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What goes up must come down, and when a person reaches the third, fourth, or even the twenty-fifth floor, they need an easy way to return to the ground level. As such, elevator technicians are at the heart of a building's flow of transportation.
Elevator technicians assist with the supervision and maintenance of not only the elevators, but also other related mediums such as escalators, dumbwaiters, traveling walkways, and more. They do all their hard work with the help of some key service tools. In this article, we'll take a look at these critical elevator service tools and how they help the heroes of the lift keep its functionalities maintained.
Essential Tools Every Elevator Technician Needs
- Power system toolsÂ
- Hand-operated power tools
- Safety-precautionary tools
- Control system tools
- Door mechanism tools
- Solid-state tools
- AC/DC installation tools
- Troubleshooting tools
- Preventive maintenance tools
- Pulleys
- Testing toolsÂ
Power System Tools
Technicians use power tools to supply the elevators with enough power to keep them up and running. These can take the form of:
- Assembled/mounted freight elevator power supply units
- Assembled/mounted passenger elevator power supply units
- Dumbwaiter power supply units
These tools should do the job in the facilitation of electrical device hook-up and implementation, as well as any required adjustments or modifications. Additionally, these power system tools require regular electrical standardizations and mechanical processing machinery for maintaining overall service quality.
Elevators use a significant amount of electricity from commercial building utility systems, so changes to the system's voltage may impact motor operations or possibly destroy the elevator system. Elevators with a history of motor failures or operational problems should have a power quality study performed.Â
Hand-Operated Power Tools
Technicians use hand tools to mount elevator cabs and protective devices. The people who specialize in these tools handle them with the utmost care, as they are more fragile than any other hand power tools. These are some of the hand tools they use:
- Manual dynamic PSUs for dumbwaiters
- Elevator cab mounters
These tools are also involved in the setup of equipment conversions and post-installation tune-ups. Also, they require proper care and maintenance to last longer and perform their functions efficiently.
Safety Precautionary Tools
Safety rules are principles or laws that guarantee the health of individuals, objects, or the working environment. These rules may guide behavior, equipment handling, or procedures that aid in reducing the likelihood of failure, harm, or destruction.
Some of the tools that a technician can use include:
- Rubber/acrylic-mix gloves
- Helmet and other personal protective equipment
- A safety precautionary checklist
Using these tools will ensure safe service maintenance that adheres strictly to safety standards. Assignments completed will comply with established maintenance and safety laws, legislation, and safety rules.
Control System Tools
Control system tools are necessary for performing research and operation of the elevator framework. They discover flaws in generators, buttons, and both AC and DC control systems.
Some examples of control system tools are:
- Â Elevator doors, wires, engines, controls, and control mechanism kits
- Â Control systems of the elevator brakes, engines, and buttons
Usually, technicians must complete a four-year apprenticeship before operating control system tools, as they will be responsible for plant electrical, instrumentation, and control system maintenance.
Door Mechanism Tools
Door mechanism tools are responsible for maintaining the functions of the door to keep it clear of any possible causes of malfunction. These tools ensure that the protection locks, counterweights, door mechanisms, and parts such as pneumatic valves, seals, and brake lining are properly adjusted.
Some of the tools you can find in this category are:
- Elevator door operator kit
- Elevator door knife coupler
- Elevator key and lock testers
These parts should take care of the counterweights, door systems, and protection measures for optimal adjustment. Also, proper maintenance of protection locks, counterweights, door mechanisms, and parts such as cylinders, seals, and brake linings are possible, thanks to this specialized equipment.
Additionally, the protection sensors, counterweights, door mechanisms, and parts such as valves, ratchets, caps, and brake linings need a fair share of adjustments for precision, something that door mechanisms tools make possible.
Solid State Tools
An elevator does not perpetually go up and down. It needs to stop at one point to allow entry of cargo or a person, which is where solid state tools come in handy. With mechanical and electrical schematics, the mechanic should make use of the following equipment:
- AC/DC motors
- Solid state controllers
- Solid-state I/O computer boards
The solid-state boards should be present in the maintenance of the elevator's idle state, including wiring, replacement, and repair for optimal performance. Also, you should troubleshoot solid state relay panels and diagnostics on both software and electrical parts.
AC/DC Installation Tools
Elevator motors are quite complicated to install. Therefore, a technician needs to have specialized tools to properly install AC and DC motors prior to operation. Certain tools help in the installation of alternating current and direct current (AC/DC) motors.
The most used tools for installing AC/DC motors are:
- Rubber gloves for protection
- EV-100 controller repair kit
- SEM controller repair kit
- AC variable speed calibrator
If you are working with an AC motor, you should consider its variable speeds. You can calibrate this thorough drive mechanisms, especially for the pumps and fans. Once you master these tools, you can repair all kinds of AC and DC engines, as well as hydro generators.
Troubleshooting Tools
Troubleshooting is the method of resolving technical issues, identifying the source of an issue that impedes the functioning or functionality of a computer or device.
Troubleshooting and elevator maintenance is a crucial part to ensuring the safety of its users. Some of the tools for troubleshooting problems in elevator operation include:
- Troubleshooting control boards and starter panels
- Logic monitors
- Other elevator equipment maintenance troubleshooters
Keep in mind that troubleshooting, control wiring, welding, manufacturing, power delivery, and other electrical and mechanical tasks are all part of the job. Working with circuits and equipment should be fairly easy to do with these tools, resulting in proper operation.
Preventive Maintenance Tools
Preventive maintenance tools are specially designed equipment to extend the elevators’ life expectancy and efficiency. Some of the most prevalent tools in this category include:
- Infrared analysis sensors
- Motor circuit analyzers
- Vibration analysis sensors
These tools help in monitoring optimal installation, repair, and maintenance of traction and hydraulic elevators, escalators, and material lifts. On a regular basis, technicians perform preventive maintenance on elevators, dumbwaiters, and related equipment.
Pulleys
Pulleys are mainly used to move large objects using a shaft, cable, and belt. They are often used to facilitate the flow of people and objects by supporting the transfer of various structures.
Pulleys allow technicians to mount protection and control systems, wires, pulleys, drives, rails, engines, and elevator cars. They also help in detecting misalignments of different sections of the brakes, engines, and switches.
Shaft alignment is crucial in linking an electric motor with another piece of equipment. The motor bearings begin to wear if they are not properly aligned. If there are misalignments on the shaft, modern laser measurement equipment can identify them.
Testing Tools
Test equipment is a mechanical instrument or system used to generate signals and collect responses from an electronic device under test, assisting in the detection of defects in the device.
To detect issues, use measurement instruments such as:
- Ammeters
- Voltmeters
- Multimeters
- Oscilloscopes
Elevator technicians use these testing tools in research facilities and calibrated fuel distribution on injectors and injector pumps. By adding knowledge of computer units and devices, you can test appliances, detect malfunctions, and solve problems.Â
Software Tools
With the rapid proliferation of technology, elevator service software has recently become a staple of the industry. A good elevator service app like Smart Service can help your technicians stay organized, complete jobs faster, and handle all of their paperwork in the field. Smart Service lets techs download their schedule, view customer/equipment history, create work orders, complete forms, collect payments, and more, all from their phone or tablet. (You can request a free demo of Smart Service here.)
Additional Safety Tips
Elevator maintenance safety requires proper planning, procurement, and construction of equipment that meets the design criteria. These go along with the development and application of a formal occupational protection scheme for work, factory, toxic chemicals, and procedures in order to prevent injury or damage to the worker and workplace.
To ensure safety in the elevator workplace, the mechanic must:
- Assist engineers with technical and electrical servicing and replacements for public passenger elevators and escalators
- Assist in ensuring the proper functioning of all associated facilities
- Tend to and observe the equipment and machinery to ensure effective and secure service
Get Your Elevator Service Team Ready for Success
Because of the vast range of jobs that fall under the category of elevator service, your technicians need a great deal of assistance to guarantee that they can perform every job that comes their way. Providing them with the tools mentioned above goes a long way toward accomplishing this.
