Solae, Elevator test tower in Inazawa, Japan.
Solae is a 173-meter-tall (568 ft) test tower located within the Mitsubishi Electric Inazawa Works in Inazawa, Japan. It contains multiple shafts built specifically to run elevators under real operating conditions for safety and performance evaluation.
Mitsubishi Electric built the tower in 2007 to meet growing demand for elevator testing capacity in Asia. Its opening allowed the company to test systems at full scale under controlled conditions for the first time at this site.
The name Solae comes from the Japanese word for sky, which reflects the tower's upward purpose. From the outside, the structure stands clearly above the surrounding industrial buildings, giving it a recognizable presence on the local skyline.
Access to the site is restricted because it is an active testing facility, and visits generally require prior arrangement through official channels. Anyone interested should contact Mitsubishi Electric directly well in advance to find out what access options are available.
The tower also serves as a training ground where technicians practice maintenance and emergency procedures on real elevator systems. This combination of product development and hands-on training in a single facility is uncommon in the elevator industry.
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