Abstract: In this paper, acoustic emission technique was used to monitor the elevator wire ropes in tensile test. Following both parameter analysis and waveform analysis for the broken wire signals, it was found that acoustic emission detection technology could be used to identify broken wire signals qualitatively. Broken wire signals have characteristics with high amplitude and high energy, and those signals with amplitude between 80 dB and 100 dB or absolute energy beyond 2×106 mV·s can be qualitatively identified as broken wire signal. Signals with these characteristics can be quantitatively counted to evaluate the operation situation of wire ropes and then deduce the residual strength and life of wire ropes. Broken wire signal is a kind of burst-type signal. Through fast Fourier transform, it is seen that the frequency of broken wire signals are mainly distributed in the scope from 0 to 220 kHz, and there are distinct energy peaks at the frequency range from 25 kHz to 50 kHz.