“Open Day Vipal” A Chance for the Planet

Industry members visit beautiful Terni to learn about elevator technology while enjoying food and fellowship.

In an environment where COVID-19 has condemned many of us to working from home or in secluded offices for about a year and a half, with negotiations having shifted to the virtual platform, Vipal and Omarlift’s invitation to the “Open Day” event was an opportunity to literally meet and chat with members of the industry. Unable to turn down such an invitation, I arrived in Terni, Italy, just as autumn began to show its beauty, and was greeted by the amazing hospitality of the Vipal team and the unique tastes of Italian cuisine.

Vipal, which has been producing elevator doors, cabins, car frames, components and control panels here since 1983, organized the September 24 Open Day with Omarlift, one of Italy’s long-established hydraulic manufacturers, for its new home-lift product, EVO HYBRID, which, as its name implies, works with hybrid technology. We gathered at Villa il Ginestreto, a charming villa situated on a hill offering magnificent views. Intertwined with nature away from the city, the villa was a great choice for the event.

Vipal CCO Paolo Rossano opened the morning event by conveying the company’s history, followed by a presentation of detailed information about the company’s products, including promotion of its newest offering, EVO HYBRID. Highlights focused on the solar-powered model, which continues to operate in case of power outages, thanks to its built-in battery system. Energy efficiency was also mentioned, as it plays a growing role in our lives, as new technologies take on the problems born of climate change. Among Vipal’s offerings:

• Hybrid home lifts, brushless and with batteries
• Hybrid home lifts, brushless with batteries and No. 1, 350-W solar panel
• Advanced hybrid-solution home lifts, with power consumption rated at 0.15 kW and offering continuous operation (about 40 rides) during extended blackouts
• A brushless motor, coated ropes, double motor brake and bidirectional safety gear, guaranteeing highest levels of silence, comfort and safety
• A hydraulic home lift available with electronic valve operation: the electronic valve optimizes equipment starting time, allows a softer lift travel and limits energy consumption during heating of hydraulic oil
• Geared traction home lifts

The presentation was followed by a buffet of delicacies — wines and select Italian cuisines — giving guests the opportunity to chat as they enjoyed the meal. An Omarlift stand by the pool in the garden drew interested visitors, who learned about the electronic HEVOS valve and saw a virtual 3D tour about the Omarlift hydraulic traction and EVO Hydbrid. The intelligent valve has a self-learning mode: After the activation, the control board recalculates the time and the main valve opening curve, allowing optimization of deceleration distance and stop, independent of the load and temperature conditions. The flow meter allows optimization of equipment starting time, consequent reduction of the total time of uphill to limit energy consumption and heating of the oil. The HEVOS electronic control board allows easy customization of each parameter through mobile applications.

Recently, the old hydraulic residential elevator in Villa il Ginestreto was modernized by Omarlift and Vipal, using Omarlift’s new electronic control panel and HEVOS valves. This gave guests the opportunity to take a closer look at this working model.

After the event at the Villa, we were given the opportunity to see and test a working model of the EVO HYBRID home lift during a short tour of Vipal’s 6,000 m² production facilities.