Where the thrills are big – but safe

HIMA systems guarantee personal safety in the world’s first wirelessly controlled amusement ride

(25-07-07)

HIMatrix safety controllers from HIMA Paul Hildebrandt GmbH + Co KG are ensuring high safety levels on the world’s first ‘Mountain Glider’ at the Walibi amusement park near Brussels in Belgium.

The HIMatrix controllers prevent collisions between gliders, and also prevent them from travelling too fast, thus averting a variety of potential injuries. The world’s first wireless safety solution for amusement rides is based around HIMatrix and safeethernet – in other words, a combination of the fastest safety controller and the fastest safety bus. 

The HIMA solution enables a wireless safety-related network to be built up using safeethernet. Each of the eight gliders contains one F 31 compact controller and a remote I/O module. The fixed control system comprises two full-feature HIMatrix F 60 PLCs and four remote I/O racks. During its journey a glider passes several access points at which a handover takes place between the radio cells. Communication with the central station is via a WLAN.

Each HIMatrix F 31 controls the safety-related processing of 28 digital inputs and 16 digital outputs. The gliders are in constant contact with the central station, which itself handles 300 digital input and 280 digital output safety-related signals. Operating statuses and faults are transmitted to a panel using a non-safety-related protocol. All of the controllers fulfil the required safety levels, SIL 3 (IEC 61508) and Cat. 4 (EN 954).
 
The Austrian mechanical engineering firm LTW Lagertechnik GmbH, a member of Doppelmayr Holding, commissioned HIMA to supply the HIMatrix components and to examine the communication conditions and interfaces.

Passengers on the ‘Mountain Glider’ are taken by lift to the top of a 55 m high starting tower. From there they “fly” across the park through curves, glides and “corkscrews”, experiencing accelerations of up to 3 g as they go. The first ride of its type in the world, it  has a total length of 700 m, a maximum speed of 70 km/h, and the ability to carry up to 800 passengers per hour.