Traction Elevator Modernization – Evanston, IL

 

This was a very cool project to be part of.  We had a very old elevator, 1950s or early 1960s, that had automatic doors put on in the 1980s, but they left the rear door manual.  We were tasked to modernize the elevator system. 

Existing elevator & project scope – We updated the elevator control system, machine, door operator, door tracks, new doors, fixtures, safety devices.  We had some challenging hoisting conditions due to the building composition to get our new machine up.

New equipment providers

Controllers – Motion Control Engineering

Machine – Hollister Whitney

Door operators – GAL MOVFR

Doors – Peelle Company

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Elevator controller– The elevator controller had seen its better days in the rearview with these elevators.  The main issue was while it was a good controller, it was experiencing fatigue and most of the elevator personnel familiar with it had retired or getting close to it.  As the years go by, our industry domain knowledge leaves us for retirement.  We installed a great new Motion Control Engineering 4000 elevator controller to work for the next 30+ years.

Elevator machine – We removed the double barrel Otis machine that had the motor and generator on the machine plate and put in a new Hollister Whitney machine that should last as long as the building is here.

Door operators – The elevator had Otis Elevator door equipment that was several generations past obsolescence.   We removed all the door equipment and installed brand new GAL equipment for this elevator's next 30+ years.  All of the elevator car doors and hall doors where replaced with Peelle Company doors. 

Elevator fixtures – I’m going to take a guess and say when the elevator had automatic doors installed on the front side of the cab they installed new Otis fixtures.  We installed nice new Innovation Industries elevator car and hall stations.

 

Take away – When you modernize older elevator systems you run into challenges with making an old system work with a new system.  In this case we had challenges with the door equipment and making the rear door automatic and machine hoisting/placement.  We had a great team working on this modernization project from the first invitation to bid to the final paperwork there where 17 Colley employees who had a part in this project.  We had a wonderful project team do the heavy lifting and execution of the project but the year before we started and the 6 months after until we reached final close out we had wonderful Team Colley participation to make everything continue moving forward until completion. 

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.