How to Create a Proper Elevator Cabin Design?

How to create a proper elevator cabin design?

The meaning of design is to create a plan for an object or a system. From another perspective, the design is showing or putting beauty in front. The complete elevator system is also a design process. But today, we will talk about one of the important and visible elements of an elevator system, the cabin.

We use elevators every day. According to explanations, 20 billion people use elevators in the US in a year. So they are an important part of our lives. Elevator systems consist of many crucial subsystems or components like the motor, the shaft, control units, and others. But only two of them are visible to the users that you can create beauty, which are the doors and the cabins. Cabins are used for the main purpose of the elevators, carrying the passengers. As an artist puts a signature on his/her paintings, cabins are the signature of the designer. Even though the cabin is a closed cubicle, it requires taste and many other issues to think about.

Crucial Issues of Designing Elevator Cabin

So how to design an elevator cabin? Or what should we keep in mind while doing this? Of course, there are some technical issues that we should consider, like:

• The purpose of the elevator,
• Physical and important calculations,
• Legal issues and regulations,
• National and international standards,

and many others. We have to answer important questions like:

• Who or what will be the load?
• How many loads or how many people use it in a certain time period?
• What will be the density of use?

When you figure out these issues, the rest is up to your imagination to create the best elevator cabin design. Some of these issues are very important to consider one of which is accessibility. First, we will talk about this.

Accessibility of an Elevator Cabin

Accessibility is to make or design an elevator proper for all kinds of users like the disabled, children (of course not by themselves), and people with strollers. There is an important standard, EN 81-70 Accessibility to Lifts for Persons Including Persons with Disability, that regulates all the important issues about accessibility. For example, the details about the place of the commanding panels are clearly defined in this standard as “At the sidewall of the car; on the right-hand side with center opening doors, and the closing jamb side with side-opening door; at a distance of at least 40cm from the adjacent (front and rear) walls”.

Although the standards are very detailed and clear, so many manufacturers design cabins that don’t comply with the regulations. This creates problems while using, like for disabled people unable to reach the panel.

To create the best cabin, you should think design-based from the beginning of the process. When you define the issues by answering the questions above, you will have key factors to consider. Let’s think that you are designing a cabin for a car elevator at a building. The designing process should start at the same time as the building design. Because the car elevator is so important that will affect the building layout. First, you have to consider the measurements of the parking lot. After the vehicle is elevated to the park level and there is a structural element like a column affecting the entrance, the whole elevator will be useless. Then you should think about the standard dimensions of ordinary vehicles. All right, you will not carry a truck, but if the cabin is designed small, you will not be able to serve a sedan or a sport wagon, or a pick-up.

After you dealt with the measures, you should think about the elevator cabin interior design. The vehicles can use the elevator both ways as the nose looks in or out. You should place control panels on both sides. And, as your load is motor vehicles most of which are petroleum-powered, you should design a powerful air ventilation system for the cabin. These will go on and on. The important thing is, you should carefully define the needs, the conditions, and try to design the crucial issues first. Beauty will come after these. The customers would prefer to have a modern look, a luxurious cabin that will make them feel comfortable.

Main Features of the Elevators

As you figured out the main issues, the rest will be up to your taste. Here are some features that you will for a wonderful elevator cabin design.

Use of the Glass

Glass is one of the most preferred materials for elevator cars. Modern buildings build modern and fully-glass elevator cabins which allow the passengers to watch the wonderful scenery while traveling. This is, of course, a sensitive issue that people with acrophobia may not use. So there should be some alternatives for also these users.

On the other hand, other types of glass material can also be preferred. Back-painted glass or mirrors are very popular for elevator cabin walls. The important issue about these materials, the glass should be made of “lamina” that doesn’t scatter even when it is broken to ensure safety.

Metals

Metal is a traditional, adaptive design element for elevator cabin designs. There have been different kinds of metals used in elevator cabins for surroundings in history, some of which are; oxidized bronze, nickel-silver, bright brass, aluminum, and of course, stainless steel. Stainless steel can be used single or with other material types like a mirror or decorative glass. Stainless steel is also very effective for lighting. Its reflecting capability creates wonderfully bright elevator cabins.

Marble, Tile, and Stones

As we mentioned about the art of designing, these are the elements. These materials are suitable for creating wonderful, elegant, tasteful elevator cabins. Especially in luxurious hotels, residents prefer different tiles, stones, or marbles.

Lighting

This is another important issue in designing cabins. Although ceiling-mounted downlighting is still popular, LED fixtures are the shining stars. As the LEDs are more consume less energy, you can create a modern look and energy-efficient cabin with careful design.

Sills

This is another very important element of elevator cars. Sills are subject to constant foot traffic, extra weights loaded in, and seasonal damages by weather in the case of exterior elevators. You can use a new product, Sillskin, an effective cap that provides a new look. Or you can replace the sills in a period, which costs more.

Ceilings

The traditional (and cheapest) ceilings are aluminum frames with fluorescent or LED lights to the downside. There are many more materials and designs like island ceilings, mirror ceilings, or some innovative solutions like glass. The important issue is that the ceilings should comply with the regulations, like including an escape hatch, pulley, or motor systems placed on it according to the type of elevator motor that is the best fit.

These are some important issues in designing elevator cabins. There are so many other materials or styles that you can use for the design. But the most efficient way to have a proper solution is to get professional assistance. Some elevator cabin design companies can create wonderful examples that fit your needs. ISF Elevator Company is experienced and successful. You can ask about anything and get professional assistance from our experienced personnel.