PSA: A close buffer check caught a crack before it got worse

Hey folks, I was doing a standard inspection on a commercial elevator yesterday. The counterweight buffer seemed fine at first, but I took a second look. I spotted a small crack starting to form. If I had missed it, this could have caused a rough stop in an emergency. I swapped the buffer out right then. Now the elevator runs quietly and I avoided a major repair. Always give those extra looks during checks, it really helps.

3 comments

3 Comments

benclark3d ago

Yeah, the "fail completely in a worst-case scenario" is what gets me. I remember reading an incident report where a failed buffer during a test drop caused some wild shaking. Your extra look probably saved a huge headache later.

scott.drew3d ago

Man, i used to think like sanchez.pat that it was just an emergency part. Then my buddy showed me pics from a depot where a buffer had a hairline crack. They said it rode smooth for months, but their modeling showed if it went, it wouldn't just be a rough stop. It would buckle the coupler behind it during a hard crash. Totally changed how i look at those inspection points now.

sanchez.pat3d ago

That's a good catch for sure, but buffers are only for emergencies. A crack wouldn't make daily stops rough, it could fail completely in a worst-case scenario. Solid inspection work either way.