Nondestructive testing of a carrier element of an elevator installation

A method for testing at least one carrier element of an elevator installation in which the carrier element carries an elevator car, wherein the carrier element is a sheathed carrier element, comprising the following steps:

• activating a transmission unit for emitting electromagnetic radiation directed at the carrier element;
• activating a reception unit for receiving the electromagnetic radiation to generate test data representing a current state of the carrier element from the received electromagnetic radiation;
• evaluating the test data in a calculation unit to determine a deviation of the test data from reference data representing an intended state of the carrier element;
• preparing the test data by edge extraction wherein boundary edges of at least one of the carrier element and tension members of the carrier element are extracted and the evaluating the test data includes an assessment of the boundary edges or contours of the at least one of the carrier element and the tension members of the carrier element relative to the reference data;
• generating from the calculation unit an output signal representing the determined deviation to at least one of present a visual display and control a drive unit driving the carrier element of the elevator installation;
• and
• the method including at least one of:
• rotating or swiveling the transmission unit about the carrier element between at least two positions to scan the carrier element from at least two sides;
• rotating or swiveling the at least one reception unit about the carrier element between at least two positions to scan the carrier element from at least two sides;
• and
• arranging at least two of the reception units around the carrier element to scan the carrier element from different sides.

A device for testing a carrier element of an elevator installation in which the carrier element carries an elevator car, wherein the carrier element includes a sheath, comprising:

• a transmission unit for emitting electromagnetic test radiation directed at the carrier element;
• a reception unit for receiving the electromagnetic test radiation directed at the carrier element, wherein the reception unit generates test data representing the received electromagnetic test radiation;
• a calculation unit coupled to the reception unit for evaluating the test data to determine a deviation of the test data from reference data representing an intended state of the carrier element;
• wherein the reception unit generates the test data as a first digital image;
• the calculation unit prepares the first digital image by edge extraction so that boundary edges of at least one of the carrier element and tension members of the carrier element become visible, and the calculation unit compares the boundary edges to the reference data to generate an output signal representing the determined deviation to at least one of a visual display and a control unit driving the carrier element including at least one of:
• monitoring of a diameter of the carrier element to establish a reduction or widening of the carrier element representing internal errors of wires, strands or fibers of the carrier element;
• and
• generating reflection patterns of the carrier element for the electromagnetic radiation transmitted along the at least one reflection axis to establish axial stretches in the reflection pattern representing internal errors of wires, strands or fibers of the carrier element,
• wherein the reception unit receives the electromagnetic test radiation as at least one of test radiation that extends parallel to a transmission axis passing through the carrier element and, starting from the carrier element, test radiation that is reflected along a reflection axis, and wherein the test data generated by the reception unit is imaged in the calculation unit as transmission patterns and reflection patterns respectively, and evaluated by the calculation unit to establish surface changes on the carrier element.