Responsibilities and functions
The Autonomous Province of Trento's LATIF (Laboratorio Tecnologico Impianti a Fune) was created over 50 years ago, in 1971, by the Trentino-Alto Adige Region, to guarantee the safety of ropeways. In 1976, management passed to the Province of Trento.
The main objectives were:
- To provide equipment and personnel to check the safety of cableways with reliability.
- To be close to mountain areas for rapid intervention.
- Improve the technology of cableway installations.
- To create a highly specialised centre in the sector, increasing safety.
Today, LATIF is part of the Service for Ropeway Installations and Neighbouring Municipalities of the Province of Trento. It deals with concessions, project examinations, testing, periodic inspections and personnel qualification.
The laboratory performs tests for the provincial administration and for third parties, according to a tariff established by the Provincial Council. It is the only laboratory in Italy specialised in all tests on cableway elements and collaborates with the Ministry of Transport. Its staff participates in the drafting of national and European safety standards.
In recent years, the laboratory has coped with the growth of installations by focusing on complex tests such as those on prototypes and field analyses.
Since 2000, it has had a machine for testing large ropes up to a load of 10,000 kN, which is also used for structures such as stadiums and bridges.
Since 2008, the laboratory has been an examination centre approved by the Italian Coordination Centre for Non-Destructive Testing - CICPND for the certification of personnel experienced in non-destructive testing on wire ropes.
Laboratory data
- Surface area: 3200 m², half of which is covered with shed and offices
- Mechanical workshop to build equipment and test tubes
- Staff: 2 engineers, 1 industrial expert, 4 operators, 1 administrator