As
with
the rest of the world, entertainment
in
the
UK
is
a major industry,
with
a
2022
value of nearly £
12
billion.
There
are two primary sectors
:
first, music, performance and visual arts, estimated at £
11.5
billion.
This
includes cinema, stage theatre along
with
music festivals and concerts.
Second
is
amusement and theme parks, which were reported separately at a value of £
909
million.
This
is
clearly an enormous market where hydraulics play a major role.
Here
are the primary entertainment industries which rely
on
hydraulics
:
Hydraulics in Amusement Parks
As
the most popular paid tourist attraction
in
the
United
Kingdom
with
over three million visitors annually, the
120
metre diameter
London Eye
is
a cantilevered
observation wheel and the tallest
in
Europe
.
Electric
pumps drive hydraulic motors which rotate the wheel.
The
hydraulic motors turn large rubber tires mounted at the
base
of the structure along the wheel rim, acting
as
friction rollers to provide the power to turn the wheel.
observation wheel and the tallest
in
Europe
.
Electric
pumps drive hydraulic motors which rotate the wheel.
The
hydraulic motors turn large rubber tires mounted at the
base
of the structure along the wheel rim, acting
as
friction rollers to provide the power to turn the wheel.
Aptly
named,
The Big One
at the
UK'
s
Blackpool
Pleasure
Beach
theme park was considered the tallest rollercoaster
in
the world at
65
metres tall
when it
opened
in
1994
.
As
with
most roller coasters, a hydraulic braking system safely brings the cart to a complete and safe stop
for loading and
unloading.
Passengers
are kept safe by the automatic activation of the hydraulic brakes to keep the carts from bumping into each other.
Hydraulic
components are used throughout amusement park rides and entertainment, from hydraulic fittings, hoses, power units, valves and cylinders
in
everything from pendulum rides to shock absorbers
on
bumper cars.
Hydraulic Use in the Theatre
Motion
base
seating
in
some theatres provides big thrills
for
audiences who want to feel what it's like to fly
with
the
Royal Air Force's Red Arrows
, one of the
world
's premier aerobatic display teams. This is made possible by the safety, durability, reliability and low maintenance of hydraulic proportional valves.
world
's premier aerobatic display teams. This is made possible by the safety, durability, reliability and low maintenance of hydraulic proportional valves.
London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane incorporates hydraulic lifts that use pressurized water to power a moving bridge as part of the stage setting. Two independently driven, hydraulically powered rams support and operate smooth lifting and lowering of the bridge. The hydraulic pump system can also operate independently, providing a tilting effect. The high-pressure hydraulics are connected to the cylinder bottom, creating enough force to push the attached ram upwards to operate the bridge. These same types of hydraulics are used to raise and lower stage sections in many theatres throughout the UK. Hydraulics are also used in stage lighting and other areas of theatre production.
Hydraulics in Animatronics
Hydraulics are heavily used in animatronics, from moving set designs in movie and TV production to operating large objects and other special effects. The animatronics in dinosaur theme parks, such as ROARR! in Lenwade, Norfolk and The Dinosaur Park Tenby rely heavily on hydraulic power. Electric motors are not fast or powerful enough to move these large, dynamic creatures. Instead, hydraulics using double-mounted bearings create fast, smooth and safe actions like raising up, knee motions, tilting side to side, blinking eyes, three-axis hip motion and calf rotation. Hydraulic valves pump pressurized hydraulic fluid through narrow hoses and tubes to operate cylinders, which create the dinosaur's movements.
Hydraulics in stadium concert productions
One of the first major stage productions to rely heavily on hydraulic power was U2's 360° Tour. For the first time ever, high-pressure hydraulics were used to assemble and dismantle the 230 metric tonne construction known as the claw. The hydraulically operated system elevated the modular stage construction to a height of 30 metres safely and quickly, giving the audience all around the stage an unobstructed view. Erecting the stage was also a challenge- since 450 tonne capacity heavy mobile cranes were impossible to fit inside the stadium venues, they used hydraulic strand jacks. Connected to an electrical supply and operated by a computer, the ready-to-use unit was a highly effective solution incorporating high-pressure hydraulics.
This was back in 2009. With a few advancements, the same hydraulic technology is used in major outdoor concert productions today.
Conclusion
From water rides, Ferris wheels, 3D ride simulators, drop rides, theatre productions and animated dinosaurs, hydraulics play a major role in our entertainment industry. Because equipment in the industry involves direct or close proximity to people, the hydraulics must provide:
- Demanding envelope requirements
- High performance and repeatability
- Low noise
- Safe high-power and heavy-lift capacities
And because "The show must go!", the industry depends on the low maintenance and minimal downtime hydraulics provide.
Sources include:
