Advances in Engineering Advances in Engineering features breaking research judged by Advances in Engineering advisory team to be of key importance in the Engineering field. Papers are selected from over 10,000 published each week from most peer reviewed journals.
Significance Statement
Due to mechanical complexity with many moving parts which have small mass and high stiffness, system level dynamic simulation for escalator products is still one of the most engineering challenges in the industry. As there have been significant progress in high performance computer technology and Multi-Flexible Body Dynamics discipline since last four decades, pioneering trials have been made to break through the technology barriers as shown in the picture below. Based on those previous studies, many scientists and industry leading engineers saw the possibility and started to take advantages of MFBD technology in relevant technical fields. Even there was a big step forward in this technology, remaining technical issues still exist to be solved by engineers.
This article introduces an innovative modeling approach how to simulate dynamic behavior of an escalator system more efficiently compared with conventional approaches. Accuracy of the simulation model is guaranteed by the comparison with test results. Braking performance analysis is undertaken using this model to demonstrate its application potentials for safety design of an escalator system as an example. In order to understand the influence of different system parameters on the braking performance in early design stage, statistical data analysis approach is employed.
Figure legend: MFBD Technology for Escalator System
Journal Reference
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, July 2015, Volume 29, Issue 7, pp 2645-2651
Chan Jong Park, Gero Gschwendtner
Escalator System and Innovation Centre, OTIS GesmbH, Modecenterstrasse 17, 1110, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract
An escalator brake system composed of an operational brake and an auxiliary brake is one of the most critical components that directly influence passenger safety. Therefore, understanding the braking performance of an escalator system at the early design stage is imperative. In this article, the application of multibody dynamics simulation for escalator industry is discussed. This study proposes an efficient multibody dynamics simulation modeling approach that considers the dynamic effects of a step band, handrail band, and passenger traffic load, which requires considerable computational resources when the conventional method is employed. The approach also covers a comprehensive simulation modeling of drive machine with gearbox, main drive chain band, operational brake system, and auxiliary brake system to evaluate the escalator’s braking performance at the system level. The simulation model is verified with actual measurement data and employed to investigate potential worst case braking scenarios. The dynamic influences of these braking scenarios on the escalator system are discussed as a result.
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