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Altra powertrain components set the stage at Théâtre du Chatelet
As any theatre goer knows, immersion is everything. To help the audience get truly lost in the story, actors and directors rely on multiple stage effects controlled by winches, allowing sets and props to be quickly deployed for the next scene.
These winch assemblies include power transmission equipment, which must be incredibly quiet and highly reliable to preserve the audience’s experience. To ensure this, BC Caire, a leading French manufacturer of stage equipment, turned to Warner Electric brakes, Stromag limit switches and Huco couplings during the recent renovation of the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris.
The 2,500-seat Théâtre du Chatelet was initially completed in 1862, hosting stage productions, operas and ballets throughout its history. The theatre has undergone multiple renovations, the latest of which was completed in 2019. As part of this €31 M refurbishment, the interior, HVAC system, accessibility and electricals of the building were all overhauled. However, the project provided an opportunity to renovate the stage too. This entailed the addition of new lights, video screens and scenery moving systems.
Several Altra components were incorporated into the theater’s stage scenery winch drive assemblies during the renovation.
The goal of this aspect of the project was to deliver increased creative freedom to productions and their directors. This entailed installing new systems to move scenery and video screens with increased speed. To achieve this, larger capacity motors and winches were installed to move both at speeds from 1.2 m/s up to 1.6 m/s, matched with advanced controls that allow a single stage hand to operate each of the 14 lifts simultaneously.
This arrangement required a motor brake that combined both performance and quiet operation. The very acoustics within the theatre designed to project actors’ voices also serve to amplify the noise produced by equipment backstage. Mechanical noise can greatly affect audience immersion, so specifying a quiet solution was paramount.
Stromag Series 51 Limit Switch and EZX Tooth Clutch assemblies provide packaged convenience and the extremely quiet Warner Electric FENIX Brakes are ideal for use in theatre applications.
BC Caire opted for ERS FENIX 10 electrically released brakes from Warner Electric, featuring a single magnet and two friction discs for increased torque capacity. Specifically developed for elevator and theatre applications, the FENIX range features a specialised braking mechanism with internal dampening, which delivers an operating noise below 45 dB(A). The models specified offered a maximum torque rating of 1,600 Nm and a diameter of 274 mm. This allows the brake to provide the required stopping power without disturbing the audience.
Accommodating misalignment had been an issue on for the couplings installed on the previous winch assemblies, so to provide a solution, Huco Flex Ni bellows couplings were fitted to overcome it. The Flex Ni features a high torsional stiffness that is matched with a capability to accommodate large amounts of lateral and angular misalignment. This improves rotational position integrity, while ensuring that the assemblies operate with high reliability. Precision Huco Flex-M disc couplings were also fitted to drive encoders.
Flex Ni couplings provide rotation position integrity. This is achieved through high torsional stiffness while still accommodating large amounts of lateral and angular misalignment due to low spring rates in these directions.
Stromag limit switches are a popular selection in theatre applications globally. In this case, Stromag Series 51 limit switches were matched with backlash-free EZX Tooth Clutches as complete assemblies. The EZX is typically mounted directly onto the limit switch housing. The Series 51 includes a patented planetary gear and can offer a wide range of gear ratios up to 16,000 turns. This package is widely utilised in stage hoisting applications thanks to its reliability and seamless integration.
Huco, Stromag and Warner Electric are all leading brands of the Altra Industrial Motion Corp., each offering proven track records in demanding industrial applications globally. This affinity ensures complete interoperability across products from different brands, which allows specifiers to build highly specialised and reliable assemblies. In the case of the winch assemblies at Théâtre du Chatelet, this seamless integration and inbuilt durability delivered a combination of both quiet operation and high reliability. For the foreseeable future, the only noise coming from the stage will be drama and applause.
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