Forge Lifts · Education
Lift engineering, explained.
From first principles to a complete lift system. Follow the modules in order, or find the component you want to understand.
Start with the foundations 7 modules · 58 lessons
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58 lessons across 7 modules.
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Electrical foundations
Start with electricity, circuits and magnetic fields.7 lessons
- How electricity worksStart with charge, voltage, current and resistance—the quantities behind every electrical circuit.
- Circuits, switches and electrical loadsFollow a complete circuit and see how opening or closing a switch changes what the load can do.
- Electrical power and energyUnderstand watts, kilowatts and kilowatt-hours—and why a motor’s rating is not your electricity consumption.
- AC and DC electricityUnderstand the difference between a supply that keeps its polarity and one that reverses periodically.
- Frequency and electrical waveformsLearn to read a repeating electrical signal: its size, timing and position within a cycle.
- Three-phase electricityThree related AC waveforms form the basis of many industrial supplies and lift motor systems.
- Magnetism and electromagnetismSee how electric current creates magnetic effects—the link behind coils, relays, solenoids and motors.
Electrical components
Explore the devices that switch, store and sense.6 lessons
- How transformers workUse electromagnetic induction to change an AC voltage—and understand what a transformer does not change.
- How power supplies and rectifiers workFollow the conversion from an incoming supply to the DC that electronic controls and sensors need.
- How capacitors workUnderstand how separated charge stores energy, and why capacitors appear in power supplies and motor drives.
- How relays and contactors workSee how an electrical signal can operate contacts in another circuit, and why coil and contact ratings are different.
- How solenoids workTurn electrical input into a short mechanical movement—the link used in many electrically operated valves.
- How sensors and switches detect positionUnderstand how a physical position becomes an electrical signal—and why a signal is only part of the control system’s decision.
Mechanical foundations
Understand force, motion and mechanical transmission.7 lessons
- Force, weight and balanceStart with pushes, pulls and gravity, then see why balanced forces do not always mean something is stationary.
- Torque, speed and powerSeparate turning force from rotational speed and understand how together they determine mechanical power.
- Friction, traction and lubricationLearn why friction can both waste energy and make useful movement possible.
- How bearings workSee how a rotating shaft is supported while still being allowed to turn.
- How gears workUnderstand how meshing teeth change speed, torque and direction without creating energy.
- Pulleys and mechanical advantageSee how rope arrangements trade force for distance, and why adding a pulley does not automatically reduce the effort.
- Springs and brakesBring force, stored energy and friction together to understand how mechanisms return, hold and stop.
Motors and motion control
Connect motors, drives and feedback to controlled movement.8 lessons
- How motors workConnect magnetic fields to turning effort, and see how a motor passes energy into lift machinery.
- Three-phase induction motorsLearn why an induction motor needs a difference between rotor speed and magnetic-field speed to produce torque.
- Permanent-magnet synchronous motorsSee how magnets provide the rotor field and why controlling its position relative to the stator field matters.
- How encoders workUnderstand how shaft movement becomes feedback about position, direction and speed.
- How VFDs workFollow the power conversion that lets a drive control an AC motor’s frequency, current and torque.
- Acceleration, deceleration and jerkSeparate speed from changes in speed, then see why the shape of a journey matters to ride comfort.
- Braking resistors and regenerationUnderstand where energy goes when the machinery drives the motor instead of the motor driving the machinery.
- Feedback and motion controlBring commands, measurement and correction together to understand how a drive follows a requested movement.
Hydraulic foundations
Build from pressure and flow to complete valve blocks.10 lessons
- Pressure and flowSeparate the force available in a fluid system from the amount of fluid moving through it.
- How fluid transmits forceUse pressure and area to understand hydraulic force multiplication.
- How hydraulic pumps workFollow how a motor moves fluid into a hydraulic circuit.
- Hydraulic cylinders and ramsTurn fluid volume and pressure into straight-line movement.
- How non-return valves workUnderstand a one-way flow path and its role in supporting a hydraulic load.
- How pressure-relief valves workSee how a hydraulic circuit limits excessive pressure.
- Directional and flow-control valvesDistinguish choosing a fluid path from controlling the amount passing through it.
- Solenoid valves in hydraulic circuitsConnect the electrical actuator to its hydraulic effect.
- How valve blocks workBring several hydraulic functions together in one connected assembly.
- Hydraulic fluid, temperature and contaminationUnderstand why the fluid is part of the machine, not just something inside it.
Lift components
Get to know the equipment inside a lift installation.12 lessons
- Traction machinesConnect motor torque to the sheave that moves the suspension system.
- Suspension ropes and beltsUnderstand how flexible members support the car and transmit movement.
- How counterweights workSee why a traction lift balances part of the car-side load.
- Guide rails and guide shoesUnderstand what keeps the car aligned as it travels.
- How door operators workFollow how a motor turns a door command into panel movement.
- Car doors and landing doorsSeparate the moving enclosure from the entrance at each floor.
- Door locks and interlocksUnderstand why a closed-looking door and a proven locked door are different.
- Lift position and levellingSee how a lift identifies its location and approaches a landing.
- How lift controllers workUnderstand the system that coordinates requests, permissions and movement.
- Lift safety circuitsLearn how protective conditions influence permission to move.
- Overspeed governors and safety gearSeparate detection of excessive speed from the mechanism that arrests movement.
- Lift emergency communicationsFollow an alarm request from the car to the people who can respond.
Complete lift systems
Follow complete journeys and see how the parts work together.8 lessons
- How traction lifts workCombine the machine, suspension, counterweight and controls into one picture.
- How hydraulic lifts workCombine a power unit, valves and actuator into a lifting system.
- What happens when you press a lift button?Follow a passenger request from registration to a planned journey.
- A lift journey from start to stopTrace the sequence that turns a stored call into an arrival.
- Controller, drive, motor and brakeUnderstand four coordinated roles without treating them as one device.
- A hydraulic lift journeyFollow fluid paths during ascent, holding and descent.
- How lift safety functions work togetherSee how different protective provisions address different conditions.
- How engineers investigate lift faultsBring the syllabus together through evidence, cause and verification.
Looking after equipment at your site?
For maintenance decisions, examinations and upgrade options, explore our practical guides.