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OUR PRESIDENT

Dear friends:   I am taking this opportunity, our third newsletter, to inform you that this year we will continue to invest in R&D, and in new manufacturing lines.   We will open a new, 8,600 m2 plant in Seville for steel plate processing and another 10,000 m2 plant in Saragossa for complete lift assembly.   We see this investment as a necessary and natural step within our development process, which allows us to look to the future optimistically in regard to all areas of the company.   With respect to 1999, I would like to point out the following:   Our projected sales growth is 30% for the ninth year in a row. We expect to maintain that figure for the next five years.   Internationally, in addition to our sixteen existing companies worldwide, new ones will be formed in Singapore, Shanghai, Chile, France, the Czech Republic and Turkey.   With regard to our production lines, they are being modified for the new product designs. This process should take until the beginning of June, God willing. The new designs will be manufactured along with the current designs, as in many cases they complement each other.   On 22 January our company was certified by a European notified body (TÜV), in accordance with the new directive, 95/16/EC. I believe we are the first Spanish company to have received this certification within our sector, and the second one in Europe. More importantly, we have managed to convey to our clients and suppliers the certainty that the new directive, which we are already applying, is beneficial and makes us more competitive in regard to the other companies, which are not ready for it.   Unfortunately, prices for new installations will still be low in 1999, since companies do not mind losing money on the installation of new lifts provided they are contracted for their maintenance. This leaves us little margin to work with, but this year, due to the new directive, we have decided on a minimum increase in prices to demonstrate our commitment to our clients. This may help them regain the competitiveness that, in our opinion, had been lost.   We are working towards the unification of policies at a global level, but with great flexibility when it comes to adjusting to the different markets. It is necessary to have very direct management in the area of human resources and great enthusiasm for all the projects that are started all over the world.   Finally, I would like to personally thank you for your part in making our hopes reality and ask you to pass on your ideas and suggestions so that, together, we can continue to build companies known for their excellence.   I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely yours,   Gonzalo de Madariaga Parias President of MACPUARSA

TOTAL QUALITY

MACPUARSA, in keeping with its policy to serve installers and ensure safe operation of lifts, worked in 1998 on the total quality assurance system that has been in use since 1994, applying the regulations of the new directive in the areas of design, manufacture and final inspection of safety components and complete lifts, in accordance with article 8 of Directive 95/16/EC regarding the conformity assessment procedures established for safety components and complete lifts. This directive will soon be binding on all companies.   We are proud to announce that, as a result of that effort and dedication, MACPUARSA favourably passed the evaluation audit carried out by the German notified body TÜV Süddeutschland Bau und Betrieb, and received from them recognition of and authorization for:   -The design, manufacture and final inspection of traction and hydraulic lifts in accordance with Directive 95/16/EC.   - The manufacture and final inspection of safety components with EC-type examination (H and E modules, respectively) in accordance with Directive 95/16/EC.   We are the only Spanish company within our sector to have received this certification, and one of the first in the European Union. We encourage you to take advantage of this good news and tell your clients about it, as we will all be working together to comply with the new directive. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.   Sincerely yours,   José Angel Conchello Quality Manager for MACPUARSA

VVVF: COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON ENERGY

Studies on energy are being carried out in relation to the use of frequency converters and the different options they offer as well as other traditional methods of lift control.   So far, there has only been one study, whose results should be interpreted as qualitative rather than quantitative. Nevertheless, this study provides very clear information about the benefits of applying frequency variation to lifts.   In this first study, the test tower in Seville was operated using three control methods:   1. 2 speeds.   2. Frequency variation operating with scalar control.   3. Frequency variation operating with vectorial control.   A 3VFMAC1-5/220V frequency converter from the new model fitted with the ASITRON chip was used, operating by vectorial control, using magnets.   100 operations (50 ascending and 50 descending, with an empty car) were performed, with the following results:   1.- The reduction of active energy (kWh) using frequency variation with scalar control as opposed to two-speed operation was 35.6%.   2.- The reduction of active energy (kWh) using frequency variation with vectorial control as opposed to two-speed operation was 49.11%.   3.- The reduction of inductive-type reactive energy (inductive kVAr) using frequency variation (both cases) as opposed to two-speed operation was over 90%.   Important observations:   A.- The travel of the lift used for these tests was very short. Consequently, the proportion of the start-up or brake time with respect to the area where it operates at the rated velocity is important. Remember that with VVVF there is a reduction in consumption only at start-up or braking, so the data offered could be considered extreme. That is to say, in a real lift, the reduction in consumption would be less. An approximate average figure (to be confirmed) for a typical Spanish/European lift should be 25 and 35% in each of the cases above, respectively (for the active energy, kWh).   B.- The reduction of inductive-type reactive energy is especially significant. Unfortunately for VVVF, as of today there is no penalty against building owners for the consumption of reactive energy, but if there is some day, it will be necessary to use condenser batteries to compensate for that consumption of reactive energy (in the case of two speeds), which is practically non-existent with frequency variation, so the condensers would not be necessary (with the subsequent reduction in cost, comparatively).   A more thorough, detailed study is expected in the future. There is even a project for the development of a computer programme which will estimate the reduction of energy consumption with great precision by just introducing the characteristics of the installation.   We look forward to your suggestions. Thank you. Sincerely yours,   Manuel Barranco Paulano. Electronics and Information Technology R&D Manager

ELECTRONICS LAB

At the end of 1998, MACPUARSA bought two electrical safety systems for the expansion of its electronics lab, in order to comply with point 13.1.2 of Harmonized Rule EN 81.   These systems consist of a high voltage AC/DC generator set, which can perform tests for dielectric strength and take fault resistance measurements, and a set for measuring and checking the continuity of the earth circuits.   The publication of Regulations UNE-EN 12015 and 12016 on Electromagnetic Compatibility has made it necessary to acquire new equipment for tests. Two of these tests are harmonic and flicker measurements (UNE-EN 61000-3-2, UNE-EN 61000-3-3, IEC 1000-3-4, IEC 1000-3-5).   In order to meet these strict requirements, MACPUARSA has just acquired a three-phase harmonic and flicker analyzer and a single-phase programmable AC/DC 5KVA power supply unit for its Electronics R&D Department as a first step.   With this equipment, we will also be able to carry out different immunity tests (IEC 1000-4-13, IEC 1000-4-14, IEC 1000-4-28) which are not mandatory at the moment, but which would undoubtedly make our products more valuable. The power supply unit has several functions which make it very useful for general tests and for measuring product specifications.   As far as the electromagnetic compatibility tests are concerned, since we began in this field it has always been necessary to use a semi-anechoic chamber to perform the radiate emission measurement tests (UNE-EN 55011) and the radiate immunity tests (UNE-EN 61000-4-3).   Again, to meet such strict requirements, MACPUARSA has just acquired a semi-anechoic chamber for immunity certification and emission pre-certification.   The chamber is already in place and we are waiting for some accessories that are necessary for it to be used properly.   Another project that we had been planning was the measurement of lift car comfort. We are beginning to tackle this project with the acquisition of a vibration analysis system specifically designed for the measurement of comfort in lifts, in compliance with draft ME/004-0790-101 and experimental standard UNE-ENV 28041.   This system also allows for sound measurements as per UNE-EN 60651.   Ignacio Chozas. Electronics & Computerization R&D. Hardware Area.

DIRECT CURRENT FOR LIFTS IN THE SOUTH AMERICAN MARKET

In the South American markets, especially in Brazil, there are a great number of lifts with direct current machines.   This is due to the manufacture of sturdy machines and the lack of technology in this area in the first years when these machines began to be used.   The Brazilian market is a good example of this situation: approximately 6,000 lifts operate with this kind of equipment nowadays.   Despite the fact that in some cases the performance of these lifts is better than that of a two-speed lift, the maintenance costs are considerably higher because the generator and excitator work together at all times to generate direct current for a machine that does little actual work.   These systems, called generator-excitator sets, have rotating parts that work at a constant rhythm, independent of the machine and, consequently, independent of the lift.   As a result, parts and labour costs for this kind of equipment are high in comparison with other kinds of equipment available in the worldwide market.   The options for the maintenance of this kind of lift are not always the best, as some maintenance companies prefer to change the entire system rather than looking for a solution for this type of system.   In order to meet this need of the market and change the existing mentality, MP ARGENTINA and MP BRASIL are working together in an attempt to act within this promising market, which will certainly open new technological horizons.   We are working on our controllers with converters to provide power for this type of machine. They will be economical in terms of electrical energy and wear on parts; we reduce maintenance costs by removing the generator-excitator sets and leaving only the machine.   In this way, we will be meeting the users’ expectations regarding this kind of equipment while at the same time we further our operation within the South American market.   For any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerely,   Wladir N.Chagas MP BRASIL