What is Automated car parking system?

What is a fully automated parking system? – these are the latest, innovative technologies and the opportunities that these systems give us in real life: minimal human participation in the parking process.

Automated parking systems are complex, innovative and modern equipment, each such parking is developed and designed at the factory for a specific location and can be systematized very conditionally, solutions are often used or less often used, many structures can be similar in appearance, but to have fundamentally different ways of moving machines in the system, they can be divided into two large groups – pallet and non-pallet, it can also be divided into tower and flat, systems that have a central passage for the manipulator and occupy the entire level plane.

What types of multi-level parking systems are there?

Automated parking systems allow you to place more cars in a smaller area, abandoning the attributes of classic parking: driveways, ramps, passenger lifts and stairs, freeing up space for the main thing – car parking. Automated parking systems significantly increase the utilization rate of empty space when parking, including in combined facilities (residential, retail and office space).

The first in the evolution of vertical parking lots were underground and surface ramp multi-storey parking lots that allow the use of elevator lifts, mechanized and automated lifts and manipulators.

According to the control method, automated parking lots are semi-automatic and automatic. Automatic parking works without the participation of operators, as opposed to semi-automatic. However, this requires a complex control system with additional software, which excludes a failure during the acceptance and delivery of the car.

By design, multi-level parking lots are divided into: carousel parking, tower parking and puzzle parking systems.

In this article, we will take a look at one of the highly efficient intelligent parking solutions – a car parking tower system.

Tower parking is a multi-level structure with a lifting device with special vertical guides and driven by the main drive, using traction chains for high-speed vertical movement of the car, for horizontal movement of pallets / platforms into parking spaces, which fall to the left and right of the lift itself, is carried out drive beams geared motors.

The tower type parking system is designed to accommodate sedan or SUV cars.

The design of the TOWER automated parking equipment is metal-frame and is placed in a building / structure or attached close to them. The structure can be covered with glass, polycarbonate, painted siding. The steel structure is hot-dip galvanized to ensure the longest possible service life.

Puzzle type parking, Carousel type parking, Tower type parking

 

In automated parking systems of the Tower type, cars are accepted for storage through a special room and fed to a mechanized device, which, in an automated mode, according to a certain algorithm, without human intervention, ensures compact placement of cars in the parking space served by it. The principle of operation is to accurately determine the location of vacant and occupied places and / or to count the number of vehicles entering and leaving.

The ATP multi-level parking system is fully automated and is a whole complex consisting of computer equipment, motion sensors, scanning sensors, video surveillance cameras, mechanisms for lifting and removing cars.

Let’s take a look at the whole process of placing a car in an automated tower parking.

The car drives into the parking ramp and completely turns off the engine. It is imperative that the car remains on the hand brake. After that, the driver leaves the car and closes it. Further, the machine is assigned an identifier with a unique number or a key card with a serial number.

The central computer acts as the basis for such parking. Cameras, mechanical components and the necessary sensors are installed throughout the structure of the parking system. This makes it easy to move vehicles across the entire parking area.

Built-in scanning sensors determine the size and weight of the car for compliance with its parking dimensions, and also exclude the occurrence of situations in which the car can be damaged – spontaneous opening of the trunk, doors, hood while moving the car in the parking lot. Thereafter, a mechanical vertical lift lifts the vehicle and places it in a free, suitable place. The system independently determines the free places, in accordance with this, choosing the most optimal location.

As a rule, this process of transporting cars takes no more than 3 minutes. Due to the presence of pivoting mechanisms, the car will be deployed so that the driver does not have to reverse out of the parking lot.

After transporting the car, the driver receives a key or card, which may have a secret code. This code is a kind of identifier for the car and its location in the parking lot.

In order to pick up the car, the driver presents a card or key, which are scanned by the system, after which a mechanical lift “transfers” the car to its owner.

Watch a video demonstration of automated parking tower work.

Design: Main structural parts of the tower parking system

 

1. Lifting system: The lift system is responsible for lifting vehicles, which mainly consists of steel structure, carriage(platform), counterweight, drive system, guiding devices, protection devices.

2. Entrance / Exit System: These are mainly automatic doors, turntable, scanning device, voice prompts, etc., which keep users and vehicles safe and find the vehicle quickly and accurately.

Inside the parking lot on the ground floor, as a rule, there is a turning device in order to be able to rotate the car by 180 ° to get the car to exit with the hood forward. This greatly simplifies and greatly reduces the time required to leave the car from the parking lot.

3. Sliding system: comb pallet exchange structure : A new exchange method that has emerged in recent years for the horizontal movement of a pallet / platform.

4. Electrical control systems: The core of the control is PLC with multiple operating modes such as touch screen, manual, maintenance mode.

5. Intelligent operation systems: use intelligent IC card to control vehicle access, one card one car, capture the image and contrast image of the vehicle access, preventing the loss of the vehicle.

6. CCTV monitoring: The core of the monitoring equipment is an advanced hard disk digital video recorder, it is mainly composed of 5 parts: photography, transmission, display, recording and control, with the functions of image acquisition, switching control, recording and playback.

What safety devices does the Tower Parking have?

 

* It is controlled by PLC with touch screen, eliminating misoperation

* Multiple security detection devices are configured to ensure safe and reliable operation

* Fall protection device

* Alarm device to prevent the entry of people or vehicles while the equipment is operating

* Alarm device to prevent over height and length of vehicles

* Protection device for low voltage, phase loss, over current and overload

* Self-locking safety device when power off

Automated or mechanized parking lots, they are called differently today, are increasingly found in cities today. Why? There are many reasons, but often they are very serious and there is simply no other solution, often they are due to the lack of space or the desire to save it, but in any case, such a parking will give you the opportunity:

- Design a garage where there is no place for a conventional, ramp.

- To increase the efficiency of the existing area for flat parking on one floor (15 meters), using an automated tower parking – 1.63 meters of square land area per 1 car.

 

Automated parking systems have such advantages as unique software, advanced technology for reading numbers, video recording and storage, etc. The automated parking system is the most affordable and convenient option for use in enterprises, public places with a heavy traffic load. Thanks to special software, integration is possible at almost any facility: airports and train stations; shopping, entertainment and business centers; sports complexes.

The automated parking system practically eliminates the need for employees to participate in its work in the process of the system functioning, thereby eliminating the human factor. Equipment maintenance is an exception. Fully automatic systems will be especially relevant when there is heavy traffic entering / exiting vehicles.

Simplicity of design, high speed of parking / delivery of the car, efficient use of parking space distinguish the tower parking system from other mechanized parking lots.

- Efficient use of space: up to 70 cars can be accommodated on 50 m2 (3 car parking area)

- Ease of maneuvering: equipped with a turntable (beginners can enter and exit in front, the ability to choose entry / exit depending on the individual characteristics of the object)

- Latest high quality control program (zero defects and failures, low energy consumption and operating costs)

- Execution varants: standard / transverse, built into the building / free-standing (independent), with lower / middle / upper drive

- Safety and reliability: numerous protective devices to ensure the safety of vehicles and users

- Fully automatic and fully enclosed operating mode for user convenience and protection against theft and vandalism

- Modern appearance, high level of integration

- Ultra-low noise at high speed

- Easy maintenance

Equipment manufacturability

By applying a modern CNC lathe, the size accuracy of the workpiece can be within 0.02mm. We use robotic welding equipment that can control welding deformation very well.

The use of high quality steel materials, a special drive chain and a special motor for the parking system, which ensure the long life of our parking systems, stable booster; safe running, low accident rate, etc.

This tower type of parking equipment is suitable for medium and large buildings, parking complexes, and guarantees high vehicle speed. Depending on where the system will stand, it can be of low or medium height, built-in or free-standing.

ATP is designed for medium to large buildings or for special buildings for car parks. Depending on the wishes of the Customer, this system can be with a lower entrance (ground location) or with a middle entrance (underground-ground location). And also the system can be made both as built-in structures in an existing building, or be completely independent.

How to park in the TOWER automated parking system?

 

 

The tower-type parking system has the shortest time for parking or removing a car from the parking lot due to short-term operations and high speed of the main operation – vertical movement of the car to the parking space. The entrance to the parking pallet takes very little time due to the simplicity of the operation. Then the driver leaves the car, the gate closes, and the car simply starts to climb to its place. Having reached the required level, the parking system simply pushes the pallet with the car onto an empty space and that’s it! The parking process is over!

The parking time in the tower parking is on average ± 2-3 minute. This is a very good indicator from all points of view, and if we compare, for example, with the process of leaving an underground arena parking, then the time of car delivery from a tower-type parking system is much less and, accordingly, the exit is much faster.

What is a fully automatic automated parking system? – these are the latest, innovative technologies and the opportunities that they give us in real life:

- A person does not enter the parking system, he simply puts the car in the box and leaves, the system parks, looks for a place, moves, turns and then gives back the car itself.

- The driver can park and call the car from the system not only by a card or number on the display, but also by using a special program on a smartphone or a phone call, and when he approaches the box his car is already in place.

- Modern robots move cars at such a speed that the waiting time can be less than a minute.

Tower car parking system design

 

 

Mutrade is a professional parking system and parking lift equipment manufacturer in China for over 10 years. We are engaged in the development, production, sale of various series of high quality parking equipment.

Automated parking systems are also a modern and convenient way to solve many problems: there is no space or you want to minimize it, because ordinary ramps take up a large area; there is a desire to create convenience for drivers so that they do not need to walk on floors, so that the whole process occurs automatically; there is a courtyard in which you want to see only greenery, flower beds, playgrounds, and not parked cars; just hide the garage out of sight.

There are a large number of options for the layout of a mechanized garage and often only having very extensive experience can you choose the best option, in our group of companies, unlike many others, there are experienced designers who can choose what is best for you, they know how to arrange any option parking systems in the most economical and convenient way.

Contact Mutrade to get acquainted with the operation of the tower parking, study in detail the principles, mechanisms, get answers to your questions about the organization of storage, engineering systems, access, maintenance management.

Automatic mechanized parking is a modern way to solve the problem of lack of parking space.

FAQ

- What is the difference between Tower parking and Puzzle parking?

Tower parking system is fully automatic parking system, while puzzle system is semi-automatic.

Tower parking is a mechanized parking, flat, with a passage through the center.

This is the most common type of mechanized parking systems, it can be multi-level and is ideal for underground and aboveground garages, where it is necessary to increase the number of parking spaces compared to conventional parking or there is not enough space to organize passage for cars with a driver. In this case, the width of the passage is limited by the size of the car, the parking spaces are also smaller in size and height, you can put cars in several rows on the sides of the manipulator passage. The levels, the shelves on which the machines are placed, can be made of concrete or metal frame. Tower mechanized parking has a large number of floors and a relatively small footprint.

Mechanized parking lots of the Puzzle type are also flat, but without driving through the center. The puzzle is another option for automated parking, in which parking spaces occupy the entire parking area, leaving one space for the lift and one for rearranging cars, however, this option cannot be used for large or multi-level parking lots, since the time of car delivery with a large number of them will be too much large, but if it is necessary to make a small garage, where there is no place for it, this option is ideal, for example, when staging 20 cars, the given area can be 15 sq.

 

- At what temperature can the system operate without interruption?

The limiting values of climatic environmental factors for equipment are from minus 25 to plus 40 ºС.

 

- Is the automatic tower system difficult to maintain?

Once the automated intelligent tower parking system is operational, preventive maintenance at predetermined intervals ensures uninterrupted operation without any interruptions or problems.

We also offer call-based maintenance services to our customers to minimize interruptions and ensure the proper functioning of the system.

 

- Will oil and other dirt from cars parked on higher levels get onto cars of lower levels?

All parking spaces are sewn up from below with profiled sheets, which does not allow dirt to get onto the standing car below;

 

- Is the installation of this parking equipment difficult? Can we do it without your engineer? 

Installation and commissioning can take place without the presence of our engineer on your side.

1. After approval of the optimal solution, it is necessary to install and put into operation the parking system as soon as possible in accordance with the equipment installation rules provided by Mutrada.

2. Our team of experts brings together experienced mechanical and electrical engineers to supervise you online during the installation and commissioning of the smart tower automated parking system.

3. After the installation is complete, check that everything has been done in accordance with the project specifications, that the overall system is working properly, and perform an initial commissioning.