4.16.2026 / 4-minute read

Explosion-Proof Reciprocating Freight Lift for Pharmaceutical Factory

Overview

Company Profile: Hongyun Pharmaceutical (Yuxi) Co., Ltd., under the Hongyun Pharmaceutical Group, specializes in the R&D, production, and sales of traditional Chinese medicine and chemical pharmaceutical products.

With over 30 years of production experience and a product range covering tablets, granules, pills, and ointments, the company is undergoing a major smart pharmaceutical production base construction program — total investment exceeding 700 million RMB — targeting full automation, intelligence, and digitalization of its production processes.

Project Background: Operating in a multi-story production facility, the customer required efficient inter-floor transfer of raw material and semi-finished product pallets, with an explosion-proof requirement (BT4) for the production environment.

The solution needed to integrate with forklift loading and roller conveyor systems for seamless material flow.

Specification

Parameter	Specification
Car Dimensions	W1600 × D1800 × H2000 mm
Shaft Dimensions	W2600 × D2000 mm
Entry/Exit Direction	2600mm, single entry/exit
Lifting Stroke	8,200 mm
Rated Capacity	800 kg
Speed	30 m/min (variable frequency)
Floor Stops	3 stops / 3 stations (Floor 2: manual only)
Explosion-Proof Rating	BT4
Pit Depth	1,600 mm (motor in pit)
Main Color	Gray (1 primer + 2 topcoats)
Enclosure	Steel mesh, site-fitted

Solution

1. Full BT4 Explosion-Proof Compliance

Pharmaceutical environments carry volatile organic solvent risks requiring strict electrical safety ratings
Motor and gearbox: domestic explosion-proof, Grade 2 energy efficiency, BT4 certified
PVC rapid-open landing doors (floors 1 & 3) also compliant with BT4, clear opening W1600×H2000mm
Three-color warning light system in line with GMP facility safety management standards

2. Bottom-Drive Pit Layout — Solving Top Space Constraints

Limited headroom at facility ceiling; drive unit relocated to pit (depth: 1,600mm)
Eliminates overhead machine room requirement, preserving facility clear height
Custom pit depth coordinated with civil construction

3. Siemens Intelligent Control System

Siemens PLC for reliable, maintainable control
Variable frequency drive ensures smooth 30m/min start/stop, minimizing shock to pharmaceutical pallets
Auto mode: automatic stop at floors 1 & 3; floor 2 manual-only (flexible for low-frequency use)
12″ touchscreens at floors 1 & 3 for real-time operation monitoring
Open third-party communication protocol: MODBUS TCP/IP, ProfiNet, OPC UA (OPC UA prioritized) for MES/WMS integration

4. Forklift & Roller Conveyor Seamless Integration

In-car roller conveyor: 1 unit, effective roller surface W1100×1400mm
Entry/exit roller conveyors: 2 units, effective roller surface W1100×1400mm (3 units total)
Forklift delivers pallet to conveyor entry; roller system handles in-car loading/unloading automatically
Low-profile conveyor design minimizes fork height, improving forklift operation safety

5. Differentiated Door Configuration by Floor

Floors 1 & 3 (high-frequency): BT4 explosion-proof PVC rapid-open doors, yellow, clear opening W1600×H2000mm
Floor 2 (low-frequency): folding safety gate, cost-optimized, manual mode only

Key Industry Application Scenarios

1. Inter-Floor Pallet Transfer in Pharmaceutical Production Lines

Multi-story pharmaceutical facilities require frequent vertical movement of raw materials, excipients, and semi-finished products
The lift serves as the central node in vertical logistics, working alongside forklifts for horizontal transport to form a complete intra-factory material flow chain
800kg capacity supports standard industrial pallets (600–800kg loaded)

2. GMP Clean Room Logistics Compliance

Pharmaceutical facilities demand strict cleanliness and explosion-proof compliance — standard freight lifts are inadequate
BT4 explosion-proof design ensures safe operation in solvent-present pharmaceutical environments
Enclosed car structure helps maintain cleanroom airflow zoning requirements

3. Smart Factory System Integration

Industrial Ethernet interface (OPC UA preferred) enables direct connection to factory MES/WMS
Provides physical infrastructure for the customer’s ongoing drive toward full production automation
Touchscreen real-time monitoring reduces manual intervention requirements

Details

Double Door
Ground Floor.
Side View
Third Floor closed
Third Floor open
Touch Screen

FAQ

A1: The equipment has BT4 explosion-proof rating, specifically designed for pharmaceutical environments with volatile organic solvents. Equipped with explosion-proof motor, electrical components, and explosion-proof PVC rapid doors to ensure safe operation in hazardous environments.

A2: The car is equipped with 1 in-car roller conveyor and 2 entry/exit roller conveyors. Forklifts deliver pallets to the entry conveyor line, and the roller system automatically handles loading and unloading within the car, eliminating manual handling.

A3: Siemens PLC control system with Schneider electrical components and Siemens/Schneider/ABB variable frequency drives. 12-inch touchscreens on floors 1 and 3 for real-time operation monitoring. Supports MODBUS TCP/IP, ProfiNet, and OPC UA standard industrial Ethernet protocols for MES integration.

A4: Based on customer production process analysis, Floor 2 is a low-frequency usage floor. Manual stopping with a folding safety gate is more cost-effective. High-frequency floors 1 and 3 are equipped with automatic stopping and explosion-proof PVC rapid doors for improved efficiency.