Safety is a buzzword that always accompanies elevators. An elevator guide rail is key to this reliability surrounding high-quality elevators. An elevator guide rail is a component of the elevator framework. Experts make it from durable materials like stress-resistant steel and aluminum that can withstand several hundred kilos.
In addition to its basic function of guiding the elevator car, these rails serve several other purposes. They help with braking, emergency stops, and even with adjusting the car’s speed.
However, you can find tons of different elevator guide rail options to choose from. This article covers everything about elevator guide rail, including its classification based on different parameters!
What is an Elevator Guide Rail?
An elevator guide rail is one of the major components of an elevator system. It replicates a structural framework instructing the elevator car and counterweight as they ascend and descend in the elevator shaft. These rails are made of robust elements like steel or aluminum to maximize stability and safety.
The guide rails are lodged vertically across the elevator shaft, they come in two sets, one for the elevator car and another for the counterweight. Another rails feature is a T-shaped cross-section with a level base and upright flanges.
Rollers or sliding shoes run along the guide rails, and they make this rolling mechanism for the elevator car and counterweight. It makes sure that the elevator is aligned with the funnel at all times and there’s no swaying and tilting.
The quality of these rails needs to be spot-on. Therefore, there are strict standards to guarantee their durability and accuracy.
The Role of Elevator Guide Rails in Emergency Situations
Whenever there are emergencies like power outages, system failures, and even natural disasters, elevators must remain safe. Elevator guide rails maintain the elevator car’s stability and alignment and also prevent all other unsafe movements.
These rails also allow for manual operation (allowing rescue personnel to access the elevator car even when the gates are blocked). Elevator guide rails are also important for efficient braking, emergency braking, to be exact.
Classification of Elevator Guide Rails
Experts divide elevator guide rails into three main categories as per their design and functionality. We can further classify them based on the load they support, their weight, size, and max speeds.
Solid Elevator Guide Rail
Solid guide rail is made from a single piece of solid steel or aluminum. It is the most durable and reliable out of all three. These guide rails are known for their immense strength and are the number one pick for elevators that need to carry heavy loads.
These solid rails provide a stable base for the car to move on. But what’s the most special aspect of this rail is that they last for decades. Therefore, almost all high-rise buildings go for these.
You can also classify them as per their specifications like weight per meter and width of the guide plate.
You can get the following at Dazen:
- T45/A
- T50/A
- T70-1/B
●T75-3/B
●T89/B
●T90/B
●T114/B
●T127-2
Hollow Elevator Guide Rail
As you can tell, this type of rail features an open center. Now, they do offer the needed support and stability you need for an elevator, but it does not come close to solid ones. They are lighter in weight and will last you for about 5-10 years on average.
These are the go-to options for mid-rise and residential buildings as they don’t require heavy load-carrying functionality. These rails balance structural integrity with practicality by being a reliable and efficient solution for a wide range of elevator applications.
The weight per meter on this rail is less than its solid counterpart. You can get the following at Dazen:
TH3
TH3A
TH5
TH5A
Escalator Guide Rails
Escalator guide rails are specifically designed to meet the unique requirements of escalator systems. They play a vital role in ensuring the stability and alignment of the steps and handrails. These guide rails are engineered to facilitate safe passenger transportation on inclined surfaces.
They help you maintain the proper alignment and movement of escalator components, which contributes to the safety and efficiency of these systems in shopping centers, airports, and other locations where people need to move between different levels seamlessly.
What is the Size of the Elevator Guide Rail?
The size of your elevator guide rail depends on the size of the building and the elevator system itself. But usually, we have standardized widths and heights that range from approximately 3 inches (75 mm) to 12 inches (300 mm) in width and 6 inches (150 mm) to 20 inches (500 mm) in height.
But these dimensions are not absolute! They can vary significantly based on the elevator’s load, capacity as well as the general needs of the installation. One more thing that influences the size of your elevator guide rail is the vertical distance the car needs to travel.
Some tall buildings have these rails going up several hundred feet! And to take things to a close, you also need to keep the local safety codes and regulations in mind.
How to Install an Elevator Guide Rail
Installing the elevator guide rail is perhaps the most crucial aspect of elevator installation as it has virtually zero margin for error. Only experts with years of experience perform this installation, and rightfully so.
Here’s what goes into installing an elevator guide rail seamlessly:
- Planning and preparation
- Positioning the rails
- Alignment
- Securing the rails
- Checking plumb and level
- Attaching brackets and supports
- Inspecting safety devices
- Running safety checks
Dazen Elevator Uses Only The Best Elevator Guide Rails
Keeping operations surrounding the elevator safe has paramount importance as it’s a matter of lives. Dazen Elevator understands the critical role guide rails play in ensuring smooth and secure vertical transportation. We excel in the production of T-type elevator guide rails and a series of ancillary products.
Our state-of-the-art production technology and high quality billet quality assurance ensures the quality of the elevator guide rails. It allows us to provide very tight joint tolerances, ensuring perfect field assembly and reducing installation time. Dazen produces a variety of specifications of T-type solid guide rails, hollow guide rail, escalator guide rail, and other parts.
We only choose those rails that encompass durability, precision, and safety. Most of our rails come from well-reputed manufacturers located globally. Dazen goes the extra mile and spends more on these rails simply to maximize your safety!
We take pride in the fact that the guide rails we employ meet industry standards. On top of meeting the standards, Dazen is one of the few enterprises that offer customization! Standard lengths from 8′ to 65′ are available, but you can also get custom lengths as per your requirements.
And to top it all off and make Dazen your one-stop solution, we offer other value-added finishes such as sawing, pickling oil and machine straightening.
At Dazen Elevator, we firmly believe that the foundation of a reliable elevator system lies in the selection of top-tier guide rails.
So, contact Dazen today!
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