Sunday, April 25, 2021

Guided Tour of Chicago – Elevator Project Tour


I was able to take a couple hours out of my day and visit some of our project teams this week all over the Chicagoland area. We are doing work 6 floors below to 22 floors above and everything in between.

Here are a few of our projects I got to visit. As I told the retired elevator professional that was inspecting our work, the crew doing the field work are the hero's here - my job is easy. Way to go Team Colley!

Cylinder Replacement – Glen Ellyn, IL

This is a 6 story elevator cylinder replacement in Glen Ellyn, IL. We had pressed metal as our bolster so we had to scaffold to put secondary beams up for hoisting. We do a lot of cylinder work, but the day the debris removal truck comes is always an unnerving one. We never quite know what lays below for us. In this instance, we got 50’ clear hole of fairly straight casing, and it was dry.

[Long way down!]
 

Cylinder Replacement – Chicago, IL

This is a future cylinder replacement project. We got the vitals and now we're on to ordering the material. The building had a THE valve and ATL starter with a noise complaint. Not only are they getting a new cylinder but they will also be getting a new Maxton valve, Siemens soft start and heavy duty Dover style muffler. Noise complaints should be a thing of the past when we get done!

[Older Automatic/United cylinder ready to be replaced]

 

[The Ranger of Chicago - MCE 1000]



[Remember when Adams made buttons and everyone used them?]

Traction Control Mod – Chicago, IL

We are in process of doing a traction control mod on an old Swift elevator controller. Back 15-20 years ago the building replaced their controller, machine and pretty much everything else on the elevator. Unfortunately they had installed a Swift controller which they wanted something a bit more dependable and serviceable. They will be getting a Motion Control Engineering controller, we replaced the motor, and were able to retain the great HWEC machine.
[We love the exterior of this building that faces the lake]

[New Imperial Motor and EMR flex coupler on a bulletproof HWEC machine]

[MCE 4000 reliable traction controller!]

Freight Control/Door/Cylinder MOD – Chicago, IL

This big beast is a 16” cylinder with 12” piston and some pretty big freight doors. The building had door work done in the 1990’s to work with their 1967 Reliance/CJA controls. The new elevator will have an EECO Jack, Smartrise controller, Innovation fixtures, MEI dry unit and Peelle doors.

[Nessie comes out of Lochness]

[Some new big Peelle doors long over due!]

Hydro Control MOD – Chicago, IL

Colley installed an elevator in this building in 1986. In 2017, Chicago had a Fireman Emergency Operation (FEO) Phase II mandate that the Vertitron controller did not comply with. We had an opportunity to go back to the building and complete the modernization. The new elevator system will have Smartrise controls, Innovation fixtures, MEI submersible unit and GAL door operator and equipment.

 

[A lot of construction in this area]

[Before MEI had slick branding - Colley made power units with our own tags - they so happen to have been the same tags we put on envelopes]


[1993 Colley power unit w/EECO valve]

[New MEI branded power unit]

We didn’t make it to all the projects we had going on Wedneday/Thursday but it was great to see our teams doing the great work they've become know for! It really is amazing to see all the great work we are doing out there and how long our end product lasts. Built to Last!

Hey! Sign up for our mailing list!  Top right corner of the blog.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Sunday, April 18, 2021

2020 Top OSHA Violations - Elevator Industry Stay Frosty!

 


The 2020 top OSHA violations list has come out which is another reminder we need to work on providing a safe work environment for ourselves and our coworkers. In the last year we have worked on some great job sites and some “call me when you're done or need me” construction sites. 

Accidents can happen quickly and some of them are long term and some of them are fatal, that is why OSHA is here. We advise our mechanics to pay attention to comply or pay attention to prevent accidents, either way, please pay attention so you're in a safe work environment. 

If you are the person working out in the field and see something, feel something, say something. You are the front line. The author of this blog spends more time in the office than the field and we rely on the field's input. Need another person, need different equipment, need anything, say the word and let's get it out to you and/or help you make a plan.

OSHA's top 10 violations list this year includes:  

1. Fall protection

2. Hazard communication

3. Respiratory protection

4. Scaffolding

5. Ladders

6. Lockout/tag out

7. Powered industrial trucks

8. Fall protection w/training requirements

9. PPE – eye and face protection

10. Machine guarding

The people that are getting hurt are our newbies as well as the people with experience who can do these jobs with their eyes closed. If you are either of these, be vigilant and reduce your exposure. Who is not getting hurt as frequently are people 30-45 and people ready to retire.

IUEC is having their safety stand down on 4/28/21, so let’s take some time that day to focus on safety and talk to you coworkers. Share stories, close calls, people you know, etc when we are talking about this, it keeps safety front and center and next time we have a decision to make, it may tip us over to making the right decision.

Hey! Sign up for our mailing list! Top right corner of the blog.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Sunday, April 11, 2021

American Elevator Group



From Mark Boelhouwer, whom you may have heard of from the elevator industry big splash of Vantage[GAL/Hollister Whitney/Elevator Controls/ETC] comes American Elevator Group.  Mark has a long history of M & A including working for Otis, Oracle, Vantage and now AEG.  Their current lineup includes

 

            Unitec

            Eltec

            D & D Elevator

            Standard Elevator[New Jersey]

            Kencor

            Jersey Elevator

            American Elevator & Machine Corp

            Pride and Service

            Eastern Elevator

            DC Elevator

            Dunwell Elevator

            Dura Lift

            Rite Way

 

In the last 10-20 years we have seen a tremendous amount of industry consolidation through holding companies/VC money.  This is another move for consolidation in our industry in the non union arena.  There are also some firms in the Northeast trying to duplicate this in the union market. 

I had the opportunity to get to know a lot of the key people at these companies during my time on the Board of Directors of the NAEC.  Being from Chicago where 98% of our companies are Union, it was eye opening to learn about some of the large non union firms that are across the country. What's next with this group? 

Hey! Sign up for our mailing list!  Top right corner of the blog.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Sunday, April 4, 2021

Elevator disconnect auxiliary contacts – Elevator controller emergency battery lowering - Rescuevator

When a building chooses the option for emergency battery lowering on their elevator controller the electrician has one additional item to do, installation of an auxiliary contact on the disconnect.  We have also run into the requirement of an auxiliary contact on the disconnect for emergency brake release.

What is the purpose of the auxiliary contact?  The purpose of the auxiliary contact is so the elevator controller can tell the difference between a power down at the disconnect versus a power outage.


[Elevator controller with battery lowering]

[Elevator mainline & lighting disconnects]

[Elevator mainline disconnect with auxiliary contact]

[Elevator mainline disconnect with auxiliary contact close up]
 

If the electrician you are using is not familiar with this function, have them call their electrical supply house and ask them.  Depending on the make and model of the disconnect the supply house can sell them what they require and it is a simple modification to the disconnect.

Hey! Sign up for our mailing list!  Top right corner of the blog.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

 Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.