With the rapid development of high-rise buildings in urban areas, elevators have become essential vertical transportation tools. Their safety and operational stability are matters of public concern. Traditional elevator maintenance models rely heavily on scheduled inspections, which often result in delayed responses, low efficiency, and high costs. In recent years, with the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology has gradually been introduced into elevator management systems. This integration offers more precise and visual solutions for fault prediction and maintenance cycle management.

Limitations of Traditional Maintenance Models

Most elevator companies still use a time-driven maintenance approach, scheduling regular inspections based on operational hours. However, this model presents two major problems: "over-maintenance" and "under-maintenance" can coexist, as the actual wear and tear of elevator components cannot be accurately assessed. Additionally, when a malfunction occurs, the diagnosis often depends on the experience of maintenance personnel, without adequate operational data to support timely and accurate troubleshooting.

Moreover, maintenance records are typically managed using paper documents or conventional digital files. These methods lead to scattered data, higher risk of information loss, and difficulties in historical traceability, making it challenging to build a complete digital archive of an elevator’s lifecycle. Achieving predictive and fine-grained maintenance has become a key demand for industry transformation.

Overview and Advantages of RFID Technology

RFID is a contactless automatic identification technology that uses radio signals to read data from tags attached to objects, enabling real-time tracking and identification. In elevator applications, RFID tags can be installed on key components—such as brakes, door machines, control panels, and traction systems. By connecting RFID readers to backend systems, real-time status monitoring and data recording become possible.

Compared to traditional identification methods such as barcodes, RFID offers several advantages:

• Contactless Reading: No line of sight is required, making it ideal for complex environments like elevator shafts and machine rooms.

• Rewritability: Tags can be written and updated multiple times, enabling dynamic information tracking.

• Concurrent Recognition: Multiple tags can be read simultaneously, improving system responsiveness.

• Durability: RFID tags are long-lasting and adaptable to high-temperature, high-humidity environments.

These features make RFID particularly suitable for component tracking, status logging, and maintenance management in elevators.

RFID in Fault Prediction for Elevators

RFID tags serve not only as identity labels but also as carriers for status records. When integrated with sensor systems, they help monitor real-time conditions of critical elevator components. For instance, in traction systems, RFID tags combined with temperature and vibration sensors can continuously collect operational data. If abnormal temperature rises or excessive vibrations are detected, the system can instantly send alerts to maintenance personnel via wireless networks, enabling proactive intervention.

In door systems, RFID tags working with magnetic sensors can monitor opening frequency and force deviations, helping detect wear or misalignment. Long-term data accumulation can also support predictive models, helping anticipate structural faults and reduce unexpected downtime.

Optimizing Maintenance Schedules with RFID

Data collected through RFID enables maintenance managers to shift from experience-based schedules to data-driven decision-making. Maintenance cycles can be dynamically adjusted based on actual usage frequency, operating conditions, and fault history of each component. For example, door machines in high-traffic elevators that show faster wear can be serviced earlier, instead of applying a uniform maintenance schedule to all units.

RFID also enhances the traceability of maintenance activities. Each read/write operation is timestamped and recorded, logging the time, content, and person responsible for every maintenance task. This supports full lifecycle tracking, improves regulatory oversight, and helps standardize maintenance practices.

Case Study: RFID-Based Maintenance in a Metro System

One notable implementation of RFID in elevator maintenance is found in a metro system project in a major city. The local subway company partnered with equipment manufacturers to build a smart elevator maintenance system based on RFID. Over 30 RFID tags were installed on each elevator’s critical components and connected to a cloud platform to form a comprehensive "digital archive" for each unit.

With this system, maintenance staff can monitor elevator status remotely and follow differentiated maintenance plans based on platform recommendations. After one year of implementation, average maintenance response time decreased by 38%, and elevator downtime caused by worn components was reduced to one-third of the previous rate. Passenger experience and operational efficiency were significantly improved.

Challenges and Outlook

Despite the promising potential, implementing RFID in elevator maintenance still faces several challenges. One is the initial cost of deployment, particularly for retrofitting older elevators with integrated RFID-sensor systems. Another is the lack of standardized data formats and interfaces among different elevator brands and service providers, which hinders broader industry integration.

Looking ahead, as RFID hardware becomes more affordable and government regulations on elevator safety become more digitized, the technology is expected to gain wider adoption. Combined with big data and AI algorithms, RFID will evolve from a static identification tool into a foundational element of intelligent decision-making systems for elevators.