The companies of Altra Industrial Motion offer many critical drivetrain products utilized in elevator and escalator applications including braking systems, gearing and sheave castings.

1. Applications & Innovations
Elevator & Escalator
Market

2. We’re committed to the
Elevator & Escalator Market
The companies of Altra Industrial Motion offer many critical
drivetrain products utilized in elevator and escalator applications
including braking systems, gearing and sheave castings.
Altra Brands Deliver Value Throughout the Drivetrain
Altra Industrial Motion is positioned to provide OEMs with
exceptional drivetrain value by ensuring component compatibility
and optimized performance combined with time-saving,
single-source convenience.
Extensive Technical Experience in Elevator & Escalator
Applications
Major OEMs routinely rely on the vast elevator and escalator
application knowledge of Altra’s engineering teams that collaborate
to
thoroughly analyze specific customer applications and then apply
the latest technologies in design, materials and manufacturing.

3. Global Elevator OEM Looks to Warner
Electric for a Unique New Braking Solution
Application ProfileApplication Profile

4. • A leading elevator OEM needed a braking system for their new
gearless motor elevator design that was adaptable for a variety
of mid-rise buildings including apartments, hotels, and offices.
• The braking system had three functions: ascending car overspeed
protection, unintended car movement protection and maintaining
car position in parking mode.
• To meet the OEM’s criteria, two modified ERS VAR15 electrically-
released brakes with fixed magnets and a floating friction disc were
designed to fit within the customers tight footprint.
• Warner Electric recently invested in new, state-of-the-art technology
while optimizing their elevator brake manufacturing workflow for
improved quality and efficiency.
• The new production line consists of two work cells: a primary work
cell for semi-automatized assembly utilizing conveyors and a
multi-station robotized cell.
Global Elevator OEM Looks to Warner Electric
for a Unique New Braking Solution
www.altraelevators.comP-7760-WE.pdf

5. One World Trade Center
Express Elevators
Problem:
The world’s leading elevator OEM needed sheave/shaft
assemblies for use on a large quantity of express and service
elevators at the new One World Trade Center (1 WTC)
building.
Solution:
TB Wood’s counterbalance cable flywheel sheave assemblies
were installed 50 ft. below the elevator shafts. Nuttall Gear
provided the 7" D x 23.25" L custom shafts. TB Wood’s also
provided bearing covers which, together with OEM-supplied
bearings and seals, completed the assembly components.
• Fine grain, high tensile cast iron sheaves feature up to
16 grooves sized to accommodate 1” cables.
• Shafts required special alloy, high-carbon 1045 steel to meet
OEM specifications. Finish machining included dual grease
channels and intersecting holes.
Application Profile
Custom Sheave and Shaft Assemblies

6. Passenger Elevators
Problem:
A large elevator OEM needed a braking system for a challenging
gearless motor elevator application that required dynamic torque
< 160%, noise < 54 dB A and very high energy, up to 57kJ.
Solution:
Engineers developed a solution that had low wear but high
energy, noise dampening with low torque impact combined with
torque stability and precision. To meet the criteria, two modified
ERS VAR15 electrically released brakes with fixed magnets and
a floating disc were designed.
• Triple braking function: car overspeed, unintended car
movement and parking/hold
• Highly modular, compact units allowed the configured system
to fit within the customers tight footprint.
• Units are microswitch equipped, EC 95/16 certified and provide
EN81-1 redundancy
Application Profile
Modified ERS VAR15 Brakes

7. Inventory/Delivery
Optimization
Problem:
TB Wood’s supplies raw, un-machined sheave, rotor, and
housing castings to a manufacturer of drive assemblies for the
world’s largest elevator manufacturers. Large swings in the
customer’s demand for castings throughout a given year created
production capacity issues which resulted in some late deliveries
and large raw casting inventories at the customer’s facility.
Solution:
TB Wood’s developed a demand level-loading program that
ties the customer’s casting inventory directly to its production
consumption, removing the need to forecast demand for
castings. The results were impressive…
• Present OTD for program: 98%
• Lead Time Reduction: 50% from 6 weeks to 3 weeks
• Inventory Reduction: 63% at the customer’s facility
• Inventory Space Reduction: 150 pallet locations
Service Profile
Elevator Drive Component Castings

8. Commercial Building
Freight Elevator
Problem:
Imperial Electric, a manufacturer of AC and DC motor systems,
needed a heavy-duty braking system for use on an 3,600 kg
capacity freight elevator in one of the tallest buildings in
Milwaukee, WI. The brakes are mounted to a pair of pedestals
on a gearless AC machine that reaches speeds of 609 m/min. A
powerful hydraulic solution, utilizing two brakes vs. four smaller
electromagnetic brakes was required. One caliper functions as
the primary brake and the other serves as the emergency brake.
Solution:
To fit within the tight machine footprint, Twiflex supplied dual
VCSD-FL spring applied, hydraulically-released brakes with a
braking force of 60 kN. Svendborg Brakes supplied a SOBO iQ
soft braking controller that combines cutting-edge technologies
to provide significant flexibility, safety and durability.
Application Profile
VCSD-FL Braking System with SOBO®
iQ

9. High Performance
Elevator Drives
Problem:
A major elevator OEM required a braking solution for use on
high-performance elevator drives installed in skyscrapers.
The dual function brakes stop the elevator cars precisely at the
correct floor level and also decelerate the cars in an emergency
(such as a malfunction).
Solution:
Twiflex Ltd. Supplied VKSD disc brakes. Two caliper modules
are used on each elevator drive to provide the required
redundant safety.
• 2 units each provide more than 100 kN clamping force
• The brakes dissipate the large amount of kinetic generated by
this high rise elevator application
• Monitoring sensors were included for brake on/off and pad
adjustment
• Dedicated, dual-circuit hydraulic units were also supplied
Application Profile
Twiflex VKSD Spring-Applied,
Hydraulically-Released Caliper Brakes

10. Lifts and Elevators
Problem:
In certain circumstances, particularly with freight
elevators, it is desirable to hold the lift or elevator car
in position by clamping the rails.
Solution:
Excessive rope stretch and the resulting tripping risk are
eliminated by positioning the brakes on opposing corners
of the car to prevent it from twisting in the shaft.
• MXSE spring applied, electro-mechanically released
brakes act on a flange integral to the traction sheave
• Pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means of actuation
available
• Single or multiple units may be used
• Braking force may be adjusted to meet the exact torque
requirements of the machine
Application Profile
Twiflex MXSE Brake

11. Application Profile
Dumbwaiter Systems
Problem:
A major OEM needed reliable, compact speed reducer/motor
packages for their line of quality commercial and residential
dumbwaiters.
Solution:
• For dumbwaiter models with 75 lb. to 250 lb. capacities,
Boston Gear provided 700 Series worm gear speed reducers
mounted to 1/2HP motors. The reducers feature PosiVent®
,
a unique pressure compensation system.
• 800BR Series right angle helical worm gear speed reducer/
1-1/2HP motor packages were supplied for dumbwaiter
models with a 500 lb. capacity. The double reduction units
feature flanged input for direct motor mounting.
Speed Reducers with Motors

12. Elevator Smoke Curtains
Problem:
A leading U.S. smoke and fire curtain manufacturer, needed a
small, reliable electric clutch solution for use on its elevator
smoke curtains. When smoke (or a power outage) is detected,
the curtains are automatically deployed from recessed
housings located above the front of the elevator doors. The
curtains roll down to completely cover the entire elevator door
opening from top to bottom.
Solution:
Inertia Dynamics supplied modified Model SO clutch
couplings to meet the customer’s small footprint requirements.
The power-on clutch couplings provide 50 lb.in. of static
torque. When deployed, the clutch allows the curtain to freely
roll down to the floor. When one of the screen-mounted
rewind switches is activated, the clutch engages the cable
drive pulley to roll the curtain back up into the ceiling housing.
Application Profile
Modified SO Series Clutch Couplings

13. London Underground
Escalators
Problem:
Brakes were needed by the London Underground Limited (LUL)
and its contractors as part of numerous escalator overhaul and
upgrade programs. The 430 escalators in the network help
passengers make more than 1.3 billion journeys every year.
Solution:
For the past 25 years, Twiflex has supplied brakes and
associated hydraulic control systems for the LUL escalators.
A “typical” Twiflex LUL escalator braking system consists of:
• One Model MX spring-applied, hydraulically released caliper
brake that is utilized as the primary service brake
• Up to three Model VCS-FL spring-applied, hydraulically
released disc brakes (depending on load) that serve as
auxiliary brakes installed directly on the escalator’s head
shaft.
• A Twiflex dual-circuit hydraulic power unit (HPU) that controls
each of the brake systems
Application Profile
MX and VCS-FL Brakes

14. Escalators
Problem:
Typical axial floating that may be found in the disc/coupling
assembly of escalators can threaten accuracy and
dependability of necessary braking capabilities.
Solution:
Twiflex helped a major escalator manufacturer by supplying
MXSH brakes acting on discs directly connected to the
headshaft, such that in a chain failure condition the machine
may be brought safely to a stop.
• Pivoted arm accommodates typical axial float
• Self-adjusting actuators ensure corrected pad to disc air
gap
• Brakes, switches, pedestals, hydraulics, manuals and
on-site training available
Application Profile
Twiflex MXSH Brake

15. Escalators
Problem:
A leading escalator OEM required an emergency, power-off
brake solution for a line of escalators used in commercial and
retail applications. The brakes are mounted directly to the
output shaft of the escalator drive motor.
Solution:
Warner Electric developed a modified, electrically-released
(ER), permanent magnet brake that featured modulated torque
to meet U.S. deceleration rate standard for escalators.
• 125 ft.lb. static torque rating
• Engineered with a reduced overall width to fit the small
footprint requirement.
• Unique modulated torque design provides a smooth,
controlled stop which prevents injury to passengers and
damage to equipment.
• Automatically compensate for wear, no adjustments needed
Application Profile
Modified Electrically Released Brake