Entertainment Engineering v10i8 by Terry Persun

ENTERTAINMENTENGINEERING TE C H N OLOG Y | C R E AT I V IT Y | F U N

Volume 10 Issue 8

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HYDRAULICS AUTOMATE STAGE Theatre uses hydraulics to lift glass elevator.

EMBEDDED PC Embedded PC boosts small controller performance.

PLANETARY GEARHEAD Planetary gearhead for high radial loads.

SIMULATION SYSTEMS Motion contollers used in 6-degree Freedom Platforms.

CREATIVITY BOOK Authors discuss the benefits of “Thinking Inside the Box”

Publishers/Editors:

Editorial Board:

Terry Persun | 360-379-6885 E: terry@entertainmentengineering.com Bruce Wiebusch | 440-503-3013 E: bruce@entertainmentengineering.com

Greg Hale, VP Advanced Technology Disney Parks and Resorts Kevin Russelburg, Sr. Project Engineer, ITW Pancon John Lewis, Sr. Writer, Cognex Corp.

Design & Production:

Sales

Editorial Contributors:

Vice President, Media Solutions & Sales markw@entertainmentengineering.com

Verv Creative | www.vervcreative.com Dan Cook, Ph.D.,

Program Coordinator, Entertainment Engineering and Design, UNLV

Joe Gillard, Gerald Braude, S. Korobeinik Richard Mandel, Mark Persun

Mark Wiebusch | 440-835-9733

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HYDRAULICS AUTOMATE STAGE Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal Drury Lane use hydraulics for lifting Willy Wonka’s glass elevators

Stage Technologies has supplied a massive 75-axis automation system for the world premier West End smash Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Stage Technologies supplied the full automation package, consisting of counterweight assist winches, floor tracks, trucks, sliders and supplementary motors, while sister company Delstar Engineering supplied the stage engineering and hydraulics. Production Manager Patrick Molony said, “The installation of the show into Drury Lane has been incredibly smooth. For a production with this level of automation there have been very few problems. When problems have occurred, which they inevitably will on something of this scale, Stage Technologies have pulled out all the stops, and have ensured that all necessary resources were found and people made available day and night to solve issues as quickly as possible.” The technical expectations of Charlie were huge, both because of the challenges of installing the complex show in a 200-year-old venue and by the precision required by the creative team’s vision. While the main system of counterweights, floor tracks and sliders were reasonably conventional and did not pose particular challenges, the bespoke elements of the show required extra focus. One of the show’s key elements, the Glass Elevator 4

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ridden by Willy Wonka and Charlie, required a specially-commissioned robot arm to lift the elevator safely and seamlessly from below stage and fly it over the orchestra pit, while simultaneously compensating for any tilting or rotation. The arm and its lifting tower were required to meet not only the challenges posed by the building but also they were also responsible for storing the elevator under the stage when not in use. Essentially a live prototype, the Glass Elevator had to be refined throughout the technical period. This was because the hydraulic pumps and control had been installed in the theatre’s basement prior to the stage floor being built and prior to the delivery of the arm and elevator. Patrick Molony said “The work on our Glass Elevator, which was done between Stage Technologies and Delstar Engineering, has brought us amazing results in incredibly difficult circumstances. This proved to be a more difficult project than any of us has really understood at beginning and after many hours of work they produced results that finish the show brilliantly and get cheers every night.” The automation system also included two Explorer trucks, which are controlled from the Acrobat desk, but utilise a laser guidance system for positioning. The trucks are used extensively throughout Act I to create different shapes upstage, downstage and across stage. The challenge in this instance was that the system had to

triangulate its position whilst traveling on a raked stage (to our knowledge the first time this has been achieved) and position accurately whilst other scenic elements moved around them. Patrick Molony said “We were using some state of the art automation equipment in our Shack trucks, which had to be made to work in conditions which had never been encountered before. Given the raked stage, totally uneven centers of gravity of the trucks and mass of other scenery determined to obscure all lines of sight for the guidance system, this was a very difficult task for us to chuck at Stage Technologies. After many hours of work and some impressive programming we have a system which has become very reliable.” Despite Charlie’s challenges, Director of Rental Services Ted Moore said “Stage Technologies is very excited to be a part of this show. This is the biggest production that I’ve been personally involved with at Theatre Royal Drury Lane since loading in Miss Saigon there in 1988. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a big, complex show, which is just the type of project that Stage Technologies enjoys taking on.” Moore says Delstar Engineering manufactured the hydraulic rams in-house, the proportional valves were by Bosch-Rexroth, and the control system was by Stage Technologies. The automation system consisted of: • 20 x counterweight assist winches (BT200 winches) • 18 grid point hoists: 13 x BT200, 4 x BT390 (including two winches on the “Oompa Gantry, a large flown bridge with 16 performers on board) and 1 x BT490 • 4 tracking axes: 2 x BT Classic winches and 2 x MiniTow winches • 3 in set motors • 6 floor tracks (2 x BT Classic, 3 x belt drives, 1 x BT 390) • 2 x winch driven stage lifts • 2 x Hydraulic Drop and slide doors • 3 x Hydraulic trap doors • 10 x Au:tour 6 racks with a variation of drive sizes • 2 x Au:tour link & e-stop hubs • 1 x bespoke control cabinet containing hydraulic control, a couple of drives and IO control • 2 x on board control cabinets for the shack trucks

(explorer trucks) • 1 x Hydraulic pump control panel • 1 x Acrobat desk for show running • 1 x Acrobat desk for FOH programming • 1 x HMI for explorer truck configuration • 1 x server

“Glass Elevator”:

• Hydraulic ram driven telescoping tower (to lift arm and elevator out of basement) • 7 x hydraulic & electric axes on elevator • 1 x bespoke hydraulic & electric control cabinet • 1 x pump control for 5 hydraulic pumps • 1 electrically driven rotate slew (mounted on top of tower, to rotate arm mechanism) • 2 large proportionally controlled hydraulic rams (elbow mechanism) • 1 proportionally controlled telescoping extending arm • 1 electrical actuator (for tilt compensation) • 1 electrical actuator (for elevator rotate compensation)

“Shacks” Trucks (x2):

• 2 x Explorer trucks (2 x steer and 2 x drive motors in each truck) • Each truck has two drive wheels and two steer axes • Laser guidance system • On-board control and battery • Radio control system • All the above is delivered as modular bolt in units to fit within any scenic element required.

Stage Technologies > Bosch-Rexroth > Charlie and the Chocolate Factory >

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EMBEDDED PC BOOSTS SMALL CONTROLLER PERFORMANCE Beckhoff’s CX9020 provides power in a small format with 1 GHz ARM Cortex™ A8 processor To increase controller scalability while enhancing user functionality and flexibility, Beckhoff Automation has introduced the new CX9020 Embedded PC. The DIN rail mounted CX9020 is remarkably compact, robust and equipped with a powerful 1 GHz ARM Cortex™ A8 processor. The CX9020 is suitable for a wide range of PLC and motion control applications in small and medium sized machines, systems or buildings. This affordable Embedded PC integrates a CPU, numerous connectivity solutions and optional interfaces, a power supply and a direct I/O interface for Beckhoff I/O systems, all in one compact housing. The CX9020 can capably operate in demanding environments with temperatures ranging between -25 to +60 °C making it ideal for a wide range of manufacturing facility types and outdoor applications, including wind turbines and solar power installations. This flexible Embedded PC also continues Beckhoff’s exclusive support of Microsoft operating systems in the form of Microsoft Windows Embedded Compact 7. In combination with the TwinCAT automation software platform from Beckhoff, the CX9020 becomes a dependable PLC and motion controller that can be used with or without visualization. The solid-state CX9020 is fanless and equipped with two microSD card slots providing the option for larger storage capacity on the device. It also comes with a 256 MB microSD card for the operating system; the supplemental microSD card slot can be used for additional

operator data. The CPU inside the CX9020 has access to an impressive 1 GB of internal DDR3 RAM memory. In addition, 128 Kbyte of NOVRAM are available for data storage in the event of a power failure. The basic configuration of the CX9020 includes two switched Ethernet 10/100 Mbit/s RJ 45 interfaces, four USB-2.0 interfaces and a DVI-D interface. The RJ 45 interfaces are connected to an internal switch and offer a simple option for creating a line topology without the need for additional Ethernet switches. A “multi-optional” interface permits the integration of an additional interface, such as EtherCAT (slave only), PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, PROFIBUS, CANopen, DeviceNet, serial interface (RS232/RS422/RS485) or audio. Another smart feature of the CX9020 is its ability to automatically detect the directly-connected Bus Terminal I/O or EtherCAT Terminal I/O and switch to the respective mode for convenient system management.

For More Information Click Below:

Beckhoff Automation LLC >

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32 MM PLANETARY GEARHEAD FOR HIGH RADIAL LOADS New design ensures smooth and true running

maxon motor has added two new gearheads to the GP 32 program. Significant improvements have been made to the single-stage planetary gearhead: The planetary carrier has been reinforced, the bearings have been repositioned, and a ceramic version is now available. With these new gearhead versions for high radial loads, maxon is now offering single-stage gearheads with extremely heavy-duty radial bearings. These versions are designed for applications such as toothed belt drives, applications that place enormous stress on the output stage due to the radial forces at work. The design of the GP 32 AR and GP 32 CR gearheads takes these forces into account. Both bearings of the output stage have been positioned as far apart as possible. As a result, radial forces of up to 140 N can be optimally compensated. The planetary carrier has been reinforced and given separate bearings. The axles of the planet gears are securely fixed in both halves

of the planetary carrier. To achieve the maximum torque and life span, customers can select these axles in ceramic. The short-term permissible torque reaches up to 1.25 Nm. The gearheads are available with output shafts in 6 mm and 8 mm diameters. These gearheads also feature smooth running and minimal fluctuation in friction characteristics. The planetary gearheads can be combined with various brushed, brushless, or flat motors in the maxon modular system.

For More Information Click Below:

maxon motors >

SIMULATION SYSTEMS DESIGNED FOR ENTERTAINMENT Motion Controllers used in 6-Degrees of Freedom Platforms

InMotion Simulation Systems uses Galil multi-axis motion controllers for precise control of their 2-, 3- and 6-Degrees of Freedom (DOF) platforms for its customized motion simulators. The electronically controlled platforms are in simulation systems designed for a variety of industries such as military, entertainment, museums, academia, and flight training. The 2-DOF and 3-DOF platforms incorporate Galil’s DMC-2123 2-axis and DMC-2133 3-axis controllers. For 6-DOF systems, Galil’s DMC-4060 6-axis controller is used to manage the pitching, rolling, yawing, heaving, swaying and surging action of the simulator platforms. Galil controllers feature Ethernet connectivity and PID compensation with velocity and acceleration feed forward. “The precise, real-time responsiveness, lack of latency, and motion of the simulator is critical to our ability to replicate as close to reality as possible the action of flight simulation, for example, or the sensation of a race car traveling at 200 mph. In every case, the motion platform must work correctly and safely, every time” says Mark Barry, President of InMotion Simulation. InMotion Simulation uses its proprietary motion cue-

ing software to send motion commands on-the-fly to the Galil controller which provides a point-to-point position tracking mode. Also used are the controller’s low pass filter to keep the motion smooth and the define position feature to zero the system for accurate position reference. “According to Barry, programming the Galil controllers is straight forward with easy-to-read documentation and plenty of functionality,” says Ann Keffer, Director of Marketing at Galil Motion Control. To date, InMotion Simulation has hundreds of simulators operating worldwide in museums, trade shows, training and research facilities, universities, military bases, plus more. Some are replicating the sensation of helming a military gun ship or a race car, while others are training military personnel, testing antennas and bringing high adventure 5D (3D plus air and water blasts) theaters to movie and thrill ride enthusiasts.”

For More Information Click Below:

InMotion Simulation >

Galil Motion Control >

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CREATIVITY BOOK URGES INSIDE BOX THINKING Creativity is the holy grail of corporate America - what every business and organization needs in order to survive and thrive. But can it be taught?

“...more innovation - and better and quicker innovation happens when you work inside your familiar world using what they call templates.” range of innovation-related phenomena in a variety of contexts.

Drew Boyd and Jacob Goldenberg believe creativity can be taught. In their book “INSIDE THE BOX: A Proven System of Creativity for Breakthrough Results” (Simon & Schuster; Summer 2013) they detail principles and techniques of a method that has worked brilliantly for corporations such as Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Philips Electronics, and more seeking to institute systematic creative thinking, and has been shown to be far superior to “outside the box” methods. Boyd & Goldenberg take a counterintuitive approach, and show that more innovation - and better and quicker innovation - happens when you work inside your familiar world using what they call templates. Based on pioneering research conducted by Goldenberg, which established that inventive solutions have an underlying logic that can be defined and taught to others – and equally important – drawing on Boyd’s twenty-five years of hands-on experience in leading successful innovation initiatives in the corporate world, INSIDE THE BOX details how the majority of new, inventive, and successful products result from only five templates. These templates form the basis of the innovation method called Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT) - or inside-the-box thinking. In the twenty years since its inception, this method has been expanded to cover a wide

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THE FIVE TECHNIQUES THEY CAN DISCUSS, ARE: 1. SUBTRACTION. Innovative products and services often have had something removed, usually something that was previously thought to be essential. 2. DIVISION. Many creative products and services have had a component divided out and placed somewhere else, usually in a way that initially seemed unproductive or unworkable. 3. MULTIPLICATION. When using this technique, a component has been copied but changed in some way, usually in a way that initially seemed unnecessary or odd. 4. TASK UNIFICATION. Certain tasks can be brought together and unified within one component of a product or service - usually a component that was previously thought to be unrelated to that task. 5. ATTRIBUTE DEPENDENCY. In many innovative products and services, two or more attributes that previously seemed unrelated now correlate with one another. As one thing changes, something else changes. INSIDE THE BOX provides corporate executives, engineers, marketing professionals, organizational leaders, and creative people of all types with a practical, working guide to begin innovating in everyday life. What are your thoughts? Can creativity be taught? Examples? Please comment below.

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Inside Box Creativity Breakthrough >