Press a button and the elevator goes up. Press another button and the elevator goes down. Maybe the elevator user isn’t thinking about all the mechanisms that go into the operation of an elevator. Maybe they’re thinking about the child who just ran on the elevator and hit every single button so that the elevator will be stopping at each floor. They’re not considering the steel wires that will hoist everyone to their intended destination. There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes that is important but that many people who ride elevators will never consider. ASME A17.6-2017: Standard for Elevator Suspension, Compensation, and Governor Systems contemplates these behind the scene happenings. It revises the 2010 edition of the same standard.
ASME A17.6-2017 is an American National Standard established to give direction regarding the elevator suspension, compensation, and governor systems.
ASME A17.6-2017 delves into multiple kinds of technologies present in elevators. For example, the standard has material on steel wire rope, aramid fiber ropes, and noncircular elastomeric-coated steel suspension members for elevators. While steel wire rope has been around for a long time, the relatively new entries of aramid fiber ropes and elastomeric-coated steel belts called for standards that may help assure stronger safety measures. As the industry progresses, so do the standards.
In Part 1 of ASME A17.6-2017, the standard looks into stranded carbon steel wire ropes for elevators. This part “covers the general requirements for the more common types of stranded steel wire ropes for hoisting, compensation, and governor applications on passenger or freight elevators.” This section also addresses “lay and lang lay, preformed and nonpreformed elevator rope in nominal imperial dimensions as well as SI dimensions.” Information germane to a variety of wire materials can be found in Part 1. Along with all that information, the part also has information on rope compliance.
Part 2’s scope involves aramid fiber ropes for elevators. Aramid fiber ropes are a type of heat resistant fiber. This section of the standard “covers the general requirements for aramid fiber ropes for suspension and compensation applications on elevators within the Scope of ASME A17.1/CSA B44.”
Part 3 of ASME A17.6-2017 discusses noncircular elastomeric-coated steel suspension members for elevators.
Elevators passengers are worried about their intended destinations. They’re not considering all the technical intricacies going on behind the scenes. The testing and compliance of particular wires that make the elevator work. The governor systems that keeps an eye on speed. Because they’re worried about the rambunctious kids that pressed all of the buttons.
ASME A17.6-2017 is referenced and should be used alongside ASME A17.1-2019: Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators.
ASME A17.6-2017 Standard for Elevator Suspension, Compensation, and Governor Systems is available on the ANSI Webstore. It and related elevator standards are part of the ASME A17. Elevator and Escalator Safety Package.
What floor should an elevator “Home” to when not in use? Or should it, or can we time it so in the morning it goes to the ground floor and in the afternoon it goes to the top floor (4 floors).