Coaster Wheel Simulation Project

View the full written report on this study here

In 2018, I had the opportunity to work as a rides technician intern at SeaWorld Orlando on the B&M flying coaster Manta. Being a flying coaster, Manta tilts its rider chassis toward the ground before traversing the track layout providing a unique experience for guests. Flying coasters have a distinctive feel for riders due to their heavy trains containing additional components for the tilting mechanisms of this ride model. As such, I wondered if an important element of the ride vehicle could be modified to reduce ride vehicle weight - the wheel. Flying coasters use a larger wheel size for both upstop and load wheels, and with nine rows per train (including the pilot car) with eight of these wheels per row, they make up almost 3.5% of the total unloaded vehicle's weight. A weight reduction in this component could reduce the weight of the trains, and reduce the wheel's moment of inertia, resulting in an increased rotational stability at the high speeds coaster trains travel.

To begin, the wheel geometry was recreated in SolidWorks CAD software. This was done by sketching a 2 dimensional wheel profile and revolving the profile around the central axis of the wheel.

The simulation process began by defining a linear static finite element method simulation in SolidWorks Simulation. A load was applied on the surface created at the top of the wheel to simulate vehicle weight acting on the coaster track by the wheel. Loads for the simulation were calculated from empty train weights, ASTM F2291 requirements (300 lb rider weight), and maximum g-forces experienced on the coaster (4.5 G's, but 5 was used for this study).

Constraints were applied where bearings support the wheel in cutouts on both sides of the wheel. Fixed constraints were applied at these locations to mimic the support provided by the wheel bearings.

A mesh was then created on the wheel geometry using elements with edge lengths of 0.25 inches. Refinement was needed in areas with small geometric features and locations of high stress concentrations.

Then the simulation was run and resultant stresses and displacements were found. Results can be seen below:

As can be seen, there is a high factor of safety in this design (minimum FOS of 4.7). Using assumptions for this project (from above) I set out to create a lighter wheel with a minimum factor of safety of 4.

Modifications were made to the wheel geometry as cutouts in the wheel. Slot and circular profiles were cut out of the wheel with various sizes, quantity of cutouts, and orientations of slots. Results can be seen in the report above.

As can be seen from this FOS plot, a significant reduction in maximum FOS took place, resulting in a minimum FOS of 4.15 at the edge of the hole below the applied load. Additional geometries for the cutouts in the profile were tested, as well as simplifications to the geometry to minimize computational power required to solve these FEM problems. Various plots and a p-adaptive solving method were used to justify the simulation results.