Simulating fun: Exploring the Oktoberfest ferris wheel with Simcenter Amesim

Oktoberfest spirit

I have been living in Munich for the past 12 years and consider myself an adopted Münchener. I particularly enjoy the month of September, when the weather is still great and the world’s largest popular festival, Oktoberfest, is approaching.

For readers outside Munich, it’s worth noting that Oktoberfest begins in the middle of September and concludes on the first Sunday of October. However, it traditionally extends to include October 3rd (German Unity Day), with most of the action taking place in September.

Ever since I was a child visiting the popular festivities in my village, I have always been fascinated by the rides. I enjoy watching how they are set up, how they operate, and of course, riding on them. One of the highlights of Oktoberfest for me nowadays is seeing the new rides that come each year, as well as enjoying Munich beer and Brezeln (Bavarian name for pretzels).

Crafting the ride

One of the most iconic attractions at Oktoberfest is a giant Ferris wheel. Inspired by this, why not create a System Simulation model of it? I present to you its Digital Twin: The Siemens Digital Ferris Wheel powered by Simcenter Amesim. This simulation offers you a unique perspective on the inner workings of a Ferris wheel without the need to physically ride one. But how was it created?

As with every project, it all began with brainstorming, creating small drafts, gathering information and data from real Ferris wheels for reference, and making hand drawings to visualize how it should look. I made certain assumptions (I won’t delve into the nerdy engineering equations here). For instance, I decided to develop a 2D planar mechanical model since the movement only occurs in one plane and started by modeling 6 small simple triangle shaped cabins rotating around the shape of a hexagon.

Additionally, I aimed to incorporate the power mechanism of the Ferris wheel, so I planned to later include an electrical motor as the power source, some gear reduction systems, and a logical control strategy to facilitate the loading and unloading of passengers for the ride.

Engineering the festive experience

Once I had the simple concept clear, we utilized a CAD model as the basis of the modeling process in our final system. I used the CAD Import feature available in Simcenter Amesim to automatically generate a planar mechanical representation of the Ferris wheel, calculating realistic dimensions, masses, and inertias.

Thanks to the multi-physics capabilities of Simcenter Amesim, we integrated the electrical actuators of the ride and designed a control system using state-charts to establish a working cycle.

Through experimentation with various loading strategies, we successfully replicated the operational pattern of the original Ferris wheel. The sequence involves the first half of the cabins slowing down for passenger embarkation and disembarkation, followed by acceleration for the ride. Subsequently, the remaining cabins slow down to complete the other half of the ride, optimizing passenger wait times and enhancing the overall experience. Additionally, we conducted Design of Experiment analysis to determine the ideal rotational speed of the Ferris wheel, accurately reproducing the behavior observed in real-world scenarios.

Prost to teamwork

This project was a collaborative effort, and I would like to express my gratitude to my colleagues Albert, Egor, Emmanuel, Frédéric, Jérôme, Olivier, and Vitali for providing feedback and assistance throughout the process. The project involved close collaboration among team members, and we utilized Simcenter System Simulation Client for Git to track our development progress, merge various model branches, and ultimately arrive at the final version.

Once the Siemens Digital Ferris Wheel has been digitally tested and validated, we added some Oktoberfest touches, incorporating the colors of the Bavarian Flag – white and sky blue. Additionally, we included some cosmetics such as a huge Brezel, along with distinctive Simcenter Amesim graphics in the cabins, and installed cameras to provide a virtual experience for you to join us for a ride and get ready for Oktoberfest.

“O’zapft is” (It’s open)! This is what the Munich Major says after opening the first barrel of beer in the Oktoberfest and starting the party with this gesture.

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