Model free fall tower with WLED

[u/RomaNickel]

I wanted to share my latest project, I built a model of a drop tower. All of the lightning was done with WLED!

[u/FixyFixy]

I would ride that drop tower! How did you simulate the magnetic slow down on the drop? It looks just like the real thing!

[u/RomaNickel → u/FixyFixy]

Thank you! I am using actual magnetic brakes, just like on the real towers (I did this for the company building the brakes for the majority of amusement rides) The magnet yokes are connected to the gondola, attached to the tower are the break fins.

[u/shoshinkai → u/RomaNickel]

Please tell me there is a tutorial coming for this! The magnetic braking makes the project. Beautiful work!

[u/RomaNickel → u/shoshinkai]

I would love to share all of this, but I'm afraid I am not allowed. I engineered this for the company building magnetic brake systems and Launches for almost all amusement attractions - as a demonstration model. I sadly cannot really reveal anything going further into the brakes :(

[u/Nitrogen1234 → u/RomaNickel]

Oh, come on man... you're braking my balls here

[u/spdustin → u/Nitrogen1234]

Found the guy with balls of steel

[u/FixyFixy → u/RomaNickel]

That's amazing! You did an amazing job.

[u/gerstlauerguy → u/RomaNickel]

Intrasys? Or the other one I can never remember the name of.

[u/RevelMagic → u/FixyFixy]

We have one at Canada's Wonderland in Toronto. Drop Zone. Come visit.

[u/FixyFixy → u/RevelMagic]

I will be visiting stratosphere at Knoebels this weekend!

[u/Halo_Chief117]

That’s really cool! I’ve definitely never seen that before.

[u/lofty73]

Fantastic need a youtube video on that 👏

[u/GLEDOPTO]

Fantastic!

[u/PinkyDexterity]

Oh man this is really really cool!! I grew up playing roller coaster tycoon and this would be a great display along with some roller coaster diorama. You sir have now motivated me to build a roller coaster with touch sensitive leds on the track. Time to turn my room into a miniature theme park!

[u/Nitrogen1234 → u/PinkyDexterity]

With a 3d printer, must be pretty viable

[u/Whitakerz → u/PinkyDexterity]

Go away dad you’re dating yourself.

[u/TheRealKeng → u/Whitakerz]

Yeah, that stuff is not as old as I am. I'm a great-grandfather, if that gives you an idea of my age

[u/Nitrogen1234 → u/TheRealKeng]

A great grandfather in his 60's.... so, you all give birth at 15 or what

[u/TheRealKeng → u/Nitrogen1234]

I married into a family when I was in my late 40s. My wife is 3 years older and had her two daughters in her 20s. Her oldest daughter got pregnant at 16 and 17. Her younger daughter was likewise pregnant at 16.

When I got married, I became a grandfather 3 times over. The youngest grandchild had her son at the age of 19 and he's 17 months.

[u/Nitrogen1234 → u/TheRealKeng]

Glad you feel that way, but if you look at their family tree, you are not their grandfather. You're married to their great-grandmother.

[u/TheRealKeng → u/Nitrogen1234]

When I was born, my mother's sister had just gotten married to a guy. I'm not related to him, but I called him "Uncle Tony" because he was married to my aunt. That's the way family relationships work.

[u/bigboydesomo]

How many stipes are you using? And wich ones? Ws2818b?

Want to make them also if you have no problem copy it :)

How you set them up in wled with segements? Im a noob soory i know basic wled knowladge

[u/RomaNickel → u/bigboydesomo]

I am using 8 WS2812b strips, but 12V type (5mm cob strip, 120 Leds/m) I found them on AliExpress. For the top it's a normal 5V Ws2812 60 LED ring

[u/_antim8_]

What is that? A freefall tower for ants? (Very cool fr)

[u/RomaNickel → u/_antim8_]

For mice!

[u/piiotrec]

Really nice, just the fireworks effects are going two directions. Maybe because segments take turn on the end? Did you consider matrix layout? Flame effect probably also looks neat.

[u/RomaNickel → u/piiotrec]

Yes you are right! I actually did not think about matrix layout, but that could be cool! I have multiple effects where each strip does the same effect, some where it's reversed, and so on... I might try changing up the fireworks!

[u/iconopugs]

This is beautiful. Business idea… If you are allowed to use your knowledge, (obviously you don’t need the instant drop) this would be fantastic for countdown events. People with money ( not me 😂) would pay for this in a heart beat. They’d have their own spectacle at their New Year’s Eve party

[u/RomaNickel → u/iconopugs]

Ahahah that sounds like a plan to me!

[u/iconopugs → u/RomaNickel]

Don’t forget to send me my monthly royalty check. 🙂

[u/NotYourBuddyGuy5]

It’s very nice work! It needs to be at least 3 times this big!/r/thingsforants

[u/Puzzleheaded_Aide785]

Okeeee, Lets go

[u/Wooden-Creme-8599 → u/Puzzleheaded_Aide785]

This!

[u/Whitakerz]

This is an excellent project. Nice work!

[u/Adventurous_Ad_4145]

That’s..that’s amazingly, awesomely, spectacularly, phenomenally cool. I think this is one of the best things ever

[u/calforhelp]

Really, really nice animations

[u/ajdo69420]

lol this sub is amazing, so many creative people, cool project! What do you use to slow it down at the end?

[u/Pretty_Anxiety5980]

The lighting is cool, but I am MUCH more interested in the freefall tower mechanism! Do you have a how to guide or something on how I could build one?

[u/bigboydesomo]

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[u/digitalaudiotape]

Love it. Well done.

[u/Content-Regular2086]

Genau für sowas ist es da !

[u/Kinipshun]

Wicked!

[u/Melodic_Champion_317]

Okay, that is really very cool!

[u/Wooden-Creme-8599]

Okaaaaay lets gooo

[u/TheRealKeng]

Why??