Nowadays, elevators are a fundamental feature for any type of building with public or private access. It is possible to find them in companies, headquarters, hospitals, etc., because they are the solution that eliminates architectural barriers and facilitates transit to floors.
We all know that an elevator consists of a car, an electronic control station, and a motor capable of safely starting upward or downward transportation.
In addition to these elements, the elevator is made up of elevator cables, i.e., specific ropes whose composition is designed to ensure safe elevators. In this article, we will see how elevator cables are designed and what stability and reliability features they include.
Elevator Cables: Characteristics to Know for Safe Elevators
In general, an elevator rope is characterized by outer strands and an inner core. The outer strands are made of strong and durable materials and, therefore, resistant to any transport or environmental conditions. The core of the rope, on the other hand, is made from textile fiber materials so that it can remain flexible over time.
Elevator ropes are characterized by a value that identifies their strength, better known as strength class. This figure is regulated and checked by a series of technical controls according to what is reported in local elevator safety regulations. Therefore, elevator ropes are always subject to strict quality controls.
Clearly, the above does not only apply to elevators placed in private locations, for which specific building codes apply. Elevators can obviously also be found in buildings and facilities of various kinds with a public, corporate or organizational vocation. Elevator cables, in both cases, are purchased from specialized companies with years of proven experience in the field and with a good global reputation.
To ensure the firmness and durability of cables, local institutions provide very strict standards, especially in matters of safety. These standards require a series of inspections in addition to the continuous overhauls to which elevators and all components are subjected.
Major Global Standards for Elevator Cables
The main quality and safety standards vary according to the local context. This means that, at present, different standards apply according to the relevant geographical area. Below we will see which are the main ones, but it must be kept in mind that recently international institutions have initiated plans to standardize them.
UL standards
UL standards, which stands for Underwriters Laboratories, come from an American organization that tests and certifies the safety of a wide variety of product categories. They basically correspond to the equivalent DIN, EN, and IEC standards in Europe.
These standards contribute to the qualitative assessment of electronic and mechanical risks, fire resistance, burst pressure testing for valves, and manufacturing inspections.
NEC CEC Certifications
NEC and CEC certifications, on the other hand, cover North America. They certify the integral safety of instrumental and technical components of various natures, including elevator cables. They are closely related to the manufacture and commercialization of solutions for professional and industrial environments.
CSA Certification
CSA Certification attests to the safety compliance of electrical and electronic items. It applies to IT and communications equipment as well as medical and laboratory devices in addition to industrial components, cables, wires, switchboards, lighting, processing machines, and much more. It certainly also concerns the quality of elevator cables.
This certification is distinguished into Classified, Listing Mark, Recognized, and EU:
- ย ย ย Classified refers to the tests to which items are subjected according to the risks arising from their use
- ย ย ย Listing Mark’s concerns and assessments regarding safety standards in force in the U.S. market
- ย ย ย Recognized refers to the components that are part of a product or system, such as the case of elevator cables
- ย ย ย EU certifies compliance with safety standards that straddle the European and U.S. administrations
IEC Certifications
IEC is the name of the Accredia Accredited Certification Body. The organization certifies on ISO standards the technical quality and safety of systems, components, and structures. It is valid in the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea, and Spain.
CCC Certification
Finally, CCC certification is a mandatory scheme coming from Chinese regulations. It stands for China Compulsory Certification and is valid for every product category, including elevator cables.
