It is important for the elevator maintenance company to be on top of these items and make building owners aware of what is occurring. In this specific instance, we walked into a lack of cable maintenance. As you'll see below, deterioration is something that occurs gradually if the cables are not taken care of or are or poor quality [which will accelerate the replacement period].
Technical information
Rouge (or red rouge) is a fine, red iron oxide which forms on the rope, giving it a “rusty” appearance and suggesting that advanced deterioration is taking place. Rouging is caused by fretting, a special type of abrasion which occurs when two solid surfaces bear against one another while under a heavy load and subjected to small amplitude vibrations. The small amplitude vibrations are due to load vibrations which occur during loading and unloading, and starting and stopping of the elevator. The pressures from the heavy load and vibrations work out any lubrication that may have been present, which results in very small metal particles that have become abraded, or torn out, of the metal surface. These particles spontaneously oxidize in the air to form the red ferric oxide dust that is characteristic of rouging.
Rouging is different from what we commonly refer to as rust. Rust forms when moisture is introduced to a metal surface. When combined with moisture, the metal surface, itself, rusts. Rouge does not indicate that a wire rope is beginning to rust. Rouging, instead, means that abrasion is occurring between the wire rope components and that only the small metal particles, now separate from the wire rope, are rusted.
In elevator rope, rouging begins with a lack of core support that is usually due to a lack of proper field lubrication. The fiber core dries up and cannot provide the strands with the necessary support. Another possibility is that a solvent, or solvent based lubricant, was used which diluted the existing lubricant and dried out the core and wires within the strands. Rouging occurs where the strands contact the fiber core, and also at the areas of contact between adjacent strands.
Field lubrication does not counteract the effects of rouging or restore the rope to its proper operating condition; the damage has already been done. Field lubrication may appear to stop the rouging when it actually only temporarily cleans and retards the evidence of the rouge. The evidence of rouge should not, by itself, be construed as an immediate cause for removal. For inspection guidance on the condition of rouging, we refer to the most recent A17.1 safety code section 8.11.
Please note that the code reduces the number of allowable wire breaks by 50% once rouging occurs. It should also be noted that when the core no longer supports the strands, a reduction in diameter is common. Therefore in addition to checking the criteria for allowable wire breaks, we also refer to the criteria for removal due to diameter reduction.
Lubrication – The elevator cables should be lubricated as needed. If you have an elevator maintenance contract, the technician should be monitoring the cables at every visit. It is important to know that if a lubricating device is installed on the elevator, it will need to be removed to avoid over lubrication. Below is a device that can be used to lubricate cables.
General take away - In this event [pictures above of the machine] there was a maintenance company at the building who had a significant amount of issues with the elevator functioning properly. Having malfunctioning safety equipment, and a general lack of maintenance, left the cables pictured above to a point where they could not be saved.
[Notice the red dust accumulating on the beams and below the cable drops]
Rouge (or red rouge) is a fine, red iron oxide which forms on the rope, giving it a “rusty” appearance and suggesting that advanced deterioration is taking place. Rouging is caused by fretting, a special type of abrasion which occurs when two solid surfaces bear against one another while under a heavy load and subjected to small amplitude vibrations. The small amplitude vibrations are due to load vibrations which occur during loading and unloading, and starting and stopping of the elevator. The pressures from the heavy load and vibrations work out any lubrication that may have been present, which results in very small metal particles that have become abraded, or torn out, of the metal surface. These particles spontaneously oxidize in the air to form the red ferric oxide dust that is characteristic of rouging.
Rouging is different from what we commonly refer to as rust. Rust forms when moisture is introduced to a metal surface. When combined with moisture, the metal surface, itself, rusts. Rouge does not indicate that a wire rope is beginning to rust. Rouging, instead, means that abrasion is occurring between the wire rope components and that only the small metal particles, now separate from the wire rope, are rusted.
In elevator rope, rouging begins with a lack of core support that is usually due to a lack of proper field lubrication. The fiber core dries up and cannot provide the strands with the necessary support. Another possibility is that a solvent, or solvent based lubricant, was used which diluted the existing lubricant and dried out the core and wires within the strands. Rouging occurs where the strands contact the fiber core, and also at the areas of contact between adjacent strands.
Field lubrication does not counteract the effects of rouging or restore the rope to its proper operating condition; the damage has already been done. Field lubrication may appear to stop the rouging when it actually only temporarily cleans and retards the evidence of the rouge. The evidence of rouge should not, by itself, be construed as an immediate cause for removal. For inspection guidance on the condition of rouging, we refer to the most recent A17.1 safety code section 8.11.
Please note that the code reduces the number of allowable wire breaks by 50% once rouging occurs. It should also be noted that when the core no longer supports the strands, a reduction in diameter is common. Therefore in addition to checking the criteria for allowable wire breaks, we also refer to the criteria for removal due to diameter reduction.
Informational Reference – www.wireropeworks.com
[http://www.qualityelev.com/]
Even coming in after an elevator company who had performed poorly, we realize it is our responsibility to identify the issue, address it as best as we can and notify the owner. The good news is that the elevators at the building are working reliably and all safety devices are working correctly, the bad news is that the building needs to replace the cables.
If you have an questions or would like information from Colley Elevator you can go to www.colleyelevator.com, email Craigz@colleyelevator.com or call 630-766-7230.
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Thanks to Chicago Elevator Maintenance for sharing this valuable information about "Elevator cable rouge"!
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Thanks to Chicago Elevator Maintenance for sharing this valuable information about "Elevator cable rouge"!
ReplyDeleteMake Elevating your lifestyle!
Elevator company Dhaka
Elevator company Bangladesh