Tower swing carousel at Zamperla: Energy and data transmission for the Vertical Swing

July 2018. Conductix-Wampfler, one of the world's leading manufacturers of systems for energy and data transmission to mobile consumers, has equipped the tower ride "Vertical Swing – dancing in the sky" at Zamperla S.p.A with conductor rails, slip ring assemblies, and ProfiDAT^®. ProfiDAT^®, the compact solution for transmitting high data rates through conductor rail systems, is well-established under harsh outdoor environmental conditions in the crane industry, but has now seen its first use in the amusement ride industry. In the Vertical Swing, ProfiDAT^® guarantees reliable, secure data transmission in a closed slotted waveguide, which prevents signal interference from other radio waves such as WLANs. That means the system works independently of other radio-based systems in the amusement park.

ProfiDAT^®: data transmission without additional construction space

Using ProfiDAT^® means that no additional construction space is needed for data transmission, because the combined data-transmission system unifies a data-transmission channel with a conductor-rail profile that can be used as a ground conductor rail. With a data transmission rate of up to 100 Mbit per second, a real-time channel for PROFINET safety signals (PROFIsafe) as well as audio and video transmission via Ethernet, ProfiDAT^® serves the increasing demand for the transfer of ever larger amounts of data and control signals in real time. ProfiDAT^® can be used license free anywhere in the world, and is at the same time very easily integrated into existing systems. "For amusement ride applications, this solution is therefore perfect in combination with our conductor rails and slip ring assemblies," says Dominik Kübler, Global Market Manager Entertainment at Conductix-Wampfler. In the Zamperla tower swing carousel, the ProfiDAT data transmission system permits the transmission of the Ethernet/IP protocol between the mobile carousel and the stationary unit. Data communications to and from the Allen Bradley control unit in use can thus be implemented using ProfiDAT^® standard components without any additional components or integration effort needed.

Series 0811 conductor rails in limited installation space

The carousel at Zamperla, with 24 seats, has a rotation and lifting center with twelve arms. The 143 kilowatt motor is supplied with energy using single-pole, insulated conductor rails from the Conductix-Wampfler 0811 series. They are characterized by high robustness due to the profile`s geometry and the unique, tools-free connection method with bayonet couplings. "Quick assembly, space-saving design, and flexibility of use thanks to an unlimited number of poles are more advantages of this series," explains Kübler. Thanks to the reliable power supply, the gondola is lifted at up to 1.2 meters per second to a height of 41 meters. The rotating center can reach a top speed of ten RPM. About 600 people per hour can experience the best possible riding enjoyment. At full tower speed, they fly through the air in a circle 25.6 meters in diameter.

CER 70 slip ring assembly powers the rotation center

The CER 70 slip ring assembly with Ethernet supplies the rotating part of the tower ride with energy and data. The slip ring assemblies of the Conductix-Wampfler CER series are available in a variety of sizes.  "We designed them for assembly with arbitrary numbers of poles, so they support a variety of combinations and unify slip rings for high and low voltages, for digital or analog signals, and for data transmission up to 100 Mbps real-time Ethernet in a single product," says Kübler. With the CER series, Conductix-Wampfler offers carefully planned slip ring assemblies for use in areas where top performance, reliability, and long service life are deciding factors – from prototype to finished product.

"The fact that this is the first time our intelligent solutions tailored to customer needs for energy and data transmission will be used in a carousel simply shows that the many years of know-how at Conductix-Wampfler in the crane industry can very easily be transferred to the amusement ride industry," says Kübler enthusiastically. "The reliability of our products guarantees an interruption-free, safe ride for all passengers. The potential for additional applications is therefore very great.