What goes up must come down, and when a person reaches the third, fourth, or even the twenty-fifth floor, they need an easy way to return to the ground level. As such, elevator technicians are at the heart of a building's flow of transportation.
Elevator technicians assist with the supervision and maintenance of not only the elevators, but also other related mediums such as escalators, dumbwaiters, traveling walkways, and more. They do all their hard work with the help of some key service tools. In this article, we'll take a look at these critical elevator service tools and how they help the heroes of the lift keep its functionalities maintained.
Essential Elevator Tech Tools
- Power system tools
- Hand-operated power tools
- Safety-precautionary tools
- Control system tools
- Door mechanism tools
- Solid-state tools
- AC/DC installation tools
- Troubleshooting tools
- Preventive maintenance tools
- Pulleys
- Testing tools
Power System Tools
Technicians use power tools to keep elevators supplied with the energy they need to run. These can take the form of:
- Assembled or mounted freight elevator power supply units
- Assembled or mounted passenger elevator power supply units
- Dumbwaiter power supply units
These tools handle the hookup and implementation of electrical devices, as well as any required adjustments or modifications. They also need regular electrical standardization checks and mechanical processing for ongoing service quality.
Elevators draw a significant amount of electricity from commercial building utility systems, so changes to the system's voltage may impact motor operations or even destroy the elevator system. Elevators with a history of motor failures or operational problems should have a power quality study performed.
Hand-Operated Power Tools
Technicians use hand tools to mount elevator cabs and protective devices. The people who specialize in these tools handle them with the utmost care, as they are more fragile than any other hand power tools. These are some of the hand tools they use:
- Manual dynamic PSUs for dumbwaiters
- Elevator cab mounters
These tools are also involved in equipment conversions and post-installation tune-ups. They require proper care and maintenance to last and to perform their functions efficiently.
Safety Precautionary Tools
Safety rules are principles or laws that protect the health of individuals, equipment, and the working environment. These rules guide behavior, equipment handling, and procedures that help reduce the likelihood of failure, harm, or destruction.
Some of the tools that a technician can use include:
- Rubber or acrylic-mix gloves
- Helmet and other personal protective equipment (PPE)
- A safety precautionary checklist
Using these tools ensures safe service maintenance that adheres strictly to safety standards. Completed work then complies with established maintenance and safety laws, legislation, and rules.
Control System Tools
Control system tools are necessary for performing research and operation of the elevator framework. They help discover flaws in generators, buttons, and both AC and DC control systems.
Some examples of control system tools are:
- Elevator door, wire, engine, control, and control mechanism kits
- Control systems for the elevator brakes, engines, and buttons
Technicians typically must complete a four-year apprenticeship before operating control system tools, since they will be responsible for plant electrical, instrumentation, and control system maintenance.
Door Mechanism Tools
Door mechanism tools are responsible for maintaining the functions of the door and keeping it clear of any possible causes of malfunction. They keep the protection locks, counterweights, door mechanisms, pneumatic valves, seals, and brake lining properly adjusted.
Some of the tools you can find in this category are:
- Elevator door operator kit
- Elevator door knife coupler
- Elevator key and lock testers
Working together, these tools cover the protection locks, counterweights, door systems, valves, ratchets, caps, and brake linings that all need fair and frequent adjustment for safe operation.
Solid State Tools
An elevator does not perpetually go up and down. It needs to stop at one point to allow entry of cargo or a person, which is where solid state tools come in handy. With mechanical and electrical schematics, the mechanic should make use of the following equipment:
- AC/DC motors
- Solid state controllers
- Solid-state I/O computer boards
The solid-state boards should be present in the maintenance of the elevator's idle state, including wiring, replacement, and repair for optimal performance. Technicians should also troubleshoot solid state relay panels and run diagnostics on both software and electrical parts.
AC/DC Installation Tools
Elevator motors are quite complicated to install. Therefore, a technician needs specialized tools to properly install AC and DC motors prior to operation. The most used tools for installing AC/DC motors are:
- Rubber gloves for protection
- EV-100 controller repair kit
- SEM controller repair kit
- AC variable speed calibrator
If you are working with an AC motor, you should consider its variable speeds. You can calibrate this through the drive mechanisms, especially for the pumps and fans. Once you master these tools, you can repair all kinds of AC and DC engines, as well as hydro generators.
Troubleshooting Tools
Troubleshooting is the method of resolving technical issues by identifying the source of a problem that impedes the functioning of equipment.
Troubleshooting and elevator maintenance are crucial parts of ensuring the safety of riders. Some of the tools for troubleshooting problems in elevator operation include:
- Troubleshooting control boards and starter panels
- Logic monitors
- Other elevator equipment maintenance troubleshooters
Keep in mind that troubleshooting, control wiring, welding, manufacturing, power delivery, and other electrical and mechanical tasks are all part of the job. Working with circuits and equipment is fairly straightforward with the right tools.
Preventive Maintenance Tools
Preventive maintenance tools are specially designed equipment to extend an elevator's life expectancy and efficiency. Some of the most common tools in this category include:
- Infrared analysis sensors
- Motor circuit analyzers
- Vibration analysis sensors
These tools help with optimal installation, repair, and maintenance of traction and hydraulic elevators, escalators, and material lifts. On a regular basis, technicians perform preventive maintenance on elevators, dumbwaiters, and related equipment.
Pulleys
Pulleys move large objects using a shaft, cable, and belt. They are often used to support the flow of people and objects by transferring force across various structures.
Pulleys allow technicians to mount protection and control systems, wires, drives, rails, engines, and elevator cars. They also help in detecting misalignments of brakes, engines, and switches.
Shaft alignment is crucial when linking an electric motor with another piece of equipment. Motor bearings begin to wear if the shafts are not properly aligned. Modern laser measurement equipment can identify any misalignments quickly.
Testing Tools
Test equipment is a mechanical instrument or system used to generate signals and collect responses from an electronic device under test, helping detect defects in the device.
To detect issues, use measurement instruments such as:
- Ammeters
- Voltmeters
- Multimeters
- Oscilloscopes
Elevator technicians use these testing tools across research, calibration, and field troubleshooting work. With knowledge of computer units and devices, you can test appliances, detect malfunctions, and solve problems.
Software Tools
Elevator service software is now a staple of the industry. A good elevator service app like Smart Service can help your technicians stay organized, complete jobs faster, and handle all of their paperwork in the field. Smart Service lets techs download their schedule, view customer and equipment history, create work orders, complete forms, collect payments, and more, all from their phone or tablet.
Additional Safety Tips
Elevator maintenance safety requires proper planning, procurement, and construction of equipment that meets the design criteria. These go along with the development and application of a formal occupational protection scheme covering work practices, the factory environment, toxic chemicals, and procedures, all aimed at preventing injury or damage to the worker and workplace.
To ensure safety in the elevator workplace, the mechanic must:
- Assist engineers with technical and electrical servicing and replacements for public passenger elevators and escalators
- Help ensure the proper functioning of all associated facilities
- Tend to and observe the equipment and machinery to confirm effective and secure service
Set Your Team Up for Success
Because of the vast range of jobs that fall under the category of elevator service, your technicians need a great deal of support to make sure they can perform every job that comes their way. Equipping them with the tools above goes a long way toward accomplishing that.
Smart Service for Elevator Service
If you are running an elevator service business and want a software stack that handles scheduling, dispatch, customer history, mobile invoicing, and recurring service contracts, Smart Service integrates with QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online and iFleet keeps techs in the field synced with the office. Try a free demo to see how it fits!
