For hydraulic freight lifts, the landing door is an important part of the overall lifting system. It separates the lift shaft from each floor while providing convenient and controlled access to the lift platform.
For some of our hydraulic freight lift projects, we use electric roller shutter doors as landing doors at each floor. These doors are integrated with the lift control system, allowing the roller shutter doors and the lift platform to operate together in a coordinated sequence.
One interesting project also showed us how a customer's practical experience can lead to an even more flexible control solution.
Automatic Roller Shutter Door Operation
The basic operating principle is simple.
When the hydraulic freight lift arrives at a particular floor, the roller shutter door at that floor automatically opens, allowing the operator to access the lift platform for loading or unloading goods.
When the lift needs to leave the floor, the control system first closes the roller shutter door. Only after the door has closed does the lift platform begin to move.
The normal operating sequence is:
Lift arrives → Roller shutter door opens → Loading/unloading
Departure command → Roller shutter door closes → Lift platform moves
This coordinated sequence allows the landing door and lift platform to work together as part of one complete control system.
A Smart Customer Found a Different Operating Requirement
During one of our hydraulic freight lift projects, a customer noticed something about the standard operating logic.
When the lift stopped at a certain floor, the roller shutter door at that floor would automatically open and remain open while the platform was parked there.
For many applications, this is actually very convenient. The operator can immediately access the platform without needing to operate the door separately.
However, this particular customer had a different requirement.
He preferred to keep the roller shutter door closed while the lift was parked at the floor, and only open it when he actually needed to use the floor opening.
What makes this project particularly interesting is that the customer himself came up with a solution and modified the control program.
This was a very smart and practical idea based on his actual experience with the equipment.
Rather than simply accepting the standard operating mode, the customer thought about how he wanted the equipment to work and found a simple way to achieve it.
The Customer's Programming Solution
The customer modified the control logic so that the call button of the current floor could also be used to control the roller shutter door.
When the lift is already stopped at a particular floor:
Press the current-floor button once → the roller shutter door closes.
Press the same button again → the roller shutter door opens.
The lift platform does not need to move during this operation.
The button simply changes the opening state of the roller shutter door at the current floor.
This simple programming change solved the customer's requirement very effectively.
It is a good example of how an experienced user can sometimes identify a practical operating improvement that may not be obvious during the initial design stage.
Why This Customer's Idea Is Valuable
We think this customer's solution is worth sharing because it demonstrates an important point about customized lifting equipment.
A standard control sequence may be suitable for most applications, but every customer's working environment can be different.
Some customers prefer:
Lift arrives → Door opens automatically → Door remains open
Others may prefer:
Lift arrives → Door opens → After use, the door can be closed manually while the lift remains at the floor
The second operating mode can be particularly useful when the customer wants to keep the floor opening closed while the lift is parked.
The customer's solution provides exactly this flexibility without requiring the lift platform to move.
Customer Experience Can Improve the Equipment
This project also gave us a useful lesson.
The customer was not simply reporting a problem. Instead, he carefully considered the way he wanted to use the lift, identified a limitation in the standard operating sequence for his particular application, and then came up with his own programming solution.
That is a very smart approach.
We believe the people who use lifting equipment every day often have valuable insights into how the machine can be made more convenient.
Customer feedback and practical experience are therefore important parts of continuous improvement.
In this case, the customer's idea provided us with another possible control mode that can be considered for future projects.
Customized PLC Programming for Different Customers
Our hydraulic freight lift control system can be customized according to the requirements of different projects.
Depending on the customer's application, the control program can be adjusted for functions such as:
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Automatic landing-door opening
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Automatic landing-door closing
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Current-floor door control
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Manual door operation
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Floor call button logic
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Door and platform interlocking
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Customized HMI functions
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Customer-specific operating sequences
This means that the control system does not necessarily have to follow one fixed operating method.
If a customer has a specific requirement, we can discuss the desired operating sequence and modify the control logic accordingly.
The customer's solution in this project is a good example of how a relatively small change in the program can significantly improve the user experience.
For more on how we approach PLC control design for freight lifts, see our article: Building a Reliable 2-Floor Hydraulic Goods Lift PLC Program: Our Minimalist Control Philosophy.
Fast Roller Shutter Door Opening and Closing
Another important feature of this electric roller shutter door is its operating speed.
The opening and closing speed is approximately 0.2 meters per second.
For a roller shutter door slightly over 2 meters high, the complete opening operation generally takes around 10 seconds.
This provides relatively fast access for a hydraulic freight lift while maintaining controlled door movement.
For applications where goods are frequently loaded and unloaded, fast door operation can help reduce unnecessary waiting time and improve overall working efficiency.
Door and Lift Platform Work Together
The roller shutter door is not operated as an independent component.
It is integrated into the lift control sequence.
When the lift is preparing to leave a floor, the door must close before the platform begins moving.
This creates a coordinated sequence between the landing door and the lift platform.
In a typical operation:
1. The lift arrives at the target floor.
2. The control system confirms the platform position.
3. The corresponding roller shutter door opens.
4. Goods can be loaded or unloaded.
5. When the lift receives a departure command, the roller shutter door closes.
6. After the required door-closing conditions are satisfied, the lift platform starts moving.
This type of coordinated control is important for a complete hydraulic freight lift system. To understand how hydraulic components such as the solenoid valve contribute to this control sequence, see: Hydraulic Lift Solenoid Valve: Working Principle, Wiring, and Its Role in Lift Descent.
Designed for Practical Freight Lift Applications
Electric roller shutter landing doors provide a relatively simple and practical solution for hydraulic freight lifts.
Combined with appropriate control programming, they can provide:
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Automatic opening when the lift reaches a floor
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Automatic closing before the lift leaves a floor
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Coordinated door and platform operation
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Optional current-floor manual door control
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Approximately 0.2 m/s opening and closing speed
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Fast access for loading and unloading
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Customized PLC programming according to project requirements
The goal is not simply to install a roller shutter door.
The real objective is to make the roller shutter doors, lift platform, buttons, sensors, PLC, and other control components work together as one complete system.
Every Project Can Be Different
In lifting equipment, the actual working environment is often more important than a standard operating sequence.
One customer may want the landing door to open automatically and remain open while the lift is parked.
Another customer may want the door to close while the lift remains at the floor.
Both requirements can be accommodated through appropriate control programming.
This project is a particularly good example because the customer himself identified his preferred operating method and modified the program to achieve it.
We appreciate this kind of practical customer feedback and the creativity behind it.
Going forward, we can also consider similar requirements when developing control programs for new hydraulic freight lift projects.
A good lifting system should not only lift goods safely. It should also provide practical control, flexible operation, and a user experience that matches the customer's actual working environment.
Sometimes, the best improvement comes from the person who uses the machine every day.
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