A big part of the problem in this trade is the push for controllers that require less and less knowledge to install. Companies want plug and play because there's less and less actually trained, intelligent elevator mechanics being brought up behind us. They want to be able to sell equipment that they can pay less trained folks to install. There's lots of guys out there putting in smartrise that couldn't wire up an inspection station on a VA controls. Look at the residential market. Inclinator ruined their products going to microprocessor controls, no code in section 5.3 can't be met with simple relay logic. But their biggest dealer in Texas (a no license state) hires guys that ain't real mechanics and they pushed Inclinator to give them something that someone who can't spell elevator can put in. Same trends are happening in the commercial side.
I guess my point is, a VA controls or mce in my opinion is infinitely more reliable than smartrise, but takes more skilled labor to install. This is why snartrise is still in business in my opinion. My company is the same. Our service guys are good. Our construction guys are knuckleheads. So our sakesfolks only sell smartrise, even though we get ate up with issues and don't make a dime off construction.
