Hitachi to test world's fastest elevator at research facility in Japan; 40 mph
Japanese manufacturer Hitachi is preparing to open a new research facility to test elevators that can travel at an astounding 40 miles per hour.
Located in Hitachinaka, Japan, the G1 Tower is the tallest facility of its kind to be erected at some 700 feet tall. The building will allow the company test elevators at speeds of more than 3,500 feet per minute.
It will also allow the company to test the world's largest high-speed cargo elevator, capable of carrying five tons at almost 2,000 feet per minute.
No doubt the proprietors of the world's tallest buildings -- the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Taipei 101 in Taiwan and even the under-construction Freedom Tower in New York City -- are paying close attention.
Pure speed isn't the only concern, either. Hitachi will also test its ability to control vibration, and the use of air pressure systems that manage the pressure caused by the displacement of the air as the cars travel in the elevator shaft.
The G1 Tower replaces a 300 ft. facility built in 1967.
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com