September 17, 2025 1:15pm - 1:15pm

Presentation Title: Residential Winding Drum Gearbox Life and Safety

Description: This session takes a look at worm gearboxes used in residential elevator machine applications. The primary focus will be on winding drum elevator systems. Topics will include different types of gearboxes (sealed and vented), maintenance considerations for proper service, failure modes, how standard residential elevator safety’s interact with gearbox failures and alternative solutions.

Speakers: Alan Janus & Eric Hill, Fox Valley Elevator 

Bios: 

Alan Janus is the Engineering Manager at Fox Valley Elevator in Appleton, WI. Alan leads the engineering team on new product development and testing of products to meet code and customers’ requirements. He guides the FVE team in product, process, and operational improvements. Alan graduated from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Alan is a co-designer on US patent 11,618,650. He is on the ASME residential elevator code and standards committee. He has been involved in the residential elevator and dumbwaiter industry since 2006. Previously he worked in the HVAC industry. He currently lives in Green Bay, WI with his wife and 2 children. 

Eric Hill is the Technical Customer Support Manager for Fox Valley Elevator. He has been in the residential elevator and dumbwaiter industry for 19 years. He has helped with product improvement by actively working with field mechanics/technicians and engineers to guide changes. Eric carries a NAEC CAT and CAT/S Certification as well as a Wisconsin Lift Mechanic License with which he installed and serviced residential elevators, dumbwaiters, and accessibility products for 3 years in the field before moving into a technical customer support role. Eric has spent 13 years training field mechanics/technicians on installations, maintenance, and service of residential elevators and dumbwaiters. Eric graduated from Universal Technical Institute in 1997 after studying automotive and diesel technology. He then spent 9 years repairing and maintaining electric forklifts prior to entering the elevator industry.