necessary, a mobile app supports the fitter in starting the system via a location-independent lift controller, which would otherwise have had to occur cyclically from the car or machine rooms. The set-up is concluded by the learning trip with which the system gets to know the building structure and specific travel behaviour.

Condition monitoring in real time

The compact Q-Bold housing. Photo: © Quatronix GmbH

This learning process is continued after start-up in the background for a lengthy period to enable continuous improvement in the detection of potential errors. If the travel behaviour deviates from the learned structures, the Q-Bold carries out a check of the lift functionality and reports a malfunction in the event of error.

Optionally, other data lines, such as emergency call buttons, error reports of the controller or reference switch signals can be read out via the digital inputs. After on-site analysis, the Q-Bold sends all operating data via an integrated Internet connection to a cloud, the Q-Nector platform. This bundles all information and prepares it visually.

All operating data at a glance

Q-Nector is the central contact point for all lifts monitored. Here, the user first obtains an overview according to a simple traffic light principle: available (green), in maintenance (yellow), malfunction (red) – completely without software installation. After a selection, additional lift-specific detailed information become apparent, such as availabilities, trip statistics and continuous document management, for example for saving TÜV inspection logs.

If an error occurs, a previously defined notification chain is set in motion, which can proceed hand-in-hand with the automated creation of an order in the ERP of the maintenance company responsible.

This is made possible by a prepared application programming interface (API), which can be coupled with all standard ERP systems (such as Orderbase).

One cloud, all devices

Installation of the system occurs in no time. Photo: © Quatronix GmbH

The cloud-based approach offers the perspective of another advantage, since the operating data of all devices from the building technology can be combined and visualised on one platform.

Quatronix already links failure messages of the Q-Bold with displays located in the building, such as the ePaper-based Wyscreen. As a result, residents can be informed of detected lift failures by a direct notification.

The author is co-founder of Quatronix GmbH.

About Quatronix: Quatronix GmbH emerged in 2019 as an innovation workshop from the joint project work of Matthias Schernikau GmbH / Liftfabrik. Its core competence is in innovative embedded soft- and hardware solutions with a connection to web and mobile app applications, which should be distinguished by high user-friendliness.

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