Traction Elevator 4 Car Modernization – Chicago, IL

 

In 2017 we began working at a building that had four Thyssen TAC 50 traction elevators.  We inherited the elevators from an independent elevator contractor who had taken over from TKE, whom had installed the elevators.  The elevators had a glass hoistway and were in a parking garage.  We began to have issues with some of the elevators and found out since the installation there had been headaches with the elevators. 

Existing elevator challenges - 3 years into our relationship with the building we ran into a cross roads with the reliability.  We had controller equipment reliability issues and environment issues [hot, cold and humidity] in the hoistway.    We introduced two options; modernize their controller with non-proprietary equipment or call the OEM[TKE] back to work on the elevators.  The building choose options #1 and we worked with them on the challenges to address the sun light into the hoistway and some of the environmental challenges you have in glass elevators in parking garages in Chicago. 

Existing elevator & project scope – We replaced all of the electrical and mechanical items in the hoistway and control room, retaining the machines. There was only one button stack in the lobby for 3 elevators, we wanted to give the building 2 buttons stacks.  The previous car station was never quite finished and we wanted to give the users a better experience so we put some inlayed plates in the car station. 

New equipment providers

Controllers – Motion Control Engineering

Motors – Imperial

Door operators – GAL MOVFR

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Elevator controllers – The existing TAC 50 elevator controllers look completely unmanageable, perhaps this is by design.  The new Motion Control Engineering 4000 controller is a much cleaner and more universally manageable platform to troubleshoot and maintain.  The MCE 4000 is the mid-level traction controller which was perfect for this building, our track record with the 4000 controller is that it is a bullet proof control system once you get the cars adjusted and complete the burn in process.

[Old TAC 50 Elevator controller - lots of boards, wires, terminals]

[New MCE 4000 traction elevator controller - clean and simple]

 

Machine room– The elevator machine room was transformed with the new controller placement and a coat of paint.

[Old machine room]

[New machine room]

Elevator fixtures – The 3 car group had one button riser to service all of the elevators.  We felt the users of the elevators would benefit from 2 button risers so we installed 2 new fixtures at each landing, which were required to go through a lot of rebar and concrete.  Our project teams took the task like champs and zipped through the process to give the users better accessibility.  The car stations never seemed to be finished, Veterans use these elevators, and we gave them metal inlay plates to add a more permanent touch.  I want to eventually go back and get the logos for each branch of the service and have them etched into new inlays to finish the look.

[Old Lobby with one button stack/risers]

[New lobby with 2 button stacks/risers]

[New car 2 lobby level]

[Old TKE car station]

[New Innovation car station]

[New innovation car station with inlays]

Take away – We had such a difficult time delivering a reliable elevator with the conditions and history of the elevators, the management team had a decision to make. They choose to work with our proposed solution.  It took a leap of faith to replace elevator control systems that where not that old.  The management team were patient and open to the idea of getting rid of proprietary controls and making some fundamental changes to address the challenging Chicago parking garage environment. 

Team work– The sales person and the project team who finishes typically get the glory on a project.  In between the initial contract sale and the final acceptance are many other people who work on the project to make it successful.  From the truck driver to the engineer to the billing department to the extra hand when needed. 18 Colley Elevator employees where involved on the project and we had a tremendous team that made this dream work.  Thank you everyone; without you we would not have had such a successful delivery! 

Thank yous – We had some great help on the project side.  Jeff Yeager from MCE, Dennis Rhodes from Imperial Motor, Jake Tyler from Innovation, without your help we would not been able to do such a great job on this project.  You where there when we needed your expertise.  Thank you!

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.

Maxton Valve Continuing Education – Colley Elevator

 

Last week Maxton Valve provided classroom and hands on training for approximately 30 technicians; broken into 3 classes.  In whatever industry you dwell, it is so important you continue to learn, sharpen your tools and keep an open mind.  We like to bring our vendors in to educate us on their product so we can better install it, maintain it and troubleshoot it. 

Maxton Valve – Maxton Valve is the largest hydraulic valve manufacturer in the United States and comprises 85% of the hydraulic valves in our portfolio of hydraulic elevators.  Maxton Manufacturing Company has been a leading manufacturer of hydraulic elevator control valves since 1968. They are pioneers in lightweight aluminum valves – aircraft-quality cast, machined with CNC precision, specifically for the elevator industry. From their national headquarters in Minden, Nevada, southeast of Reno and Lake Tahoe, Maxton Manufacturing serves customers throughout North America, Canada and Mexico, Central / South America as well as Asia, the South Pacific and the Middle East.

 

Class room – We spent about 2 hours learning about the valves, products, differences in the valves and how to size them properly.  Maxton talked from top to bottom about potential issues in multiple scenarios.

 

Hands on troubleshooting – The next 2 hours was spent on the box where we got to do adjusting, troubleshooting and overall learning how the valve works.

Person to person interactions – The value in having one of Maxton’s head troubleshooters out to walk us through what he sees everyday was invaluable.  Now many of our technicians have a point of reference and a relationship with the person they may talk on the phone with if they have a problem that needs technical support.

Thank you – A big thanks to Karl and Landon for coming out and putting on a wonderful set of training sessions for us.  It was great to catch up with them in person, the last time I really got to spend any time with them in person was in Boston in 2015 when they were nice enough to take me out to dinner at an NAEC convention.  Still great dudes and it was great to catch up!

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.

Colley Elevator’s Holiday Challenge - It just takes a box

The elevator industry[or insert your industry] has been great to most of us who are all involved and we are approaching the time of the year when we reflect and celebrate family and friends.  The unfortunate truth is that some of us fall on hard times or could make better decisions.  Colley Elevator is helping the Illinois Chapter of the Community Associations Institute [CAI] and piggy backing off their two efforts to brighten up the holiday season for the less fortunate.

Schaumburg Township Food Pantry –We will be doing a companywide food collection to drop off.  No family or person should have to worry about getting their next meal.

Marines Toys for Tots Foundation – Remember your Christmas mornings as a child and the sleepless night waiting for Santa, let’s have something waiting for them under the tree.  

Colley Elevator Holiday challenge – Get a box, label it, and have your coworkers, friends and family give a few things.  If you are reading this we all have things in our house, we all have time to go to the store, we all have a few dollars of disposable income that can go to brightening up someone else’s holiday.   If you or your company take the challenge we will send you something cool from Colley Elevator’s gift bag.  All you have to do is post some information on social media and spread the word about what you are doing.  Be sure to let Craig Z. at Colley know about it so we can send you our thank you gift.  If you have a local group doing similar outreach in your area, work with them, there are tons of groups out there.

I’m calling on the elevator industry, property management industry, fire company industry and anyone else out there.  Let’s put some smiles on families and children’s faces this upcoming holiday season.

Company’s leadership – You do pretty well right?  Why don’t you match your company’s collective donations?  I will be matching box for box what Colley Employees bring in.  I also will be shaking down all of our employees to be involved in this great effort.

If everyone gives one thing, the overall impact to the less fortunate will be astounding.  And one day that person you are helping will remember the help they received and pay it forward.

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.

NAEC 72nd Annual Convention – New Orleans

 

We had the opportunity to attend the NAEC’s 72^nd annual convention October 7^th 2021 to October 8^th 2021.  It was great to get back to something that was somewhat normal and see old friends and all the suppliers that make our elevator universe go round.  For me it was a quick visit about 36 hours in NOLA.  My main mission was to assist NAEC in booth judging and presenting the best booth awards at the awards breakfast.  This meant I got to see 100% of the booths and talk to people I may not have talked to in the past.

 

[Show floor]

[SCS won Spirit award for their sponsorship of a guide dog]

[We should all do a little more to give back]

We had over 200 suppliers at the show and a lot of great educational opportunities.  As I have attended more of these functions you get to know contractors around the country and develop relationships, it was great to see them. 

[GAL's Westinghouse door solution]

[New Innovation heavy duty buttons]

[Siemens branded shunt trip/disconnect]

[Siemens branded shunt trip/disconnect]

Covid era – NAEC required proof of vaccination and/or a PCR lab test to enter the convention and other functions.  NAEC had a area set up where attendees could get a PCR rapid test prior to entering for those who were not vaccinated. We had a good amount of suppliers pull out of the event for Covid reasons and some after the hurricane.  The convention floor had a mask mandate, which was complied with for the most part.

[EMS Freight doors and NOLA EMS]

 

What did I get out of it?  On a regular basis I’m asked what do I get out of going to the convention or other NAEC events.  I had a list of items from the office to look into while I was at the convention where you can talk face to face with suppliers. Meeting people face to face is much different than trading emails or even phone calls.  Challenges that occur over the year can be discussed and resolved in a matter of minutes.  The networking is wonderful, seeing friendly faces and talking to people that you email on a regular basis cannot be beat.  What I get the most out of is seeing my peers from independent contractors and seeing what is going on in their area and what they are doing and what challenges they are facing.   

[A17.1 2019 Emergency communication education session by Wurtec]

Educational opportunities - There is great educational opportunities that occurred; 9 safety absolutes, code standards, code requirements for multimedia emergency communication, alteration testing requirements – code data tag, vertical sliding freight door safety, controller efficiency, challenges in replacing VPLs, hydraulic fluid challenges, door lock monitoring requirements for existing elevators and more.

Next year – Kentucky International Convention Center - Louisville, KY 9/18/22 – 9/21/22.  Put it on your calendar, hopefully our covid situation is a little more under control and we can go back to a normal show year.

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.