The ThyssenKrupp ISIS was ThyssenKrupp's machine room-less elevator for the North American and European markets, first introduced in 2001 or 2002. ThyssenKrupp made the ISIS and ISIS II. The ISIS was made from 2004 to 2005. The ISIS II was made from 2005 to 2007.
Overview
The ThyssenKrupp ISIS is a machine room less traction elevator designed for low to high-rise buildings for the North American and European markets.
North America
In North America, the ThyssenKrupp ISIS used the "K-Core" rope instead of conventional steel rope. The K-Core was a kevlar rope that was made exclusively for the ThyssenKrupp ISIS elevators. ThyssenKrupp claimed that the rope is stronger than steel ropes and last longer. The ISIS elevator features a smaller machine installed in the shaft pit (for regular ISIS only), eliminating the need of a machine room. This saves up to 60 square feet of building space. ThyssenKrupp ISIS was also easy and faster to install because of its lightweight components, which only required 10 days to complete the installation. ThyssenKrupp developed the ISIS elevators as a mean to counter the disadvantages of hydraulic elevators.
ThyssenKrupp ISIS elevators were available only as low rise models, until 2005, before the ISIS II came out. During this time, the blue Aurora fixtures were for low rise only. A unique feature of the ISIS/ISIS 2 is lanterns on the sides of the doors. The ISIS II appears to have been merged to 1 model for low and high rise. The ISIS/ISIS II can usually be told apart from other ThyssenKrupp elevators by the chimes, which are often chimes unique to ISIS/ISIS II. ThyssenKrupp ISIS and ISIS II can usually be told apart by the fixtures. The ISIS had a different indicator than the ISIS II, which had the same indicator as Signa4 fixtures. Sometimes, ThyssenKrupp ISIS/ISIS II elevators can have other fixtures. The model of an ISIS is ISIS low/mid-high rise capacity number. Example: "ISIS mid-high rise 4500". The model of an ISIS II is ISIS first two numbers of capacity. Example: "ISIS 40". There is also the ISIS 50H. The difference between ISIS 50 and 50H is unknown.
Europe
ThyssenKrupp ISIS was also available for the European markets, which was made in France. It features a centered pulley block drives which enables an installation everywhere. It has a speed of 1 meter per second, maximum capacity of 1000 kilograms and can serves more than 10 floors.
Seattle Children's Hospital accident
On October 9, 2007, an accident happened at a children's hospital in Seattle, WA, United States, where the cables broke on an ISIS elevator, sending the elevator into free fall before the safety governors engaged to stop the elevator car on the fourth floor. Many ThyssenKrup ISIS elevators were inspected during that time. ThyssenKrupp deemed them safe, but city of Seattle elevator inspectors deemed some of them dangerous, and had ThyssenKrupp replace the cables with conventional steel cables. ThyssenKrupp thought about adding an extra safety device for all ISIS elevators nationwide, but then decided to start replacing the cables with conventional steel cables nationwide. Also, ThyssenKrupp ISIS elevators were known to break down a lot.
After the accident, ThyssenKrupp discontinued the ISIS elevators and replaced them with the Synergy series. The Synergy series was originally introduced in 2005 for markets outside North America.
Specs
North America
- Gearless traction
- Machine room less
- Bottom drive traction for ISIS, overhead traction for ISIS II.
- Blue Aurora fixtures exclusive to ISIS/ISIS II, other fixtures an option.
- Serves up to 30 floors for ISIS II.
- 75 ft. travel distance for low rise ISIS, 150 ft. travel distance for mid rise ISIS, 300 ft. travel distance for ISIS II.
- Can have a rear door.
- 150 FPM for 2-3 floors, 200 FPM for 4+ floors for low rise ISIS, 200/350 FPM speed for mid-high rise ISIS/ISIS II.
- Single slide/center open doors for low rise ISIS, single slide door for 2100 lb. capacity mid-high rise ISIS, single slide door for 2100 lb. capacity mid-high rise ISIS, center open door for 2500-3500 lb. capacities mid-high rise ISIS, 4000 lb. capacity mid-high rise ISIS door unknown, two speed side opening door for 4500-5000 lb. capacities mid-high rise ISIS, mid-high rise info same for ISIS II, except for added option of center open door on 2500-3500 lb. capacities ISIS II, center open door on 4000 lb. capacity ISIS II, two speed side opening door on ISIS II 50H.
- 2100-3500 lb. capacities for low rise ISIS, 2100-5000 lb. capacities for mid-high rise ISIS/ISIS II.
Europe
- Gearless or geared traction.
- Machine room less, overhead drive.
- Can serves more than 10 floors (maximum number of stops is unknown)
- 630-1000 kilograms capacities.
- 1 meter per second speed.
- Two speed telescopic side opening doors. It is unknown if center opening door was also available.
Notable installations
United States
- Lane Stadium Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
- 140 Virginia St., Richmond, VA
- The Habitat Store, Roanoke, VA (now closed)
- Northcut Landing, Seattle, WA
- 55 Grant Avenue, San Fransisco, CA
- Chaperal Center North, Temecula, CA
- John Hopkins Parking Structure UCSD, La Jolla, CA
- Packard Hall - Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
- Carolinas Medical Center Parking Deck, Concord, NC
- Gaslight Village, Old Saybrook, CT
- Stony Creek Medical Center, Branford, CT
- Factory Mall, Farmington, MO
- Santa Fe Station North Parking Garage, Las Vegas, NV
- Smith Engineering Company Building, Albuquerque, NM
- Holiday Inn & Suites Jefferson, Albuquerque, NM
- Domenici Center for Health Sciences Education - University of New Mexico, NM
- Hilton Homewood Suites at Buffalo Thunder Resort, Pojoaque, NM
- Northside Riverstone, Canton, GA
- One Erdman Place, Middleton, WI
Canada
- Children's Hospital Mental Health Building, Vancouver, B.C.
- 845 Wilson Avenue, North York, ON
Trivia
- The first ThyssenKrupp ISIS ever to be on YouTube was the one at the Domenici Center for Health Sciences Education on the University of New Mexico north campus.
- Following the incident in 2007, the ISIS was discontinued and was replaced by the Synergy in 2008.
- Some elevator technicians/enthusiasts call this model "CRISIS" due to it breaking down a lot, and the accident mentioned above.
Videos
ThyssenKrupp ISIS Traction elevator @ The Habitat Store Roanoke VA for Gluse and ih8escalators
ThyssenKrupp ISIS low rise traction elevator with blue Aurora fixtures at Habitat for Humanity store in Roanoke, VA
(R) ThyssenKrupp ISIS MRL Elevators at the Domenici Center for Health and Sciences Education
ThyssenKrupp ISIS II traction elevators with blue Aurora fixtures in Domenici Center for Health and Sciences Education at University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM
Thyssenkrupp ISIS 2 Elevator @ Lane Stadium Virginia Tech Blacksburg VA
ThyssenKrupp ISIS 45 traction elevator with red Aurora fixtures in Lane Stadium at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA
ThyssenKrupp ISIS Traction Elevators @ One Erdman Place in Middleton WI
ThyssenKrupp ISIS Traction Elevators with older Traditional fixtures at One Erdman Place in Middleton, WI
ThyssenKrupp ISIS MRL Traction Elevator @ Mayer Hall UCSD, La Jolla, CA
ThyssenKrupp ISIS MRL Traction Elevator with older vandal resistant fixtures in Mayer Hall at UCSD in La Jolla, CA
