Otis, Lenovo Partner to Develop Robot for Elevator Installation in Supertall Buildings
By Greg Bock · · 2 min read
Insider Brief
- Otis and Lenovo are collaborating to develop a robot that automates drilling inside elevator shafts, with the first deployment planned for China’s Tianjin 117 Tower.
- The robot will drill holes for elevator guide rails and landing door installations, potentially reducing worker exposure to safety hazards and airborne dust.
- The 117-story Tianjin Tower is expected to feature elevators reaching 597 meters, with Otis supplying 266 elevators and escalators for the project.
Otis and Lenovo are working on a robot to automate drilling inside elevator shafts, with the first deployment planned for China’s Tianjin 117 Tower. The collaboration, announced at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, combines Otis’ elevator engineering experience with Lenovo’s AI, computing and industrial robotics technology.
“Installing elevators in a supertall building involves demanding work in a complex environment,” Otis Greater China. president Sally Loh said in the announcement. “By turning to modern technology to automate repetitive work in the hoistway, we hope to reduce health and safety risks and improve quality. Tianjin 117 will provide an important setting in which to deploy this technology.”
The robot is designed to handle repetitive drilling tasks after the concrete inside an elevator shaft has set. These include drilling holes to secure elevator guide rails, create openings for landing doors and install door hardware.
According to Otis, the work is physically demanding and exposes installers to safety risks, including airborne industrial dust. Automating the drilling could reduce the time workers spend inside elevator shafts while improving installation quality and efficiency.
“Lenovo’s vision of ‘Smarter AI for All’ is about turning technological capability into practical value across industries,” added Yuli Bai, vice president, Lenovo Group and president, Lenovo New World. “This collaboration connects our ambition for intelligent transformation with real-world industry needs.”
Otis noted that Tianjin 117 is China’s tallest building under construction and once completed, the 117-story tower is expected to have China’s highest occupied floor at 584 meters and the world’s tallest elevators in a building, reaching 597 meters. Otis is providing 266 elevators and escalators for the project.
