Reliable Radio Control for the "Götterflug" Ride
The “Götterflug” at Belantis Park in Leipzig is a flying carousel in which passengers in 16 gondolas, at a height of about 25 meters and traveling at approximately 50 km/h, can control their flight themselves using small wings attached to their seats. The reliability and maximum safety of the attraction must be guaranteed at all times.
- Client
- Parque Reunidos (Belantis Leipzig)
- Cooperation partners
- Pilz
- Project area
- Leipzig, Germany, European Union
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Project Scope
The attraction needed to be brought up to date in terms of the flight experience and passenger safety—a retrofit of the existing automation solution, including the radio link, with as little downtime as possible for visitors.
The particular challenge lay in the radio link between the rotating arms on the tower and the central safety PLC: transmission paths that constantly change spatially within a functionally safe application, further complicated by a demanding RF environment with signal shadowing.
Implementation
Automation specialist Pilz was responsible for the retrofit, from hardware planning and visualization through to commissioning. R3 Solutions was brought on board to implement the challenging radio link.
The Bridge Es, with its EchoRing technology, securely transmits SafetyNET p real-time Ethernet data in both directions. This enables secure signal exchange between the rotating arms and the central PLC. The EchoRing technology is transparent to the end devices—just like a cable connection, but without the cable.
Temperature posed an additional challenge: The EchoRing devices are rated IP65 and are therefore protected against dust and water. However, direct sunlight in the park leads to high temperatures. R3 Solutions therefore housed the Ethernet bridges in special metal enclosures that protect the devices while also serving as passive cooling; the antennas were routed to the outside.
“We are extremely pleased that there were virtually no restrictions for our visitors and that the facility continues to operate safely and reliably.”
Michael Heese
Head of Technology at Belantis
Result
The wireless solution ensures continuous, reliable operation during business hours. This makes the relatively frequent downtime of the old system a thing of the past.
Compared to the sliding contact systems used previously, which are subject to high wear and tear, the wireless solution offers clear infrastructural advantages: both the distance and the installation location remain flexible. And the ongoing operation of the attraction was only minimally affected by the retrofit.
Project Data
| Network size: | 9 devices |
|---|---|
| Real-time protocol: | SafetyNET P (Control and Safety) |
| Other data transmission: | none |
| PLC cycle time: | 30 ms |
| Coverage: | 20 m x 20 m x 30 m |
| Roaming: | No |
| Monitoring: | No |
Daniel Thiel
Wireless Solutions Expert
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