What is the difference between a geared and gearless elevator machine?

A geared machine uses a worm or helical gearbox between a high-speed motor and the sheave; it is compact and economical for low-rise duty but needs oil changes. A gearless permanent-magnet machine drives the sheave directly, is quieter and more efficient, and is the basis of machine-room-less installations.

How do I select an elevator traction machine?

Selection combines rated load, rated speed, roping ratio, total suspended mass, sheave and groove profile matched to the rope diameter, brake torque with 125% load, and controller compatibility. Liftech issues a machine-selection sheet with the traction and shaft-fit calculation.

Can a VVVF drive be retrofitted to an old elevator?

Yes. Replacing a two-speed or ACVV drive with a closed-loop VVVF inverter and encoder typically improves levelling to ±1 mm, cuts starting current and removes floor-stop jerk — often without changing the machine, provided the motor and brake are serviceable.

How much energy can a regenerative elevator drive save?

On buildings with steady traffic, a regenerative drive returning braking energy to the supply typically saves 20–40% of lift energy consumption compared with a resistor-braked drive; the saving is highest on high-rise cars with heavy counterweight overhauling.

What brake does EN 81-20 require on a traction machine?

EN 81-20 requires two independent braking circuits, each individually able to hold and decelerate the car at 125% of rated load, with monitoring switches proving that each brake releases and re-applies.

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Parts · PRT-03

Elevator Traction Machines & Drives

Gearless PM machines, geared machines and VVVF inverter drives from 320 kg to 5 000 kg.

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Torin Drive GTW9A gearless permanent-magnet elevator traction machine with twin DC brakes — PRT-03 · Elevator Traction Machines & Drives

PRT-03

In short

An elevator traction machine is the motor and sheave assembly that drives the suspension ropes or belts. Gearless permanent-magnet machines are used for MRL and high-speed lifts; geared machines suit low-rise and freight. A VVVF inverter with encoder feedback controls speed, giving ±1 mm floor levelling and smooth S-curve acceleration.

Engineering overview

The traction machine and its inverter set ride quality, energy consumption and shaft layout in one decision. Gearless permanent-magnet synchronous machines run 1:1 or 2:1, need no gearbox oil, and are compact enough for machine-room-less shafts; geared worm or helical machines remain economical for low-rise and freight duty where machine-room space exists.

Liftech Global can work on and supply machines and drive electronics across the Monarch, Torin Drive, Monadrive, Fujidrive and Ziehl-Abegg ranges — with sheave diameter, groove profile, brake voltage and encoder type matched to the existing rope size and controller before anything ships.

Drives are closed-loop VVVF with sin/cos or endat absolute encoders, giving ±1 mm levelling accuracy, S-curve jerk limiting below 1.0 m/s³ and, on regenerative units, 20–40% energy recovery back to the building supply.

Types & variants

Gearless PM synchronous (MRL)
Compact 1:1 or 2:1 machine mounted in the shaft head, 320–2 000 kg, 0.4–2.5 m/s.
Gearless high-capacity
2 000–5 000 kg freight and hospital duty with larger sheave and dual brake discs.
Geared worm machine
Traditional machine-room drive for 0.5–1.0 m/s, robust and serviceable.
Helical geared machine
Higher efficiency than worm gearing for 1.0–1.75 m/s mid-rise.
VVVF closed-loop drive
Integrated or standalone inverter with absolute encoder feedback and ARD interface.
Regenerative drive unit
Feeds braking energy back to the grid, 20–40% consumption saving on busy cars.

Technical specifications

Rated load	320 – 5 000 kg
Rated speed	0.4 – 4.0 m/s
Suspension	1:1 or 2:1 roping
Sheave diameter	240 / 320 / 400 / 520 / 620 mm
Rope / belt	Ø 8 – 13 mm steel rope or coated steel belt
Brake	Twin independent DC coils, 110 V DC typical, with proving switches
Encoder	Sin/cos or EnDat absolute, 2048 ppr and above
Insulation / IP	Class F, IP41 (IP54 optional)
Levelling accuracy	± 1 mm floor stop

Gallery

Torin Drive GTW5A gearless permanent-magnet elevator traction machine for small MRL lifts — Torin Drive GTW5A — 320–630 kg, 1.0 m/s, compact shaft-head gearless PM machine

Torin Drive GTW7A gearless PM elevator traction machine with twin DC brakes — Torin Drive GTW7A — 630–800 kg, 1.0–1.6 m/s, Ø 240–320 mm sheave

Torin Drive GTW9A gearless permanent-magnet elevator traction machine for machine-room-less lifts — Torin Drive GTW9A — 320–1 000 kg, 1.0–1.75 m/s, twin DC brakes

Torin Drive GTW9S slim gearless elevator traction machine for narrow shafts — Torin Drive GTW9S — slim-body gearless machine for tight MRL shaft heads

Torin Drive GTW9S gearless elevator machine studio view showing sheave and brake assembly — Torin Drive GTW9S — sheave groove profile and dual brake coil detail

Torin Drive GTW10X gearless elevator traction machine for mid-rise passenger lifts — Torin Drive GTW10X — 1 000–1 600 kg, up to 2.5 m/s mid-rise duty

Torin Drive GTW10XL high-torque gearless elevator traction machine — Torin Drive GTW10XL — extended-torque variant for heavy passenger and hospital cars

Torin Drive GTW12 high-capacity gearless elevator machine with large sheave for freight duty — Torin Drive GTW12 — freight and hospital duty up to 5 000 kg, dual brake discs

Monadrive MONA150 PMS gearless elevator traction machine — Monadrive MONA150 — 320–630 kg home and low-rise MRL passenger lifts

Monadrive MONA200 gearless elevator traction machine with 320 mm sheave — Monadrive MONA200 — compact shaft-head mounting for MRL passenger lifts

Monadrive MONA200 blue PMS gearless elevator traction machine assembly — Monadrive MONA200 (blue series) — 630–1 000 kg, 1.0–1.75 m/s

Monadrive MONA200D permanent-magnet synchronous gearless elevator traction machine — Monadrive MONA200D — double-wrap variant for 2:1 roping installations

Monadrive MCK200E PMS gearless elevator traction machine — Monadrive MCK200E — 450–1 000 kg gearless machine, Ø 240–320 mm sheave

Monadrive MCK200S slim gearless elevator traction machine — Monadrive MCK200S — slim frame for machine-room-less shaft heads

Monadrive MCK300E gearless elevator traction machine — Monadrive MCK300E — 1 000–1 600 kg passenger and hospital duty

Monadrive MCK450 gearless elevator traction machine with large sheave — Monadrive MCK450 — 1 600–2 500 kg, Ø 400–520 mm sheave

Monadrive MCK500E gearless traction machine for high-capacity elevators — Monadrive MCK500E — up to 5 000 kg freight and car-lift duty

Fujidrive FD240B permanent-magnet synchronous elevator traction machine — Fujidrive FD240B — 320–800 kg, Ø 240 mm sheave, low-noise PM gearless

Fujidrive FD320 permanent-magnet synchronous elevator traction machine — Fujidrive FD320 — sin/cos encoder feedback for ±1 mm levelling

Fujidrive FDR320A gearless elevator traction machine with integrated drive interface — Fujidrive FDR320A — 1 000–1 600 kg, closed-loop VVVF interface

Fujidrive FDR400A high-capacity gearless elevator traction machine — Fujidrive FDR400A — 1 600–3 000 kg freight and hospital lifts

Ziehl-Abegg ZAtop SM132B gearless synchronous elevator machine — Ziehl-Abegg ZAtop SM132B — low-noise gearless drive, no gearbox oil

Ziehl-Abegg ZAtop SM series gearless elevator machine range — Ziehl-Abegg ZAtop range — SM100 to SM250 for 320–2 500 kg lifts

Ziehl-Abegg ZAsyn2 SM500 high-capacity gearless elevator traction machine — Ziehl-Abegg ZAsyn2 SM500 — high-torque duty with dual independent brakes

Italian-built geared elevator traction machine with worm gearbox for machine-room lifts — Geared worm machine — machine-room low-rise and freight duty, 0.5–1.0 m/s

Elevator traction machine bedplate and bracket installation in a Lahore machine room — Machine bedplate installation — sheave alignment and brake proving on site

SUNNY SN-TMS2TO traction machine — actual 2026 SUNNY catalogue photograph — SUNNY SN-TMS2TO traction machine. Rated load 320–630 kg; speed 0.4–1.75 m/s; 320 mm sheave; 220/380 V; 2:1 roping; maximum static load 2,000 kg; DC110 V brake. Source: components PDF page 13.

SUNNY SN-TMS3TO traction machine — actual 2026 SUNNY catalogue photograph — SUNNY SN-TMS3TO traction machine. Rated load 450–1,150 kg; speed 0.5–1.75 m/s; 400 mm sheave; 220/380 V; 2:1 roping; maximum static load 3,000 kg; DC110 V brake. Source: components PDF page 13.

SUNNY SN-TMS6TO traction machine — actual 2026 SUNNY catalogue photograph — SUNNY SN-TMS6TO traction machine. Rated load 1,250–2,000 kg; speed 1.0–3.5 m/s; 450 mm sheave; 220/380 V; 2:1 roping; maximum static load 7,000 kg; DC110 V brake. Source: components PDF page 13.

SUNNY SN-TMS320 traction machine — actual 2026 SUNNY catalogue photograph — SUNNY SN-TMS320 traction machine. Rated load 260–630 kg; speed 0.3–1.0 m/s; 200 mm sheave; 220/380 V; 2:1 roping; maximum static load 3,000 kg; DC110 V brake. Model number is not the sheave diameter. Source: components PDF page 13.

Where it is used

New MRL passenger installations
Machine-room modernisation and drive retrofits
Freight and hospital high-capacity duty
Energy-saving regenerative upgrades
Ride-quality and levelling correction projects

Frequently asked questions