The Loke Gyro Swing, at Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden has reportedly been listed as Europe’s top-rated thrill ride. The giant pendulum swings 40 screaming thrill-seekers through a giant arc that creates both the extreme gravitational forces and the sensation of weightlessness of a space flight. Using ‘pioneering’ technology from ABB the drive provides precise speeds and torque and accurate position control to take the Gyro Swing through its choreographed paces. Because these position-controlled drives can be used on even very high powered motors, the system can be designed with just one motor instead of several motors and gearboxes. This reduces the complexity of the system, making it more reliable, quieter and also more efficient. Without the ACS880-17’s precise control capabilities, the Gyro Swing’s designers might have needed as many as five different motors to power the ride. The pendulum reaches speeds of up to 100 km/h during its 120-degree arc. As the pendulum pulls out of its downswing, passengers are momentarily subjected to a face-stretching gravitational force of up to four g’s, close to what astronauts feel when heading into space. Then, as the spinning gyroscopic passenger platform approaches its highest point – 42 metres – the riders briefly experience weightlessness.   

Watch the Gyro in action HERE 