Intelligent parking solution for overcrowded cities
Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles — a city of endless possibilities. At the same time, it's also synonymous with frustrating parking challenges, presenting drivers with the same daily struggles: endless searches for a parking space, frantic gestures, and the constant risk of scratches caused by tight parking spots.
This is where the AUTOParkit™ system from Dasher Lawless comes into play: Drivers simply move their vehicle into the entry station, hand over the key, and let the technology and control system handle the entire parking process. Within seconds, the platform lifts, and the vehicle moves quietly into the depths of multi-level parking areas — eliminating the search for available parking spaces and making parking damage a thing of the past.
Cars are parked safely and space-efficiently using a linear chain system
The role the Tower Chain plays in this solution
The key to this seamless parking experience is the innovative drive system hidden beneath the concrete base: the Tower Chain - a linear chain system from GROB Drive Technology. Originally, a more cost-effective solution using steel cables could have been considered. However, the limited ceiling height within the underground parking structure made this approach impractical, and the building structure would've been exposed to excessive tensile loads. The engineers therefore chose a floor-mounted design for the chain housings. With this setup, the Tower Chain modules push the platform upward from below, transferring the load directly into the foundation slab while eliminating the need for expensive ceiling reinforcements.
The high load capacity of each individual chain link allows vehicles weighing well over 5 tons to be lifted while ensuring an even distribution of forces at all times. The compact height of the linear chain housings makes it possible to install the system in tight spaces, significantly reducing the required installation space compared to conventional solutions. Without cable slack or the risk of slipping, the lifting mechanism operates smoothly, reducing wear on mechanical components while increasing user confidence in the system.
The Tower Chain modules also demonstrate their strengths when it comes to maintenance. Thanks to the modular chain link design, worn components can be replaced quickly without having to disassemble large assemblies. The lubrication concept ensures long maintenance intervals between service cycles. Combined with a sophisticated safety management system in accordance with the machinery directive, this creates a reliable operating concept that transforms everyday parking operations while significantly reducing operating costs.
How the Tower Chain system works
Tower Chains consist of high-precision chain links with lateral shoulders that mechanically interlock under axial loads, converting compressive forces into lifting motion. A sprocket inside the drive housing pulls the links out of a magazine, where they lock together to form a rigid column. During the unloaded return movement, the chain runs like a conventional chain over guide rollers and is stored compactly in a return system. This allows for virtually unlimited lengths of fast and highly precise linear motion - even in tight installation spaces. In this application, the chain is stored behind the lifting movement, creating a self-supporting lifting column.
With floor-mounted installation and powerful linear chain technology, AUTOParkit™ takes automated parking logistics to the next level. The result: maximum parking space utilization, reduced operating costs, and uncompromising safety.
