Page 6 - NewsLester Issue 03

LESTER CONTROLS' TECHNICAL SUPPORT
NO TWO DAYS ARE THE SAME
It is no exaggeration to say no two days are the same in the Lester Controls technical support team, the variety involved in this job is something that keeps the interest levels up and mental wheels turning. It is a real challenge but one we all enjoy, it can be frustrating and exasperating but never dull. Today, we could be out on-site with customers surveying a new project or assisting with on-site controller set up, troubleshooting etc. and then tomorrow, on the technical support help desk in Croydon or Lutterworth.
There is no such thing as a typical day, not every day is spent on lift surveys and assisting with new installation work. We also help on-site supporting our wide range of control panels dating back from the late 80s, from relay-based control systems, MP500s, MP2G and ALMEGA to our present ALMEGA II controller range, and from simplex low rise on up to eight-car groups and 32-floor installations and even escalators, we have various inverter drives to support and assist with.
In some cases, it requires us to diagnose problems remotely by conversing with the on-site lift engineer/technician and subsequently dispatching replacement components or it could be escalated to the need for a site visit. Having an experienced team of support engineers working together is a constant help and the wealth of lift working knowledge is invaluable, it is a real team effort.
As with semi office-based jobs, we all have routine office days to allow for the completion of documentation, reports etc and when the need arises, we “muck in” with urgent controller builds or wiring and the programming of processors and drives. We also prepare parts & drawings for modifications and drive upgrades that will be sent to sites, whilst also preparing for our own site modification works, whether this be supplying and fitting of replacement inverters or on-site controller modifications due to specification changes or customer requests.
Left to Right: Bradley Burnett, Alex Blow, Michael Turner, Simon Blanshard, Jamie Proud
Our duties are far-ranging within the company and we liaise with the Commercial department, if they are providing a customer with a quotation that relates to an unusual existing door gear, hoist motors etc. We also assist with reviewing the job specifications and point out any sections or details relevant, to make sure we are compliant when providing the quotation.
We are also in constant contact with the design team, especially if we have carried out a survey and are providing the information on the existing or new equipment that the controller is to be designed to manage.
We feedback any issues found on-site to the R&D department for evaluation and resolution, if software changes or amendments are required. We also have dialogue with the controller test departments, utilising our lift knowledge to replicate any on-site situations experienced.
With over 36,000 lift controllers supplied over the years, it is a varied product range to provide ongoing support to. We recently had a call on LC0001, the very first Lester controller that was supplied, still working and just needed a new component.
We at Lester Controls are only human and occasionally, we get things wrong (shock) and therefore, have to attend to these misnomers, either with the goodwill of our clients carrying out minor modifications or attending the site to put right our wrongs.
All this and moving into a new workspace very soon. Whatever challenge you have, bring it on.
What is a typical day? Ask me tomorrow! Michael Turner, Technical Director
NEWSLESTER Issue 3 :: Page 6