Hydraulic elevator modernization – Forest Park Library – Forest Park, IL

 

This is a story about an elevator that was installed in 1994 by Automatic Elevator using a Motion Control Engineering controller.  Motion Control Engineering is discontinuing support on this series of elevator controllers and parts will become difficult to find and have repaired.  There is one component on the controller that is very concerning which is the white PLC/dispatching box.  The library put the elevator modernization in their capital plan to modernize and after Phase I of the library renovation was completed they put the elevator on the docket to be modernized.  The building went out to bid, Colley Elevator was the low bid and had the opportunity to work with SMC Construction and the Forest Park Library on the elevator modernization project. 

Existing elevator & project scope – We replaced the elevator controller, fixtures, door operators, hatch and car doors, cab interior, power unit, hydraulic cylinder gland packings, electrical and many other components on the elevator.

New equipment providers

Controllers – Smartrise

Door operators – GAL MOVFR

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Power unit – Quality

Interior work – Cab works

Doors – Peelle Company

Visual text monitoring partner - Kings III

Elevator controller – The existing elevator had a Motion Control Engineering[MCE] HMC-1000 elevator controller.  This style of MCE controllers is being set for obsolescence and there are some components on the controller that would be challenging or impossible to get or have repaired. 

[Old Motion Control Engineering HMC-1000 elevator controller]

[New Smartrise Engineering elevator controller]

Elevator door operators – We replaced the original GAL MOD door operator with a GAL MOVFR door operator

[Old neglected car top with GAL MOD door operators]

[New painted car top with new GAL MOVFR door equipment]

Elevator fixtures – We installed Innovation Industries hall and car fixtures to replace the original  Adams Elevator fixtures.

[Old Adams Car station]

[New Innovation Industries car station with visual text capabilities via Kings III]

[Old main landing Adams Elevator hall fixtures]

[New main landing Innovation Industries hall fixtures]

Hydraulic power unit – We removed the Quality Elevator submersible and installed a Quality Elevator submersible power unit with a Maxton UC4 hydraulic control valve.

[Old Quality Elevator hydraulic tank with Maxton UC4 valve]

[New Quality elevator hydraulic tank with Maxton UC4 valve and Maxton shut off valve]

Elevator interior – The building wanted a fresh look for their elevator interior for their employees and patrons.  We worked with Cabworks to give the building something sharp and fresh and a reasonable price point.  Cabworks was great to work with and made it easy for the Library to get a great looking cab.

[Cabworks put in new wall panels to give the cab a fresh look]

Hatch and cab doors – We replaced all the hatch and cab doors with stainless steel #4 doors from Peelle Company.  Replacing the hatch and cab doors gives the elevator a great new look.

[Old Hatch doors with Formica laminate]

[New stainless steel #4 doors]

Elevator pit – The old pit was filled with oil and water, we repacked the cylinder gland heads and did our best at painting the elevator pit.  It is hard to make a pit that has been neglected for years look good, this one should be good and easy to identify and future leaks.

[elevator pit prior to modernization]

[elevator pit after modernization]

Coordination & process – For publicly funded projects the building owners typically have to go out to bid and work with the lowest responsible bidder.  We were fortunate to be the low bid on this project and got the opportunity to work with a great general contractor SMC.  Jason and SMC[Shales McNutt Construction] was great to work with and made this project successful with their direction and communication.  Most GC’s we work with are good, SMC was great!

Colley's Library work – We take care of more library systems than any other elevator company in the Chicagoland area.  Currently we take care of over 40 different library systems and we love our library clients!  Your blogger uses his library on a weekly basis and have a deep appreciation for what they do for the community!

Take away – This building had an elevator that was in good working condition but used their construction manager to help them understand useful life on their building items.  Many buildings do not recognize that their equipment may be one shut down from an extended outage.  Planning and proactivity on vital systems like your elevator can save the building a lot of head ache and accessibility challenges in the future. 

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 assist when needed, 12 Colley Elevator employees where involved in the project and we had tremendous team work on it.  Thank you everyone without you we would not have had such a successful delivery!  Let’s not forget our great material supplier participation!

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.