Cirque du Soleil creates magical stage presentations using high-technology, world-class artists and musicians, and a unique and immersive sound system that helps to make Mystère one of its longest running shows. Sound Equipment Sets the Stage for Mystère Cirque du Soleil creates magical stage presentations using high-technology, world-class artists and musicians, and a unique and immersive sound system that helps to make Mystère one of its longest running shows. Terry Persun Stage Events Sep 8, 2026 This is Part 2 of our behind-the-scenes coverage of Cirque du Soleil's Mystère. Read Part 1 here . In a recent interview with the engineers and technical managers for Mystère, Entertainment Engineering discussed how Cirque du Soleil used a variety of musical cadences to shift the mood of the audience from excitement and fear to calm throughout the show. We’re going to talk about the systems they incorporated but first want to acknowledge that the original sound designer is still with them and will be helping them to upgrade their system in a few years. We’ll get back to you about that upgrade after it’s installed. First off, it was interesting to find that Mystère still uses the same speaker cabinets as they did with their day one show. They incorporate all Electro-Voice DeltaMax series units, which is a classic line of professional, high-output loudspeaker systems matched with the electronics controllers. These speakers were introduced in the 1990s and are still going strong. Images courtesy of Cirque du Soleil. The system is a unique dispersed sound system and might be the first immersive system that were available at the time. This allows the show to present full surround sound for the audience, allowing it to sound like things actually fly, like wind swirling throughout the room as the acts are happening. Other sounds coming straight from the band can be sent around the room to provide more of a 3D sound rather than standard left/right stereo. As other systems become available on the market, show managers will update the systems. Rather than using the original amplifiers chosen for the show, they recently upgraded to using d&b 30D and 5D amplifiers. The 30D amplifier offers a maximum output power 4x1600 W into 4 ohms and provide five freely assignable GPIOs to the user. It features advanced DSP loudspeaker management and 8-input matrix routing system along with remote browser control. The 5Ds are high-density four channel amplifiers that offer integrated Dante audio networking, flexible power distribution, and advanced DSP (digital signal processing). The shift in amplifier systems provided the show a lot more rack space since it moved from an analog system to digital amps. Images courtesy of Cirque du Soleil. Similarly, to maintain the quality of the show and the magic transferred to the audience, Mystère has upgraded their console package several times. In their most recent shows, they are using DiGiCo SD10 Console Packages. These systems feature up to 144 processing channels, 64 assignable busses, and a 24x24 full processing matrix driven by Stealth Digital Processing and Super FPGA technology. The consoles offer touch sensitive faders, backlit color TFT touchscreens, and snapshot automation for instant, seamless recall of complex system configurations. The show runs both consoles on a redundant engine, so that if a console system’s time clock were to drop out or there’s jitter in the system, it will automatically switch to the backup engine. This allows the crew to reboot the full console without having to stop a show. Everything in the show can be operated off of either engine. During the show, they are 100 percent mirrored so that any changes made on the live system is also changed on the redundant one in real time. This occurrence is very rare, but it has happened a few times and saved the crew from having to stop the show. Live backups are used for all of their on-stage equipment, including backup tracks available for the live musicians in case something goes wrong. If a microphone is lost, the backup track is easily activated until an equipment swap can be done. All of the character mics are doubles as well, which includes two separate transmitters, two separate microphones, etc. Both mics are always on. The swap is done on the console so that all the same levels are present. Backstage Comms The sound crew also takes care of all of the comms used backstage as well. There are somewhere around 34 belt packs used for wireless interaction on multiple channels backstage. This includes stage managers, multiple offices, and other crew members. The crew uses Clear-Com V-Series panels that feature multi-color displays, low-latency Audio-over-IP, and advanced audio processing for some of the most demanding live-production environments. Every technical department has their own private talk around channel. For example, while rigging is doing the trapeze setup, they can be talking to each other on stage without interfering with the show calls on the main production channel. Plus, anyone who has their own channel can still talk on the production channel as the show requires. That way people aren’t having several different conversations on the same single channel. Images courtesy of Cirque du Soleil. There are a few show scenes where it is dead silent, but most of the quieter scenes the are minimal sounds made by the automation systems. Even during the quieter scenes, relative audience noise often hid any of the automation or backstage conversations. The key is not to draw the audience’s attention to the automation and the surround system mentioned above helps with that by keeping the audience’s minds busy. Systems Upgrades We mentioned systems upgrades briefly but want to cover it more here. When you have a show that’s been running as long as Mystère there are naturally systems changes, but the show can’t stop for several months or more to make those upgrades. So, they are made slowly. For example, the show had a full lighting upgrade a few years ago. The whole thing was completed on-the-fly without losing downtime. Upgrades were completed throughout the year a little at a time, such as cable runs, conduit installation, and support methods. For larger changes, such as acrobatic elements, the crew waited until the show’s scheduled dark weeks for completion. For information: Cirque du Soleil Electro-Voice d&b Audiotechnik DiGiCo Clear-Com This is Part 2 of our behind-the-scenes coverage of Cirque du Soleil's Mystère. Read Part 1 here . Read more about sound design >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

The sport utility yacht industry is using Large Format Added Manufacturing technology to produce aerodynamic grille vents and elegant structures. Robotic Additive Manufacturing Technology The sport utility yacht industry is using Large Format Added Manufacturing technology to produce aerodynamic grille vents and elegant structures. Terry Persun Sports Jun 4, 2025 Produced by Pershing, one of the seven brands of Ferretti Group (Milano, Italy), the GTX116 sport utility yacht leverages LFAM technology for some of its main superstructures. The air grilles and visor above the windshield of the yacht are produced using the Heron AM additive manufacturing system to achieve aesthetically interesting geometries with reduced weight. In the luxury yachting industry, innovation in materials and manufacturing processes are critical to ensure an exclusive design along with high performance and reliability. Ferretti Group, involved in the design, construction, and sale of luxury motor yachts and leisure boats, chose to commission Caracol for the printing of the Pershing GTX116 as part of its new range of sports yachts combining elegance and comfort space for what they consider the Pershing thrill. Pershing GTX116 is a 35-meter (115-foot) sports yacht that focuses on an elegant style for extreme livability to elevate the seagoing experience to a new dimension. The yacht optimizes all onboard weights to achieve high performance. Photo: CARACOL printing the Pershing GTX116 The application of Caracol’s Heron AM platform demonstrates how large-format additive manufacturing can effectively be used to revolutionize yachting and luxury boat production, enabling the fabrication of complex superstructural parts with intricate geometries. In this project, Heron AM manufactured key elements, including side air intake grilles and visors, demonstrating its capability to deliver high-performance, customized solutions for the luxury yachting industry. From traditional to additive manufacturing Yacht air grilles and other superstructures are traditionally produced through manual lamination of fiberglass on molds. This process requires multiple molds depending on the complexity of the geometry and involves intensive manual work by highly skilled labor, impacting both production time and costs. Photo: Caracol Heron AM printing the Pershing GTX116 (left) and the Yacht's gills (right) In contrast, large-format 3D printing eliminates the need for master molds and tools entirely, streamlining the production process. With Heron AM, composite components featuring intricate geometries and highly customized designs can be produced directly from the digital model, bypassing the manual lamination phase. This significantly reduces prototyping and production times, enabling rapid iterations and design optimizations. Moreover, the process only requires finishing operations such as gel coat application, further cutting down on labor-intensive steps. Heron AM also allows for the use of lightweight yet strong materials, improving component performance while reducing material waste, making the process more sustainable than traditional methods. Its flexibility allows for small-batch or fully customized production, catering to the specific needs of each project. Additive manufacturing benefits The adoption of Large-Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM) for the production of air grilles on the Pershing GTX116 yacht has led to remarkable improvements in efficiency, sustainability, and overall product quality. By leveraging Caracol’s Heron 300 system, equipped with a high accuracy extruder and a 3-mm nozzle, the grilles were printed using ASA reinforced with 20% glass fiber—a material chosen for its durability and resistance to harsh marine environments. The entire 3D printing process took only 72 hours to complete, producing an air grille measuring 4200 x 400 x 400 mm and weighing 40 kg. Compared to traditional manufacturing methods, this approach has resulted in substantial reductions in lead time (50%), material waste (60%), and overall weight (15%), making it a more sustainable and cost-effective solution. To ensure both weather resistance and a flawless aesthetic, the grille was finished with a gel coat, enhancing its durability against environmental exposure. The implementation of additive manufacturing for such large-scale yacht components showcases the potential of this technology to revolutionize production, offering greater flexibility and performance while significantly cutting down on inefficiencies. The adoption of LFAM has proven to be a key strategy for the marine industry, enabling the production of highly complex and tailored components, optimizing manufacturing processes, and reducing time-to-market. In this context, Caracol’s Heron AM technology emerges as a cutting-edge solution, capable of delivering excellent performance and greater versatility than traditional methods. For more information: Video of the Robotic LFAM Pershing Yachts Heron AM Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

How large synchronized telescopes utilize industrial devices and PC-based control technology. Discovering Traces of the Big Bang Requires Telescopes with Precise Controls How large synchronized telescopes utilize industrial devices and PC-based control technology. Edited by Terry Persun Cool Stuff Dec 9, 2025 The Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC–Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands), a research institute at the University of La Laguna, Spain, operates two astronomical observatories on the Canary Islands: the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma and the Teide Observatory on Tenerife. These two locations enable astrophysicists to explore the limits of space. To do this, the IAC partnered with Beckhoff. The partnership between IAC and Beckhoff began with the first telescope for the Q-U-I Joint Tenerife Experiment (QUIJOTE I) over twelve years ago. Its aim was to characterize the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and other galactic and extragalactic emission processes in frequency ranges from 10 to 42 GHz, and to discover traces of the Big Bang in this way. All other images ©Beckhoff. The telescope’s enormous dimensions are precisely aligned with stars and galaxies and tracked using a control system based on TwinCAT 2 NC PTP and a C5102 19-inch slide-in Industrial PC, which precisely controls the azimuth and elevation of the telescope. In addition to the digital and analog inputs and outputs required to control the telescope, the EL6688 (IEEE 1588/PTP) communication interface facilitated the programming and implementation of the Precision Time Protocol. This EtherCAT Terminal supports PTPv1 (IEEE 1588-2002) and PTPv2 (IEEE 1588-2008) as a device in the IEEE 1588 synchronization system. “Clock synchronization is crucial for synchronizing telescopes very precisely with the movements of the stars and galaxies being observed,” states Jose Miguel Herreros, Engineering Director of IAC. Another major challenge was moving the axes with exceptional precision at both very slow speeds and higher speeds. The reason for this was the significant moment of inertia on the direct drive of the azimuth axis, which required extensive adjustments to the speed controller in the AX2000 servo drive used at the time, recalls Roberto Iraola, Sales Manager at Beckhoff, who adds: “This was fundamental to the project’s success.” This project was followed by the QUIJOTE II telescope for the TFGI (Thirty and Forty GHz Instrument), which consists of a total of 30 receivers. AX5000 digital compact servo drives were already in use with this telescope. Beckhoff developed both telescopes in close cooperation with Spanish company IDOM, while IAC employees developed the control software. In 2022, both control systems were migrated to TwinCAT 3 and C5240 19-inch slide-in Industrial PCs. “We are currently working with Beckhoff on many projects such as ‘Harmoni’ for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), robotic telescopes, and various instruments mounted on these telescopes,” says Jose Miguel Herreros. All other images ©Beckhoff. Extensive Modernization The Carlos Sánchez (TCS) and IAC80 telescopes at the Teide Observatory on Tenerife are manually controlled by astronomers using computer applications that were developed back in the 1990s. Although some modernization measures have been carried out, a large part of the control system is still based on components that are now completely outdated. A project that started in mid-2019 and has not yet been completed aims to migrate the control systems of these telescopes to state-of-the-art, robust software and hardware, and to implement advanced remote control in the process. This future high-level control software will be based on the ROS (Robot Operating System) open-source operating system, while the underlying control architecture will be based on EtherCAT and TwinCAT 3 from Beckhoff. To reduce the possibility of technical risks affecting the project, the team developed a telescope simulator to represent the telescopes’ drive system and data network, and provide a virtual test bed for developing and testing the new system. An ongoing investigation is assessing the suitability of using TwinCAT Vision for automatic star tracking by telescope—an autoguiding system has been selected for testing and can also be used for other telescope tracking systems. All other images ©Beckhoff. Different Site, Same Technology The Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM) on the edge of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, sitting at an altitude of 2396 meters in the municipality of Garafía (La Palma), boasts one of the most comprehensive telescope technologies in the world. Thanks to the clear atmosphere and its location far away from disruptive light waves, the observatory offers ideal conditions for astronomical research. This is why the location has been home to some of the largest-ever telescope projects as well as the new generation of Cherenkov telescopes for exploring the universe using very high-energy gamma rays. The observatory operates what is currently the world’s largest optical and infrared telescope, the Gran Telescopio de Canarias (GTC), alongside twenty other telescopes and astronomical instruments for applications such as nocturnal, robotic, solar, and astrophysical observations involving high energy. These telescopes have already made significant progress in exploring the universe: for example, identifying the most distant galaxy or confirming the existence of black holes and the accelerated expansion of the universe. Cross-Industry Application With a mirror diameter spanning 10.4 m, the GTC is the largest telescope at this observatory. Its planning phase began in 1994 and the GTC was put into scientific operation around 15 years later in 2009. As the technology of the control system specified at the time eventually became outdated, it has since been replaced by PC-based control. This occasion also enabled subsystems such as building automation and lighting systems to be integrated. “We have been able to implement these subsystems thanks to Beckhoff’s open PC-based technology and its experience in building automation,” explains Roberto Iraola. The close cooperation between Beckhoff and GTC extends not only to modernization, but also to the development of new technologies such as instrument calibration modules (ICMs). In the GTC, this system consists of a series of lamps with defined wavelengths and a mechanism for positioning a parabolic mirror that reflects the light onto the telescope mirror. PC-based control is used to control and dim the ICM’s spectral and incandescent lamps. A CANopen interface (master) for operation with the existing CANopen infrastructure was also implemented. Beckhoff technology has also played a role in other projects, such as monitoring and controlling the helium tank compressors and their refrigerants. *Lead image ©AdobeStock/underworld. For more information: Beckhoff TwinCAT Automation Software Industrial PC Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands Read about the automation of other telescopes >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Using the latest in 3D printing along with creative license, this custom car builder is breaking the mold. Restoring Vintage Porsches with 3D Tools and 3D Printing Using the latest in 3D printing along with creative license, this custom car builder is breaking the mold. Edited by EE Staff Sports Mar 9, 2026 It all started with Rod Emory’s grandfather, Neil Emory who was a well-known custom car builder in Burbank, CA. Rod’s father, Gary Emory, was a countercultural influence whose restyling designs ranged from the original “Baja Bug” to race-inspired street variations of the Porsche 911. The unique Porsche 356 street and competition cars restyled and raced by Rod and Gary, whose aesthetics frequently offended brand “purists,” came to be known, fittingly, as 356 Outlaws. Emory Motorsports restores historically significant Porsche race cars and builds 356 Outlaws in their Oregon and California facilities. The spirit of the Emory bloodline remains true today: to make old Porsches far better than they ever were—mechanically and aesthetically. Yet for the ultimate brand enthusiast, the Emory Special , of which only a precious few have been made, is the benchmark for judging others in the genre. Specials are one-off cars whose combination of design and mechanical components will not be duplicated. Images courtesy of Quickparts and Emory Motorsports. With the technical precision required for today’s manufacturing processes, Rod Emory’s creative team needed to marry old-world fabrication techniques with the latest 3D tools and 3D printing from Quickparts. This combination of scan/design technology and rapid prototyping came in handy when a customer asked Emory to help restyle the windshield frame for an early Porsche Roadster. “Our customer wanted to update the windshield design with a lower and leaner profile than the original, while still paying tribute to the car’s design aesthetics,” said Rod Emory. Using data points acquired by scanning, we were able to restyle the “A-pillars” (the parts of the windshield frame that bookend the glass) within the existing parts’ footprint.” Images courtesy of Quickparts and Emory Motorsports. Since computer simulations can only communicate so much, the Emory team wanted to check the new part’s size and fit on the real-life car before committing to full production. So, they decided to 3D print a prototype with help from Quickparts, an on-demand 3D parts printing service whose customers quickly receive no-obligation quotes for their parts while offering fast online workflows and expert advice. Rod explained that, “Quickparts understands the challenges customers face while sourcing this type of service and the need for comprehensive information and material choice. Their website was easy to navigate. We uploaded our model, talked to customer support about the best printing processes for our part and their respective prices, then plotted a path forward.” Images courtesy of Quickparts and Emory Motorsports. Emory settled on SLA output, using an ABS-like grey material. The part arrived quickly within a five-day turnaround in total. Once the part came in it was test-fit into the vehicle while the customer watched, and who then immediately provided feedback about the design. According to Rod, “The 3D printed part itself had very high fidelity and a perfect finish. This kind of “closed-circuit” validation is critical to successful design processes and wouldn’t have been possible without 3D printing,” Rod said. “On a different kind of project, that print could even have been used as a finished part.” For information: Quickparts Emory Motorsports Read more about automotive technology >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

It’s important to have devices that easily integrate with your present system. Amusement Ride Animatronics with Minimal Maintenance Requirements It’s important to have devices that easily integrate with your present system. Terry Persun Theme Parks Jul 9, 2025 A well-known theme park required an additional electric actuator and motor that was compatible with the drives and controls it was currently using. The application was to reliably support and move a large and heavy animated prop nearly 280 times per day while providing minimal maintenance requirements. The engineering team from Tolomatic was able use the company’s online sizing software to quickly specify the correct actuator and motor and provide a STEP file to the customer the same day the request arrived. Also from EE: Here's How Jurassic World Rebirth Captured the Nostalgia of Film The animated prop moving solution included the Tolomatic B3W electric linear belt drive actuator, which not only fulfilled the customer’s load requirements, but supplied consistent, smooth operation, easy integration using Tolomatic’s “Your Motor Here” program, and provided the long life the customer was looking for. Once selected, the theme park designers were able to use the same motors throughout the park to effortlessly integrate the new attraction into their system. Photo courtesy of Tolomatic The company’s B3W actuators offer a maximum stroke of 100-inches (2.5 meters) with an operating speed of 2.5-3 inches per second (63-76 mm/sec). As a belt drive actuator, the device is capable of accommodating very heavy loads as well as handling high bending moments with consistently smooth operation. The B3W linear belt drive actuators incorporate an enclosed recirculating bearing system eliminating the need for external load guidance. The device comes in three body sizes, incorporates a wide urethane-steel belt that delivers greater thrust with no stretch, and offers strokes up to 574-inches (14,579 mm). Alternate belt materials and extended stroke lengths are available. For more information: Tolomatic Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Lightweight boat demonstrates flexible on-site manufacturing capabilities of 3D printing using industrial robots. Robot 3D Prints Fiberglass Boat Lightweight boat demonstrates flexible on-site manufacturing capabilities of 3D printing using industrial robots. Jonas Micheler, Global Content Marketing Manager Sports Sep 4, 2025 Cool Stuff Strikingly blue, this 6.5 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, 800 kilograms boat, the MAMBO (Motor Additive Manufacturing Boat), is the world’s first 3D printed boat built using KUKA robots—and finished by an expert hand. Moi Composites came up with the idea and then collaborated with leading experts from the automation sector, including Autodesk UK and the boatbuilding industry during the realization of the project. The first 50 percent of the boat was produced at Autodesk’s advanced production facility in Birmingham, which included parts of the hull produced using KUKA robots. Simultaneously, KR Quantec in Milan printed the second half of the boat. Final assembly of the MAMBO was carried out in a shipyard in Milan where the individual components were joined and coated in order to create a one-piece sandwich structure without hull-deck division. The makers want to use the different locations to demonstrate one of the strengths of 3D printing with industrial robots: flexible on-site manufacturing. This process was cloud-based, enabling the team from Moi Composites to monitor progress at all times. All photos courtesy of KUKA. The fiberglass boat is revolutionizing design in boatbuilding Moi Composites unveiled MAMBO to the world at the “Boat Show” in Genoa a few years ago, where it impressed visitors with its unique design: side elements reminiscent of waves and a fin-like form that becomes more accentuated toward the stern. Gabriele Natale and Michele Tonizzo, co-founders of Moi Composites, wanted to use innovative 3D printing with industrial robots to encourage traditional boat builders to exploit the advantages of automation, saying, “This approach not only saves time and materials, but opens up new, unprecedented design possibilities—such as the uniquely-shaped hull of the MAMBO fiberglass boat.” Traditional boatbuilding is not nearly as flexible as 3D printing. Robots have the freedom and precision to produce any conceivable geometric form, including those that could not be realized by other means. All photos courtesy of KUKA. All individual components of MAMBO are made of glass fibers, printed in 3D using the Continuous Fiber Manufacturing (CFM) process patented by Moi Composites. This innovative 3D printing process starts as a three-dimensional model that is processed by software and implemented using robots such as the KR QUANTEC. In this way, the KR QUANTEC can process continuous fibers that are impregnated with thermosetting resin. CFM not only saves unnecessary weight but also enables a core to be printed that increases the stability of the boat. The technology offers further advantages, too: real-time curing without the need for specific molds. This reduces costs and lowers the profit threshold for companies even in the case of small batches. For more information: KUKA Moi Composites Autodesk KR Quantec Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Engineers had to overcome challenges such as durability, weatherproofing, and isolated locations when designing a scale to track hive numbers, winter honey reserves, and more. Beekeepers Are Buzzing Over a Hive Monitoring System with Hourly Reports Engineers had to overcome challenges such as durability, weatherproofing, and isolated locations when designing a scale to track hive numbers, winter honey reserves, and more. Edited by EE Staff Cool Stuff Feb 2, 2026 Hobbies Beekeepers wishing to stay focused on their bees and harvests needed a way to continually monitor their hives. One way to do this would be to create a source of information that would be easy to decipher, such as the number of bees leaving the hive or an accurate estimate of the winter honey reserve. To do this, Thierry De Vreese, director of HoneyInstruments, put the first elements of a connected hive scale on paper. Technical challenges included how to create a highly accurate energy self-sufficient and absolutely reliable scale capable of delivering data in sometimes very isolated locations. The final product had to be extremely robust, very easy to use, weatherproof, and within a reasonable budget. The connected scale is aimed at professionals who generally work with more than 150 beehives, most often in transhumance: the hives are transported to different areas depending on the flowering season and the type of flowers to produce a specific honey. Images courtesy of HBK. To evaluate the weight of the hive with precision, HoneyInstruments incorporated the PW10 load cell developed by HBK. This device can measure a weight of up to 300 kg with an accuracy of 20 grams, has minimal power consumption, and is known to be totally reliable. The load cell operates outdoors and can easily withstand the harsh winters and hot summers that hives are often subjected to. With an accuracy of 20 grams, it is possible to estimate the entry or exit of about 200 bees. A hive contains more than 50,000 bees. The sensor is fixed in the heart of a metal structure known as a double H structure, which forms two support arms. The lower part is placed on the ground and connected to one side of the sensor, the upper part supports the hive and presses on the other end of the sensor. This structure creates a deformation proportional to the weight of the hive. A temperature sensor located in the housing completes the weight information. However, this is not the temperature inside the hive but the temperature outside in the local environment. Images courtesy of HBK. The sensor is powered by an electronics box that performs several essential functions and is powered from a single 3.7-volt lithium battery. The battery is changed once a year and has been preferred to the more expensive and more fragile solar collector. Once digitized, the signals of the hive's weight variations must be transmitted to the user. Beekeepers place their hives in places chosen for the quality of their flowers but often isolated from any communication network. GSM technology has been automatically excluded because it uses far too much energy. To solve the transmission issue, HoneyInstruments chose the Sigfox network. This network uses the ISM frequency band, which is particularly well suited to long-range, low-speed exchanges in rural areas. Images courtesy of HBK. This is because the hourly weight and temperature information does not represent a large volume of data. The range is about 40 km with a simple antenna of about thirty centimeters. The network of 2000 antennas cover more than 95% of the territory and is present in 70 countries. Once transmitted, the data is transferred to the Internet network and made available to the user on the Cloud HoneyInstruments platform. Users accesses their data using the serial number of the hive. Beekeepers generally have a great deal of knowledge about what is happening in the hive at different times of the day and in different seasons. Weighing results confirm day after day the evolution of the swarm and the normal course of these events. All of this attention results in fewer hive movements and an optimal honey harvest. For more information: HBK Load Cells HoneyInstruments Sigfox Read other articles about bees >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Vertical take-off and landing aircraft uses hydrogen-electric technology to complete landmark 523-mile flight. This Electric Air Taxi has Only One Byproduct: Water Vertical take-off and landing aircraft uses hydrogen-electric technology to complete landmark 523-mile flight. Cool Stuff Jul 29, 2025 On June 30, 2025 Joby Aviation, Inc., a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service announced that its electric air taxi has completed a series of piloted, electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) wingborne flights in Dubai, marking the start of its commercial market readiness efforts in the region. These efforts will further develop Joby’s readiness in anticipation of carrying its first passengers in 2026 and marks a major step in the company’s three-pronged commercialization strategy: direct operations, aircraft sales, and regional partnerships. In July of 2024, Joby demonstrated its potential for emissions-free regional journeys. The company’s hydrogen-electric air taxi demonstrator had built on Joby’s successful battery-electric air taxi development program and demonstrated the potential for hydrogen to unlock emissions-free, regional journeys that didn’t require a runway. The hydrogen-electric program built on technology developed by Joby subsidiary H2FLY and was supported through Joby’s partnership with the U.S. Air Force’ Agility Prime program. The landmark test flight, believed to be the first forward flight of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft powered by liquid hydrogen had been completed using a converted Joby pre-production prototype battery-electric aircraft fitted with a liquid hydrogen fuel tank and fuel cell system. It landed with 10% of its hydrogen fuel load remaining. Jacob Wilson, (Acting) Branch Chief, AFWERX Agility Prime, said: "Agility Prime has been very supportive of hydrogen-powered aircraft development and testing as it aligns with the program’s goals to advance transformative vertical lift technologies and broader Department of Defense operational energy goals of energy substitution and diversification, and energy demand reduction.” All photos courtesy of Joby Aviation Joby’s hydrogen-electric demonstrator was part of the Company’s future technology program and was the result of several years of collaboration between a small team at Joby and H2FLY, Joby’s wholly-owned subsidiary based in Stuttgart, Germany. The converted aircraft previously completed more than 25,000 miles of testing as a battery-electric aircraft at Joby’s base in Marina, CA. Using the same airframe and overall architecture as Joby’s core, battery-electric aircraft, this demonstrator featured a liquid hydrogen fuel tank, designed and built by Joby, which stored up to 40 kilograms of liquid hydrogen, alongside a reduced mass of batteries. Hydrogen was fed into a fuel cell system, designed and built by H2FLY, to produce electricity, water, and heat. The electricity produced by the hydrogen fuel cell powered the six electric motors on the Joby aircraft, while the batteries provided additional power primarily during take-off and landing. As part of Joby’s wider commitment to leading the way on the development of new aviation technologies, it recently acquired Xwing Inc., an industry leader in the development of autonomous technology for aviation. Xwing has been flying autonomous aircraft since 2020, with 250 fully autonomous flights and more than 500 auto-landings completed to date, using the Superpilot software it developed in-house. For more information: Joby Aviation H2FLY U.S. Air Force’ Agility Prime program Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

The ride required energy supply and data transmission capabilities for every vehicle along the track, operating both indoors and outside. Steel Roller Coaster Hybrid Ride Uses Advanced Conductor Rail System The ride required energy supply and data transmission capabilities for every vehicle along the track, operating both indoors and outside. Edited by EE Staff Theme Parks Dec 1, 2025 The steel roller coaster dark ride hybrid “ARTHUR—Minimoy’s Kingdom” offers attendees an immersive as well as dynamic adventure, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor sections for a one-of-a-kind ride experience. Designed as an Inverted Powered Coaster, the ride maintains smooth acceleration, precise motion control, and an engaging journey for riders of all ages. With its innovative design and seamless integration into the themed environment, “ARTHUR—Minimoy’s Kingdom” sets increased standards for themed entertainment. Image courtesy of Europa Park and Conductix. Conductix-Wampfler supplied the advanced Conductor Rail System, ensuring a reliable energy supply and data transmission for seven ride vehicles along the track. The system includes anti-condensation heating in outdoor and adjacent indoor areas, guaranteeing optimal performance under varying conditions. Image courtesy of Conductix. The SinglePowerLine 0812 conductor rail system is used as a standard product to power bridge-, portal- and process cranes, but can also be used on a wide variety of other applications, such as amusement rides and people movers, where higher amperages are needed. The safe, refined connector system and clip-on rail holders, in combination with optional mounting brackets, permit fast, economical assembly. Image courtesy of Conductix. Available with different rail materials, suitable for most industrial as well as theme park environments, this single pole conductor rail offers easy expandability, simple and precise installation, clip-on rail holder for easy and economical assembly, and a finger-safe design with high-quality insulation. The SinglePowerLine 0812 provides IP21 (vertical installation) and IP23 (horizontal installation) ratings to the user. The device is okay to use in multiple indoor and outdoor environments in temperature ranges from -15 to +55 o C. From engineering and supply to installation and commissioning, Conductix-Wampfler played a crucial role in enabling the ride’s smooth and efficient operation. For more information: Conductix-Wampfler Single PowerLine 0812 Read more about theme parks >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

3D Printing is a game-changer in the movie and digital EFX industry. Large build volume and reliability at an affordable price for stunning special effects design has become a no-brainer investment. Film Studios and 3D Printing 3D Printing is a game-changer in the movie and digital EFX industry. Large build volume and reliability at an affordable price for stunning special effects design has become a no-brainer investment. Terry Persun Film and TV Jun 17, 2025 Veteran Makeup FX Artists Steve Yang and Eddie Wang from Alliance Studio—an entertainment design and build studio—discuss how 3D printing with Raise3D has shaped the new era of special effects and sculpture creation. Steve Yang: I moved to L.A. to get into the makeup effects industry. This was a time when the movie The Thing had come out already, American Werewolf in London , The Howling . These were huge innovations in makeup effects. I was lucky enough to get in with Stan Winston Studios when I first got here and work for him for a few months. Then I went to Rick Baker’s as a sculptor for Harry and the Henderson’s. And I think, it wasn’t until shortly after that I met Eddie. He was 17. Here’s this amazing kid, really talented, and he wanted to meet me. We instantly hit it off and have been friends ever since. Eddie Wang: Steve had this completely unique way of doing things. At the time everything was humanoid, what we called a “safe design.” It was all monster paint jobs using purples and flesh tones. Everything was done in a very boring fashion. And then Steve showed up to the monster maker contest with this hermit crab inspired, sea creature amphibian paint job with this samurai kilt underneath everybody was like, “Oh my God, it’s beautiful, it’s designed well, it’s something we’ve never seen before.” Steve Yang: In those days, everything we did in the industry was started with clay. We’d do maquettes, but our final products were always done in clay. And when I slowly moved out of the makeup effects arena, I started getting more into creating statues for video games. The first one I did was for Blizzard back in 2004, and it wasn’t until 2010 when they came to me, and they had this giant robot guy named Jim Raynor, a guy in the robot suit and they show me the 3D model and say, “We want you to make this.” At that point, it was totally different from what I’ve done before. Before everything was done traditionally, and now I’ve got this giant robot. And so that’s the first time that I really got into digital. Digital printing is a huge part of what we do now. A while back digital printing was something relatively new, now it’s everywhere. Every studio has a 3D printer. It just makes so much more sense. They are so much easier to work with. Plus it’s a one-to-one operation. You design stuff on the computer digitally and you get exactly what you designed. The first printer we ever bought was a Makerbot, but it was too small, and we needed something bigger, we need solutions. So, we started researching into larger printers, and we looked at every company. I think we were on a tour of Blizzard Studios when Brian Faison said you should look into Raise3D. Sure enough we contacted John over at Raise3D and he had a printer here ASAP. He rolled it out of the truck, plugged it in, and showed us how to use it. That was pretty much the history. What we got with Raise3D was a bigger build space and higher resolution. We were able to actually make some of the parts we needed for the big life-size statues. We print them, take them to the back, clean them up, and do a regular finishing on them. You can’t tell the difference between that and the parts that we actually farm out to the big printing companies. You do one job, and it pays for the printer. Oh yeah, the price was a huge thing because the ones we were looking at were two and three times more than a Raise3D printer. We were expecting to purchase one system, but we were able to afford two of them. Since then, we have recommended Raise3D to so many people. As artists, and being creative every day, we think of unique ways of utilizing this technology and the machinery. We can do things that we have never done before. See conversation video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYd7eS4o2ws&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.raise3d.com%2Fcase%2Fthe-advanced-tech-behind-movies-heres-why-every-film-studio-now-owns-a-3d-printer%2F See Alliance Studios video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=ZDGIuNLDvXM&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Falliancestudios.gg%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Falliancestudios.gg&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjIsMjg2NjY For information: Raise3D: Https://www.Raise3d.com Raise3D Demo Videos: https://www.raise3d.com/demo-video/ Alliance Studios: https://alliancestudios.gg/ Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

An optical/infrared telescope recently got a mirror control upgrade that is more accurate and cuts costs. Pneumatic Telescope Controls Adjust for Atmospheric Variation Automatically An optical/infrared telescope recently got a mirror control upgrade that is more accurate and cuts costs. Edited by Terry Persun Cool Stuff Mar 24, 2026 The Canada-France-Hawaii hosts a world-class, 3.6-meter optical/infrared telescope. The observatory is located at the 4,200 meter summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano located on the island of Hawaii. The mission of the CFH Telescope (CFHT) is to provide its user community with a versatile and state-of-the-art astronomical observing facility. The CFHT’s primary mirror is positioned on a set of pneumatic puck assemblies, and three hardpoints for stability. This design maintains the mirror figure throughout varying gravity vectors by modulating the pneumatic pressure that follows a cosine curve from zenith to horizon. Twenty-four pneumatic puck assemblies are placed around the mirror cell in two concentric circles, with fifteen pads forming the outside ring and nine on the inner ring. Load cells are mounted on each of the hardpoints to monitor the pneumatic support performance. Photos courtesy of Proportion Air. A geometry constraint, bending of mirror cell, even with compliant pads, will cause uneven pressure support on the mirror causing unintended bending and stress concentrations. Incorporating a pressure constraint allows the mirror support to be independent of mirror cell bending. The original cosine regulator incorporated a passive, mechanically based, open loop system, using mass and gravity to regulate the pressures driving the inner and outer rings of the support system’s pneumatic mirror pucks. Although this had been a reliable method for years, the mechanical regulator required constant air bleed to maintain the proper pressures. This resulted in a very high air compressor duty cycle, which meant excessive electrical costs and air compressor usage. Photos courtesy of Proportion Air. A full evaluation of the system indicated that incoming pressure to each regulator needed to be supplied by at least 0.0353 CFPS at 72 psi. That is 3049 cu-ft at 72 psi/day/regulator. Pressure to each controller had to be regulated to 35 psi +/- 2.85 psi. Controllers (regulators) were required to be aligned in two planes to within 2 arc-min. An alignment error of 3 minutes would cause a system error of 0.05% (0.005 psi) at a zenith angle of 90 degrees. Each of the nine inner pads provided 1086 lbf at zenith, and each of the fifteen outer pads provide 1034 lbf at zenith—totaling of 25,284 lbs (12.64 tons). Total load for the nine inner pads, fifteen outer pads, and three defining points needed to be 28,433 lbs. Design Objectives In addition to meeting the necessary specifications for fault tolerances and fail-safes to reduce repair time in the case of damage, the objectives for the new regulator upgrade included minimizing component count, using altitude-rated components when possible and minimizing the use of electrolytic capacitors. The new design also had to prevent control from faulty Raspberry Pi. Plus, the plan included using automotive-qualified parts and low-temperature dependent parts wherever possible. The new design would provide a high level of reliability. A secondary, but equally important aspect of the design was meant to achieve a high level of maintainability. This included having tested spare parts on-hand, minimizing the number of custom parts required, and using legacy CFHT components wherever possible. The design was also to use MIL-SPEC bulkhead connectors to the outside world. Finally, it was important to have online parameter tuning for the system. Proportion-Air provided the CFHT with a new highly accurate, closed-loop system that incorporated a microprocessor to control the company’s QBX electronic variable pressure regulators, while strategically placed pressure sensors provided the required feedback. Most importantly, the system does not require constant air bleed. Photos courtesy of Proportion Air. The new system was installed and tested extensively prior to being released for operations. It was calibrated and tuned to match the performance of the previously existing cosine regulator. Since the mirror support system was critical to providing image quality and damage to the mirror pucks could incur many man-hours of work, the new system was designed with multiple redundant features that allowed for either false-safe or fault-tolerant, depending on the failure mode. While all of the components were chosen to ensure high reliability and safety, the circuit board was specifically designed with hardware limitations that intentionally prevented damage to the system. Programming philosophies were adopted from the space industry to ensure robust, standalone operation. Proven command lockout schemes and control philosophies ensured safe command and setting of the new system gains. By design, the system prevents the pneumatic pads from over-pressurizing. Cost Savings and Improved Accuracy The original system cost was around $65,000, which today translates to roughly $400,000, including non-recurring engineering (NRE) costs. The pneumatic replacement system—including the necessary regulators—cost only $5,000, primarily thanks to its simplicity and not having to start from scratch. An estimated $17,000 in annual energy savings is expected to be realized, and other optimizations to the dry air system could increase the savings even further. Ultimately, the customer reports that the new system, using Proportion-Air regulators, is much more accurate and does not require constant bleed. This reduces the air compressor’s duty cycle, electrical cost, and usage. For more information: Proportion Air CFHT QBX Pressure Regulator Read more about telescopes >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

An interview with Entertainment Engineering co-founder Terry Persun about the magazine's relaunch WATCH: Why Now is the Best Time for Entertainment Engineering's Relaunch An interview with Entertainment Engineering co-founder Terry Persun about the magazine's relaunch Videos Aug 7, 2025 Cool Stuff Terry Persun and Joe Gillard discuss Entertainment Engineering Magazine's digital relaunch and why engineers should care. Entertainment Engineering focuses on the engineering behind entertainment, including films TV, sports, stage, and more. Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next