MULTI ELEVATOR
This page is for informational purposes only. Our company does not supply or install MULTI elevator systems.
MULTI Elevator is the world’s first rope-free, linear motor-driven elevator system, developed by TK Elevator (formerly Thyssenkrupp Elevator). Moving away from traditional cables and counterweights, MULTI functions like a vertical subway system, allowing elevator cars to travel both vertically and horizontally throughout a building.
CORE TECHNICAL INNOVATION
Linear Motor Propulsion
Utilizes magnetic levitation and linear motor technology (similar to maglev trains) to propel individual cabins along guided tracks without hoist ropes.
Horizontal & Vertical Travel
Integrates exchange mechanisms (pivoting track exchangers) at shaft intersections, enabling cabins to change direction and traverse horizontally between building wings or towers.
Multiple Cabins per Shaft
Operates on a continuous loop circuit. Multiple cabs run in a single shaft loop—moving up one shaft, across a horizontal transfer floor, and down an adjacent shaft.
Reduced Core Footprint
Eliminates massive cable systems and counterweights, reducing the required elevator shaft footprint inside high-rise building cores by up to 50%.
Higher Transit Capacity
Significantly reduces waiting times for passengers by maintaining continuous cabin circulation, increasing handling capacity by up to 50%.
HOW MULTI ELEVATOR COMPARES TO CONVENTIONAL HIGH-RISE TRACTION ELEVATORS?
Speed vs. Throughput
Traditional Traction
High-rise traction elevators focus on high top speeds to travel long vertical distances quickly. However, as buildings get taller, more shafts are required to handle peak traffic without bottlenecking passenger wait times.
MULTI
Cabs travel at moderate speeds (~5 m/s). However, because multiple cabs operate in a single continuous circuit (up one shaft, horizontally across, and down another), passengers experience virtually zero wait time. Total passenger volume (throughput) is drastically higher despite lower individual travel speeds.
Power Demands & Energy Management
Traditional Traction
Moving heavy cabs attached to thousands of feet of heavy steel ropes creates significant mechanical inertia and high electrical peak loads during start-up acceleration.
MULTI
Uses lightweight composite cabins powered by linear induction motors. Power demand is balanced across the loop: descending cabs act as generators via regenerative braking, immediately feeding electricity back into the tracks to propel ascending cabs. Idle cabins can also be powered down on low-demand tracks to reduce standby consumption.
Spatial & Architectural Impact
In ultra-tall skyscrapers (over 300 meters), conventional elevator shafts consume a massive percentage of lower-floor real estate to house multiple express and local hoistways. MULTI eliminates ropes and counterweights, running up to 50% smaller shaft loops that travel both vertically and horizontally across connected towers, unlocking unprecedented architectural design flexibility.
HOW DOES MULTI ELEVATOR WORK?
The TK Elevator MULTI system operates on four key engineering mechanisms: linear magnetic motors, mechanical track exchangers, lightweight carbon fiber cabins, and central loop control software.
Linear Motor Drive (Maglev Technology)
The MULTI system uses linear motors mounted inside the shaft walls, similar to maglev train technology. Permanent magnets on each cabin interact directly with these wall motors. As a result, shifting magnetic forces push the car up, down, or sideways. Consequently, the system moves cabins cleanly without any ropes or cables.
Rotating Exchanger Mechanisms
Dynamic exchangers operate at key shaft intersections using pivoting guide rails. First, the cabin stops at the exchanger when it needs to change direction. Next, the rail section rotates 90 degrees to realign the motor tracks. Therefore, the cab quickly shifts from vertical to horizontal movement.
Inductive Power Supply & Lightweight Cabins
Standard steel elevator cars are too heavy for linear motor drive systems. Instead, MULTI cabins use light carbon-fiber materials to cut structural weight by half. Additionally, tracks deliver power for lighting, cooling, and doors using contactless inductive transfer. Therefore, the entire system operates smoothly without any trailing cables.
MULTI ELEVATOR AND DESTINATION DISPATCH
In traditional high-rise systems, Destination Dispatch (DD) optimizes traffic by grouping passengers going to similar floors into specific elevator cabs.
When paired with TK MULTI Elevator’s Destination Dispatch transforms from a standard grouping tool into an essential real-time routing engine. Because MULTI operates multiple rope-free cabins traveling vertically and horizontally in a closed loop, the system functions like a high-tech rail grid where traffic management is vital.
Key Roles of Destination Dispatch in MULTI
- Loop Traffic Management: Instead of just assigning a cab to go up or down, TK Elevator’s dispatch system (such as the AGILE software platform with HLI Destination Dispatch) calculates spatial coordinates across entire loop circuits. It continuously tracks every cabin’s position, current speed, and destination.
- Exchanger & Junction Scheduling: Dynamic track exchangers (which pivot 90 degrees to move cabs horizontally) act as key bottlenecks. The dispatch software coordinates cabin arrival times at these junctions to prevent mechanical queuing or gridlock.
- Smart Passenger Grouping: By requiring passengers to input their destination floor at lobby terminals or via mobile apps before boarding, the system organizes passengers based on both floor destination and horizontal tower destination.
- Dynamic Re-Routing: If a shaft segment is temporarily restricted or undergoing routine maintenance, the central dispatch system automatically reroutes cabins along alternative horizontal transfer floors without stopping building traffic.
