Blaster Rodeo Industries – Amusement Park Thrill Ride Design Team #1

Overview

Blaster Rodeo Industries has designed a unique and innovative thrill ride to incorporate aspects of excitement while analyzing the structural and mechanical requirements necessary for safety. Our team wanted to focus on the rider experience by combining psychological elements of fear with a competitive aspect to give them the ultimate thrill ride experience. After a series of brainstorming sessions, we decided to go with a twist on the classic dropper tower ride. We added turrets to each cart and a series of targets for them to shoot at while ascending. Riders will shoot at targets along the way scoring as many points as they can for their cart’s team. If they lose, they will experience the frightening fall sooner than the rest of the riders. Safety was of utmost importance and needed in depth analysis of critical components. Each component involved complex connection with one another and utilized risk assessment and industry safety guidelines to assure safety as a priority.

Initial design approach brainstorming sessions along with other forms of research to determine what ride design appealed to the most people. Images to the right show the semifinalist concepts. The top image shows the “WW2 Laser Dogfight Coaster” concept and the bottom shows the “Choose Your Own Adventure Coaster” concept. Check the gallery below for more concept sketches and renders. Once metrics of safety, feasibility and enjoyment potential were considered in a design matrix, semifinalist concepts were selected. Through interactions with the client and surveys to the public, the dropper shooter ride became the clear winner. To take the dropper shooter ride into the design stage, sub-teams were formed to design several key subsystems including: structural, power, braking and turret design. The solutions for each subsystem were open-ended and required many options to be weighed. In particular, the braking system had two strong contenders: eddy current magnetic braking and a winch-based systems, like those used in elevators. It was decided that a magnetic braking system was not only safer, but also in line with common industry practices for modern dropper towers. To deliver power, a solution was chosen that mimicked light rail power delivery systems. Rollers encapsulate a positive wire while the guiding rails for the carts provide a ground connection. To allow for flexibility in shooting game modes, the carts needed to be dropped independently. A square truss structure was designed to allow a cart on each side with independent guide rails. Structural calculations and FEA analysis were conducted on this design. To avoid injury to users, the laser turrets were designed to remain locked in place with a braking system unless the handles are firmly gripped. Given the emphasis on concept exploration and the scale of any proposed design, the client desired a clear presentation of the concept instead of any prototyping. This allowed for the team to focus on creative ideas, safety considerations and graphical communication.