This technology is an automated lifting device for frame construction, installed on a single vertical mast supported by the building frame. It features separate drive and control units to independently operate a material lifting cage and a personnel lifting cage. An ultrasonic transmitter on one cage and a receiver on the other measure the distance between them and relay the data to both control units.
In high-rise construction, frame work accounts for about 40% of the total schedule. Since most material lifting—such as formwork and rebar—relies on tower cranes, the lifting of MEP and finishing materials is often delayed, pushing back the overall project timeline. Existing overseas independent automated lifting systems, which operate without tower cranes, are heavy and expensive to rent because the mast and hydraulic units are integrated. Furthermore, they require additional labor to install anchors and use hydraulics to lift the system at every floor, making them impractical for most job sites.
This technology uses two optical sensors on the cage to measure the intensity of light reflected from the frame. It rotates the motor based on the target floor, and if the upper signal is below the threshold and the lower signal is above it—indicating the cage is not perfectly aligned—it triggers an alert. If the distance between cages falls below a safety threshold, the motor performs an emergency stop. Over-travel and falls are prevented by checking signals from overrun stoppers and limit bars at the top and bottom of the mast, while the personnel cage door is equipped with a spring-loaded debris shield. This system is ideal for high-rise residential and office frame construction, steel plant projects, and cramped urban sites where tower crane operation is difficult. It allows for the simultaneous, independent lifting of materials and workers without waiting for cranes, while automatically preventing cage collisions and floor-alignment errors.
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