Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
_______________
A Thesis
Presented to the
Faculty of
_______________
In Partial Fulfillment
with a Concentration in
_______________
by
Justin R. Kidwell
Fall 2012
iii
Copyright © 2012
by
Justin R. Kidwell
DEDICATION
inspirational guidance and instruction throughout my graduate school career. It was he who
gave me the initial impetus and opportunity to take part in such a tremendous endeavor.
Loren’s attentive counseling has fostered in me a deep appreciation and affinity for the
unique brand of technology and workmanship that he passes down. I will always be grateful
for his invariable support and concern which has enabled me to attain goals I never thought
possible.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ABSTRACT ...............................................................................................................................v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................x
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1
2 CONCEPTION ..............................................................................................................4
3 DESIGN .........................................................................................................................8
Power .....................................................................................................................11
Transmission ..........................................................................................................16
Guidance ................................................................................................................18
4 FABRICATION ...........................................................................................................32
APPENDICES
LIST OF TABLES
PAGE
LIST OF FIGURES
PAGE
Figure 12. Dominic displaying how the moving platform frame will sit once
completed. ....................................................................................................................45
Figure 29. The A-Team (Justin Kidwell, June Higginbotham & Dominic Abbenante). .........53
x
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to acknowledge the remarkable efforts of all those who helped me with
this project along the way. The work was never easy and the hours were always long but my
friends helped me none the less. You all have my sincerest gratitude. In particular I would
like to give the biggest thanks to Dominic Abbenante and June Higginbotham. Without their
tireless support and dedication, this venture would simply not have been possible. I consider
myself blessed to have the love and attentions of two such remarkable friends. Additionally, I
must express appreciation to Justin Salbato who guided my learning throughout this process
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
What is the difference between a standard elevator and a 5 horsepower, chain driven,
cantilevered lift system with programmable operations and additional pneumatic safety? In a
general way, they are both conveyance systems capable of vertical transportation of people or
goods between levels of a building or structure. They are also similar in that both require a
massive amount of research and development to operate successfully and without harm to
those who ride inside them. In a more precise way however, they differ greatly in that I have
never designed and fabricated an elevator yet have successfully done just that with a lift
system.
In the world of theatre, creative ideas run rampant. Even in the technical side of this
artistic field, imagination can’t be kept from spilling over into everyday tasks. While this
usually makes for an incredibly enjoyable workplace, there can also be an unfortunate lack of
accountability where safety is concerned. Many theatre technicians are gifted with inspired
minds for creation, but as an arts education is more often than not devoid of any formalized
training in engineering, severe danger can be much closer than expected. Given the current
trend of engineering and technology in theatre, productions are only going to get bigger and
more complex. The demand for technicians with working knowledge in more advanced
when this foray into the unknown involves the ability to harm one’s self and others, however,
2
that caution is required and steps taken to prevent accidents from occurring. I am reminded of
the old adage “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing”. One must be very honest with one’s
self to know one’s limitations and take head not to overstep one’s own ability without first
ensuring a safe work space. It is when you reach the extent of your own experiences and by
pushing further that scholarship can be attained. These are rules that I clung to tightly as I
Why a lift system? What makes this project so significant that it merits a volume to
document it? To answer this question context is key. It may not be so remarkable to see such
a project originate from say, a mechanical engineering or even automotive department where
such intricate examples of work may be more commonplace but in the theatre, projects of
this caliber are anything but common. Multifaceted systems created specifically for flexible
use in a theatrical environment are produce by a very small list of specialized companies,
making such systems very expensive and quite rare outside of major city theatres. By
comparison, the notion that such a system could be designed and manufactured at a fraction
of the cost, and by students no less, out of a state college arts department, would seem
farfetched.
This text documents the monumental effort made by a small team of students who
wanted to challenge their capabilities. Assisted by a handful of advisors who desired little
more than to help us succeed, my partners and I successfully brought to life an automated
system far exceeding our combined capabilities. This was achieved by immersing ourselves
completely in the topics necessary to become proficient in all aspects of the system. Learning
at an accelerated rate was required by all to ensure that the maiden voyage of the lift was
accomplished before a scheduled deadline and nothing less than excellence would be
3
acceptable. Directing us every step of the way was a stern standard for safety and a ticking
clock. It is this trial by fire, from conception through completion, which is described in the
CHAPTER 2
CONCEPTION
No matter how grand the scale, sophisticated the design or intricate the planning, all
great undertakings are born from diminutive origins--a core concept or ideal from which all
problem, an easier way to complete a task or even a challenge to what is considered possible
by current technology, a concept is born simple. Ideas aspire to be great. They are useless on
their own but given the right environment and support, ideas can help foster immense
possibilities.
Once a concept is founded the possibilities of how to proceed abound. From a stream
of ideas and theories, a natural progression of events and list of necessities will become
apparent to the inventor. These will become steps along the way that must be completed
before the final goal may be attained. Think of the great minds of the past, sitting on the
earth, gazing at the heavens, longing to touch the stars. Astrophysics and space shuttles
where certainly not created overnight but guided by the list of necessities along the way,
scientists put these great contributions into existence and thus made the distance separating
man from his skyward endeavor that much shorter. Of course few goals are as lofty as space
travel but the central idea of invention, from concept through completion is no different and
While no astronauts were created in the undertaking of this project, I pushed many
boundaries and explored new areas of understanding. In keeping with the previously
5
mentioned structure of invention, this project’s concept was created with only one goal in
mind. The project, which even in its infancy was referred to simply as ”the lift”, was called to
life in response to a single question from my mentor Loren Schreiber (Faculty Professor and
Director of Technology at San Diego State University’s Department of Theatre), “Why don’t
we make our own [lift system] and rent it out?” Little did I know at the time how large an
For better understanding of the project’s creation, it is necessary to pause and give
context to the Department of Theatre at San Diego State University and their use of
technology in a theatre environment. While the department boasts a large scenic construction
shop, with access to an impressive amount of tools and advanced equipment, it is what is
hiding in the basement that truly defines its level of technical sophistication. Managed by
Loren Schreiber, The San Diego Theatre Arts Research Laboratory, or S.T.A.R. Lab, is
housed in the lower level of the Don Powell Theatre Building. It is here that technical theatre
magic happens. The lab is a facility dedicated to the creation and refinement of machinery
and effects, specialized for use in not only the school’s theatrical productions, but
professional theatres across the country. Often aligned under the single category of
“automation,” technology used by students in the lab includes, but is certainly not limited to,
electronics, and motorized winch systems. Add in the access to fully operational wood and
metalworking shops, also housed in the theatre, and students can produce almost anything the
mind can envision. While, when left in disarray, the lab can resemble a mad scientist’s
workshop, this is a space where amazing inventions in theatre technology come into being; a
place where students are limited only by their own imaginations and desire to learn.
6
It is in this breeding ground for creativity that I spent the majority of my time as a
graduate student. Whether working as an assistant building an effect system for a show or
going to class, the STAR Lab quickly became my home away from home. Given the nature
of the lab, it should be no surprise that this is where the idea of the lift project first came
about. It was during an informal conversation between Schreiber and me that he revealed the
San Diego Opera was in need of a lift system for their production of Faust in the coming
season and they were inquiring around town for possible rental of such a system. This is
when Schreiber posed what seemed at that time, to be a simple proposition, “Why don’t we
make our own [lift system] and rent it out?” What followed was a series of back and forth
Department’s metal shop, rented to the San Diego Opera and then returned for the
It was at some point during this free exchange of ideas that the project began to
become more concrete. The possibilities seemed limitless and our conversations were
exciting. Over the course of the following weeks, meetings between Schreiber and me
became more detailed, focusing on specific components and operations of the theoretical lift
system. Ideas were proposed, dismissed, tweaked and then dismissed again. This pattern
continued until the day that Schreiber approached me in theatre’s metal working area with
word that he had corresponded with the Opera’s Technical Director John David Peters
regarding the lift. Not only was Peters interested in our lift idea, he had already approved
payment of half of the agreed upon rental fee up front to get our proposed contraption out of
the concept phase and into design and fabrication. This was the day that my lift ceased to be
7
an idea and became a project. The following months would prove to be very productive, yet
challenging, times.
8
CHAPTER 3
DESIGN
While concepts typically remain fixed, the tactics employed in to fulfill them are
often in flux early in the life of a project. These initial steps in the design process are exciting
but can also become frustrating as large amounts of work and planning can go into a design
scheme, only to have it shot down because any number of logistical or technical conflicts
makes it impossible. This is a prime example of how artistic and mechanical designs differ.
In artistic design, your work can be allowed to evolve and become whatever you wish to
allow. In the mechanical realm however, constraints are plentiful and your design may be
forced to fit within a very precise set of parameters to be even considered feasible. It is vital
to outline your design process in broad strokes with requirements in mind and not make any
assumptions on what will or will not work. Instead of seeing these constraints as a limitation
to one’s artistic vision, one should look to them as guidelines--markers that will push one’s
work in the appropriate direction when one may not know where to go next.
The establishment of the parameters for my system was the first step in the design
process. During this phase I generated as many questions as I could pertaining to the lift’s
necessary attributes. How and where will it be used specifically? How large does it need to
be? How much weight must it carry? How fast is it required to move? Are all of these
specifications possible to combine and be fulfilled safely? Basic questions such as these
shaped my initial understanding of the system’s require capabilities. Only after having the
answers to these queries would I then be free to let my imagination wander and begin putting
9
possible components together in my mind. Once I determined the general outline of how the
lift must perform, it was time to move on to the far more specific challenges of how to meet
Armed with a barrage of questions that would shape the future of my mechanical
design, I was now ready to have a meeting with the technical director of the San Diego
Opera, John David Peters, the man who would be renting our lift, once completed. Schreiber
had made an appointment with Peters so that we would be able to talk specifics with him as
well as tour the San Diego Civic Theatre where the lift was to be installed. This allowed us to
take much needed measurements of the theatre as well as discuss with Peters the specific
uses of the system in their upcoming production of Faust. We did not have much time with
Peters since he was in the midst of overseeing a union crew loading out a large scale set, but
he took the time to answer our questions. Peters’ responses along with the help of a camera,
tape measure and a finely calibrated laser distance meter, gave me much of the information I
would need for planning the lift. All in all, it was a very successful first meeting.
During our meeting, Peters explained to us that the lift would function in the opera as
a gateway to hell. One of the principal characters in the tragedy is a devil named
Mephistopheles who appears multiple times to the title character, Faust. For the purposes of
this production, the set design called for Mephistopheles to enter the stage from the basement
through a trap door in the floor. The missing panel in the floor would be concealed by a set
piece designed to look like a well. Mephistopheles would rise from below in a cloud of
sulphur, as if arriving from Hell. Peters’ insisted that the system must be absolutely safe for
the actors and technicians working around it. And it needed to be very quite so it would not
be heard by the audience or disrupt the orchestra musicians who would be in very close
10
proximity. And finally, it needed to be consistent. It simply had to work every time without
fail or the whole show could come to a screeching halt. Failure is not an acceptable scenario
With Peters’ parameters in mind, the measurements that I paid the closest attention to,
and made sure to triple check, were those pertaining to the stage trap door and the basement
area under and around it. Using a laser distance meter I verified measurements down to one
thirty-second of an inch from multiple spots on the floor of the basement up to the structural
beams of the stage and steel bracing of the trap door sections. Additionally, since I knew it
would be difficult to return for measurements again in the future, I used a tape measure to
plot nearby obstructions and important elements of the space. These included walkways,
structural pillars, air ducting, and access to electrical panels. Finally, I documented our tour
of the space with a small handheld video camera, taking note of the dimensions of entryways
and elevators so that I could decide how to get such a large contraption into the basement.
The video also served well as a review in cases where any of the notes that I took during my
time there were unclear when I returned to them for vital information.
Having collected multiple pages of notes and measurements pertaining to the venue, I
began drafting the space into AutoCAD. Entering all of these essential figures into one base
drawing file would provide me with a scaled, visual representation of the theatre that could
be referenced in the future and would be much easier to decipher than pages of seemingly
random numbers. I took the time to generate separate section views from the sides and front
as well as a plan view from above which included all nearby obstructions. Having multiple
views and sections of the area the lift would occupy allowed me to project a three
dimensional view of the theatre’s basement and the lift’s spatial constraints. The drawing of
11
the Civic Theatre’s trap room would serve as the foundation for all the system’s design
drawings to follow.
SYSTEM PROFILE
Having completed the drawing, which outlined the dimensions within which the
system must fit, it was time to decide what type of lift system should be designed. With an
array of compelling possibilities from which to choose, it was far more than a question of
what the lift should look like. My head was again swarming with questions demanding
answers before I could progress further in the design. What type of power source should be
used? How will the power be transmitted? What will hold the carriage solidly but also allow
for its free translation? More and more questions pushed forward, begging to shape the
framework of the project’s future. Unfortunately, none had clear cut, right or wrong answers.
Every option required more than a cursory glance. Time and research was poured into each
choice in order to weigh their relative, overall compatibility with our requirements. Price,
lead time, complexity as well as flexibility of use would all be defining factors in judging
whether or not I went in one direction or another. The following sections in this chapter
provide a brief glance into the process I followed for selecting each major component of the
lift system and why I made that choice over other viable alternatives.
POWER
Wanting to get the broad aspects of the system ironed out before moving to finer
details, it only made sense for me to begin with choosing the power source of the lift. What
would be used to propel the vertical translation of the lift’s carriage? Like the other areas of
the design, this question revealed an even larger number of unknowns. Additional parameters
would need to be determined before an assessment of the options could be made: how much
12
weight should the lift be able to carry; how fast should it move? All decision made at this
point would affect many future options down the line, so it was critical that the repercussions
of any decisions be considered and examined before moving further. While some of the
significant questions could be answered by simply looking at the drawing of the empty
theatre space, others could only be answered by taking into account many different factors.
After much contemplation, three characteristics of the system stood out to me as most
affecting the choice of power supply: force needed, speed required and distance to be
traveled. I arranged a meeting of my team and we set upon making the necessary decisions.
After much back and forth discussion of the options we thought best, we established rules for
The jury was in. The lift would now be designed to elevate and lower a load of 1,000
second. Since the lift would need a relatively small footprint in order to fit within the spatial
constraints of the installation and would carry only actors, the somewhat low weight capacity
was deemed acceptable and within the scope of use. In the interest of safety however, the lift,
while having a stated load limit of 1,000 pounds, would actually be capable of safely
sustaining 2,000 pounds of weight in the event it was accidently overloaded while at stage
level. I considered this an essential factor due to the possibility that the lift, while at stage
level, could be easily mistaken for an ordinary section of flooring and treated as such. This
would not be a problem for a few cast members walking across the weaker structure but
terrifying for a technician in a 1,500 pound, drivable Genie Lift. With these specifications
While a number of power options and set-ups were put on the table, the final decision
was among three competitors. The first of the trio to be removed from contention was
hydraulic pressure. While hydraulics are capable of immense force, far exceeding the amount
we required, there were some large drawbacks which removed it from the list. Among the
major downsides was the large number of accessory parts and components needed simply to
run the motor. A reservoir, hoses, filter, control valves--not to mention the indispensable and
often very loud fluid pump. Also there was the fact that hydraulic systems can become
extremely messy, even when well maintained. I decided that this option was too large, messy,
and loud for our purpose. Next to be knocked off the list of contenders was pneumatics. An
air pressure system offered many of the same positive points as the hydraulic fluid system
but had almost none of its drawbacks. Pneumatic systems can run clean, quiet and compact.
It almost appeared as though the winner had been found. Unfortunately though, air driven
pistons are not readily accessible at the scale that would be needed for our length of travel.
Even if such large scale pistons could be found and implemented, their estimated cost was
staggering. Ideas of using a series of pulleys to extend the run of shorter pneumatic cylinders
was briefly considered but soon abandoned in favor of the final option, which ultimately
became the power behind the lift system. Pneumatics were such a great option, though, that a
use was found for them elsewhere in the system as a secondary brake system.
So our winner was found. Ultimately, the responsibility for powering the lift was
given to an alternating current, electrical, gear motor. While there would still be much
calculating to do in order to find the appropriate strength and specifications of the exact
motor for us, the choice was declared. Availability, flexibility of use, size and price were all
points that made this the best choice. Motors in the projected horsepower range we needed
14
were not only smaller and less complex than the other systems, but there were almost
limitless options available from numerous suppliers, with lead times as short as a couple of
weeks. Better still, in addition to being able to choose details as specific as what color I
wanted the body to be, the majority of my options were hundreds and some even thousands
of dollars less than what might have been spent on the alternatives.
In order to outfit the lift with the proper strength motor, calculations would have to be
made to ensure that the amount of power available would match or exceed the amount that
would be needed. With the help of Justin Salbato, an adjunct professor for the theatre
department, we developed a power transmission flow chart. This chart allowed me to take
any motor’s specific output capabilities and work backward mathematically through the
system’s parts to arrive at the actual amount of power attained. It could also be used to
determine the exact amount of power needed to meet the system’s minimum requirements for
speed, power and torque of additional components. Due to inefficiencies within the system,
the amount of power at the beginning is seldom the same at the end of the line. This is why
the power transmission charts were worked multiple times in both directions to ascertain the
After running the power transmission charts (Table 1) a few times, I found the system
required a 5 horsepower motor in the desired gear reduction range. Although this was a huge
step in the right direction, we were still not ready to purchase the motor. Because there are so
many variable options with motors of this type, I thought it best to appoint someone else on
the team to be in charge of motor selection from this point on. For this task, I enlisted the aid
of teammate and longtime friend, Dominic Abbenante. Having Dom head up this area would
ensure that he was able to concentrate fully on this vital component of the system and
15
become my trusted advisor on how the motor would fit in with other parts of the lift. With
the system’s power in his capable hands, I was now free to continue to design the remainder
of the system. He and I met on a weekly basis from this point on so that we could discuss
updates to my design and make changes to his selection criteria if any were necessary. This
process continued until we agreed upon enough of the components and Dominic could be
certain that his selections were correct. When a single misplaced numeral or letter in a
lengthy order code could mean twenty-five hundred dollars being misspent, making a hasty
decision was not in anyone’s favor. After all was said and done, Dominic came through with
the perfect motor selection, thus ensuring that my mechanical beast would have the power it
TRANSMISSION
In much the same way that an electrical transformer can adjust the relationship
between voltage and current, mechanical power can also be variable. With power being
transmitted directly from a motor source through a solid structure like a driveshaft, torque,
speed, and force can all be regulated using gears of differing ratios. A simple change in size
of the components will alter how much and in what way the raw motor power is passed on to
the rest of the system. In addition to transmission of power, it is possible with the proper
placement of gears to translate the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion--something
that had to be accomplished in order for the lift’s carriage to be able to raise and lower on a
vertical plane.
Now that I knew what power source would be driving the lift up and down, it became
a matter of assembling possible pieces in my mind in order to find how exactly I wanted to
physically make it happen. Thoughts turned into quick sketches on scrap paper. Sketches
17
were elaborated upon and turned into viable design options. Designs were weighed against
each other. Not only did I want the lift to be functional but I also wanted it to be aesthetically
pleasing. I did not settle on the first design that would simply make the system function. I
strove to have the artistic and mechanical designs for the structure to become one and the
same, a goal that certainly helped shape the final appearance of the support frame of the lift.
With multiple outlines for how the system could operate, I chose one that I believed
would not only be innovative in its support structure but also be the most physically rigid of
the choices. Many lift systems have a problem in which the lift platform vacillates
noticeably. This leads to a very unsteady feeling from the rider, regardless of whether the
carriage is secure or not. While this can sometimes be a symptom of unbalanced loads in a
multiple mast design, it could also be anything ranging from a structural frame which is too
weak, to a lack of proper tension in steel lifting cables. With these issues in mind, I discarded
the idea of a four-post support system in favor of a more compact and, if done correctly,
more solid feeling cantilevered carriage design. Reducing the number of lift points in the
system would not only reduce the amount of hardware needed but also remove unnecessary
To continue with a cantilevered platform design, I would need to find a good way of
transferring the rotary motion of the motor into the vertical travel of the carriage. This meant
that with the motor mounted at the base of the mast, it would have to not only lift the carriage
up a guiding track of some sort but also assist in the platform’s descent. A winch system with
a milled drum spooled with steel aircraft cable was a possibility. The rotation of the drum
would translate into linear motion along the length of the cable and would be strong enough
for the job. I avoided the use of a cable drive system, however, due to the fact that it would
18
call for the fabrication of many expensive custom parts, and because there is an inherent
amount of stretch in cable when loaded with lots of weight. I wanted something a bit more
rigid, and parts that would be more readily accessible for easy purchase. This would not only
expedite ordering for fabrication, but also make any unforeseen future repairs all the more
easy. After reviewing many options, roller chain was my final decision for power
The organization of the drive system started to fall in place. Solid, keyed shafts would
couplers and received into flexible flange bearings on the outside walls of the masts. Drive
sprockets of the appropriate diameter and tooth size to receive the roller chain would be fitted
near the outside end of the shafts. At the top of the lift mast, above each drive sprocket would
be an idler sprocket. Correctly sized roller chain would loop and be fastened around each
drive sprocket and idler pair, creating a large continuous circle on both sides of the system.
As the motor spins, the chain loops would be driven up or down accordingly. Having two
drive chains would enable the system to stay balanced when loaded, as well as create a safe
redundancy in the unlikely case of a catastrophic hardware failure. Now that vertical drive
was more or less figured out, it came down to figuring out how to have the carriage safely
GUIDANCE
After the vertical drive issues had been worked out, what was needed next was a
strong guide rail system that could also resist the force created by the cantilevered platform.
The live and dead loads in this area would act in a downward direction on the carriage which
would then act in a horizontal direction on the guide rails. Not only did I want the guide rails
19
to be able to withstand the moments of force created by the carriage but I also wished them to
aid in the translating of the lift. After quite a bit of research and reviewing other lift
applications, I chose a similar vein to some commercial elevator systems. A product called
heavy duty roller bearings to travel its inside dimensions. Again, the pieces to the puzzle
started to fall into place. It was possible to mount four of these roller bearings to a carriage
which could be fitted between two vertical masts of Hevi-rail with their open channels facing
each other. A platform could then be attached to this carriage, which is able to roll up and
down the length of the Hevi-rail mast columns. Multiple points of contact would be desirable
in order to transfer the weight of the platform to the mast structure without overloading the
With a variety of sizing options available for the Hevi-rail it was time to do some
calculations in order to determine proper member selection (Figure 1). Given that I also
wanted the Hevi-rail to act as the major support beams for the rear mast section of the lift, a
Hevi-rail with a thick cross-section would no doubt be necessary. After contacting the
company and receiving a detail sheet on their products, I was able to put the proposed
railings through a variety of theoretical load tests. This was done first by drawing basic beam
deflection diagrams using the properties of each specific member and observing how they
would respond under a worst-case load scenario. Once I found a member that could
withstand all the forces that the system would exert on it, I created a beam deflection
spreadsheet (Table 2), which would demonstrate how it responded to the applied weight
along its entire length while the carriage was traveling. Thankfully, because these Hevi-rail
20
d1 d2 D Aa D Ab D Total A D Ba D Bb D Total B Q
0 24 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 -0.0746 -0.0746 -0.0031
6 30 0.0059 -0.0237 -0.0178 0.0237 -0.1071 -0.0834 -0.0027
12 36 0.0219 -0.0527 -0.0308 0.0527 -0.1411 -0.0884 -0.0024
18 42 0.0455 -0.0852 -0.0396 0.0852 -0.1750 -0.0898 -0.0021
24 48 0.0746 -0.1192 -0.0446 0.1192 -0.2073 -0.0881 -0.0018
30 54 0.1071 -0.1531 -0.0460 0.1531 -0.2368 -0.0837 -0.0016
36 60 0.1411 -0.1854 -0.0443 0.1854 -0.2624 -0.0770 -0.0014
42 66 0.1750 -0.2149 -0.0399 0.2149 -0.2832 -0.0683 -0.0012
48 72 0.2073 -0.2405 -0.0332 0.2405 -0.2985 -0.0580 -0.0010
54 78 0.2368 -0.2613 -0.0245 0.2613 -0.3079 -0.0466 -0.0009
60 84 0.2624 -0.2766 -0.0143 0.2766 -0.3111 -0.0345 -0.0008
66 90 0.2832 -0.2860 -0.0029 0.2860 -0.3079 -0.0219 -0.0008
72 96 0.2985 -0.2892 0.0093 0.2892 -0.2985 -0.0093 -0.0008
78 102 0.3079 -0.2860 0.0219 0.2860 -0.2832 0.0029 -0.0008
84 108 0.3111 -0.2766 0.0345 0.2766 -0.2624 0.0143 -0.0008
90 114 0.3079 -0.2613 0.0466 0.2613 -0.2368 0.0245 -0.0009
96 120 0.2985 -0.2405 0.0580 0.2405 -0.2073 0.0332 -0.0010
102 126 0.2832 -0.2149 0.0683 0.2149 -0.1750 0.0399 -0.0012
108 132 0.2624 -0.1854 0.0770 0.1854 -0.1411 0.0443 -0.0014
114 138 0.2368 -0.1531 0.0837 0.1531 -0.1071 0.0460 -0.0016
(table continues)
21
Table 2 (continued)
d1 d2 D Aa D Ab D Total A D Ba D Bb D Total B Q
120 144 0.2073 -0.1192 0.0881 0.1192 -0.0746 0.0446 -0.0018
126 150 0.1750 -0.0852 0.0898 0.0852 -0.0455 0.0396 -0.0021
132 156 0.1411 -0.0527 0.0884 0.0527 -0.0219 0.0308 -0.0024
138 162 0.1071 -0.0237 0.0834 0.0237 -0.0059 0.0178 -0.0027
144 168 0.0746 0.0000 0.0746 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 -0.0031
22
23
members are most typically used in industrial settings, finding beams strong enough was no
problem.
VARIABLE HEIGHT
The first opportunity for a creative solution in the design came shortly after the
decision to make the system a cantilevered platform with dual lift points on a single upright
mast. How tall should it be? The simple response is to make it just large enough to fit into the
Civic Theatre’s trap room and also be able to get to the full height of 16 feet off the basement
floor. However, the answer was not so simple. As Schreiber suggested, we wanted the lift to
be usable in our own theatre as well. Great opportunities would be afforded to the designers
and technicians at the school if they had free access to a lift system which could be relocated
at will. Add to this the financial implications of being able to rent the lift to other production
companies for future profit, it would serve us well to make the height variable. This meant
that the mast could be no taller than 13’-9” in order to fit into our own theatre’s trap room.
How could I make up for the difference in almost 3 feet of travel distance?
After brainstorming with my team, we came up with a variety of ideas for ways to
change the lift’s maximum distance of travel. Many of these possibilities were discarded very
early in the discussion due to their over-complicated nature, or because they would increase
the level of danger for the actor riding on the platform. Among those ideas thrown out were
swapping out different lengths of Hevi-rail. All were in agreement that this would weaken
the overall structure as well as introduce unnecessary complications into the system. The goal
was to keep the system as safe and simple as possible. Also abandoned was the thought of
having a short system to fit into the smaller spaces but allow the carriage to extend past the
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top of the mast by making the platform on the carriage extra tall. Essentially this would be
the equivalent of stacking boxes on the platform in order to stand on them and reach greater
heights. While this satisfied the goal of being simple, it certainly would not be safe. Such a
scheme would put the rider of the lift in an exposed position outside and above the safety
Finally we decided that a pedestal of sorts for the lift to rest on would be the best
option for extending the height that the lift could reach. Basically the lift would be tailored to
fit the height of our own theatre’s trap room and a secondary, custom base would be designed
to add the appropriate length to fit in the Civic Theatre’s space. After this, all that would be
needed is a small set of steps to let the actor get from the ground level up to the lift. We all
agreed that this was a great plan of action, since it did not change the way the system worked,
was very simple, and made no unfortunate changes to the safety of the rider. The problem
was that the base must be strong enough to support the entire weight of the lift, and we would
need a way of raising the system in order to place it atop the new foundation.
from the lift itself and I did not wish to have my attention diverted, I again turned to a trusted
teammate for help. June Higginbotham, an undergraduate technical direction student in the
department had already been assisting me on various aspects of the design. I saw this new
element of the lift as a perfect chance to let her work as a leader in her own area of the
project. June readily accepted responsibility not only for the design of the new pedestal base,
but also took charge of doing all the calculations necessary to ensure that the steel she chose
would be strong enough to support the entire structure. Allowing June to head her own
section of the project enabled her to take the things she was learning as an assistant in other
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areas and put them into practice as a mechanical designer in her own right. While she worked
on the foundation for the lift, we met periodically to ensure that the two pieces would join
properly, and that when assembled they appeared to be from the same aesthetic.
SAFETY CAGE
Now that there was a basic design for all the moving pieces and parts it became
another job entirely to find a clever and elegant way of eliminating all the potential dangers.
All the components are now a sophisticated system where many parts are sharing a small
space and acting in a variety of different and dynamic ways. The motor and its drive shafts
are spinning at the rear of the base. Rotating drive and idler sprockets are fitting snuggly into
each link of the roller chain, which moves along each side of the mast. Multiple large
bearings roll the entire inside length of the Hevi-rail tracks and the carriage with its platform
traverses from floor to ceiling. Add a healthy dose of electric wires and power cables to this
highly choreographed system and the opportunity for actors and technicians to become
The purpose of the safety cage was simple. I wanted a barricade of some sort to
separate persons near the lift from the potential dangers of interacting with the moving parts
of the system. This was an essential part of the design, because many parts of the completed
machine could quickly and easily mutilate a person’s body parts if they were to interact with
the machine improperly. While the best solution would be to wall everything off completely,
this was not possible due to spatial constraints and interference caused by moving
components. Protection was needed in any place that was deemed potentially dangerous, as
well as areas where it would be more likely for accidents to take place.
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In addition to blocking areas which could potentially cause harm, we agreed that a cordon
should be created in the vicinity of the mechanical structure. Entry would be given only to
those who needed access and who were informed of the machine’s potential dangers.
Because the majority of the actual working components of the lift system were
located in the rear of the structure, nearly creating a wall themselves, the next step in the
design was to create side and front walls. Having four walls to create a closed system would
complement the safety factor in a number of ways: it would create a boundary which could
not be crossed by anyone near the lift. This would eliminate the risk of a person or object
being hit or crushed by the moving platform. The walls would also produce an internal shaft
for the platform. A shaft would give the rider a similar experience to being in an elevator
and, more importantly, protect them from a possible fall. Having panels cover the large open
surfaces created by the cross-bracing would give additional strength to the framing by
creating shear walls, as well as give the structure a more finished appearance once painted.
Some areas required gaps between panels because of moving components, but these
were kept to a maximum of half an inch to prevent fingers or small objects from reaching
through them. Possible pinch points were avoided at all costs, sometimes requiring portions
of the design to be moved or rethought. The front wall, which would have a set of barrel
hinged, double doors would be the point of entry for the rider. For flexibility, the two
swinging doors would be removable. If the cost of the lift were not a factor in the design, it
would have been my wish that all of the walls were covered with a transparent material like
Lexan® or Plexiglass®. Having transparent safety walls would allow technicians to have a
view of the rider, which would be great for safety and visual communication in a possibly
loud environment. Sadly this was impossible due to the high cost of materials like
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Plexiglass® and Lexan®, but I did install the wooden panels in such a way that they could be
Aside from the safety afforded by the walls, they had other, even more important
purposes in the system’s design. The most important of these were weight distribution and
stability. In a cantilevered design, some part of the structure must bear the immense amount
of weight forced upon it. If left unsupported, the weight of the platform moving up and down
the mast would topple the entire system. The side walls were linked to the mast in such a way
that they would not only receive compressive forces when the carriage was elevated but also
translate forces into the ground via large footplates under a series of appropriate directional
bracing (Figure 2). These two footplates, in addition to the two already located on the mast
would give the structure a very robust foundation and consistent weight distribution. The two
side walls would then be linked together using the multiple sections of the front wall. Four
separate sections were used for the front wall to keep assembly manageable. The front
sections would not only allow passengers into the system but also lock the four walls into a
It was necessary that the lift be loaded into the Civic Theatre’s basement through a
number of openings that were, indeed, much too small for the free passage of the assembled
machine. These passage restrictions were foremost in my mind when designing the walls and
the ways in which they connect to one another. Of course there was always the option of
disassembling the now monstrously sized machine into its component parts and putting them
back together once in the trap room, but this would be an ineffective use of our time,
especially when we would have so little of it at load-in. Each section of the lift, support
walls, mast, and platform were therefore designed to easily come apart into smaller and more
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compact units and then be reassembled with simple bolt connections. In addition to being
able to detach entirely, the side walls were also capable of hinging into the mast when the
front wall sections and platform were removed. This would allow the system to travel
through larger sized openings with a minimum of disassembly. All adjustments necessary
can be done with a simple socket and box wrench--no specialty tools needed. With practice
and the use of an overhead chain hoist, my team and I were able to take down these main
sections and replace them in under an hour; no small task when dealing with hundreds of
ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS
In addition to those already mentioned, there were a number of secondary systems
which were added to the total assembly in order to make it safer and more secure. It was less
difficult to design these add-on systems because they were only for one purpose and not
integral to the total package. All that was necessary was to look for areas in the design that
could readily allow for their installation without interfering with any of the primary
components and their movement. There was a bit of give and take in the overall design as
minor adjustments were made for these additions. It was far easier to make changes now than
during the fabrication phase however, where possible augmentations to the design could
cause lost hours of building as opposed to simply moving some lines around in the CAD
program.
One area that I found needed a separate support system was the maximum travel
limitations. I designed thick steel blocks welded into the Hevi-rail tracks at the maximum
height, as well as large bumper pads sitting on steel columns at the base of the mast. These
‘hard stops’ created a solid mechanical obstruction, which would not allow the platform to
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pass under any circumstances. They would keep the platform from hitting the ground, raising
itself beyond its own height, or parts contacting unintentionally. Added at this point were
‘soft stop’ locations using electrical limit switches. These devices would allow us to set
specific locations we did not wish the platform to go beyond. They would act in the
programming like stop signs, telling the lift where to halt. If a programming error were to be
made at this point and a “stop sign” run, the hard stops would still keep the lift within safe
bounds, but the stop would be much more abrupt and much less gentle for the rider.
Another area that called for more stringent safety was the braking system. As
originally designed, the machine would be slowed and stopped by a disk brake integrated
into the 5 horsepower motor. Because the future users of the lift would no doubt wish for the
platform to be capable of more complex motion profiles (Figure 3), this lone brake would
scarcely be enough to handle the system’s possible forces. Two modular pneumatic brakes
were added to the underside of the traveling platform and traveled along thin steel blades
running the entire length of the masts. Constant air pressure would keep the jaws of the break
modules open but when programmed to stop, the air would be cut using an electronically
controlled pneumatic valve. Once activated, the valve would divert air from the brakes and
the jaws would close in an instant on the brake blades. Pressurized carbon dioxide was
delivered to the necessary components through small diameter air tube, rated for the
pressures of the system. All air came from a large CO2 tank tethered to the structure’s base.
The final component added to the design of the system was computer control. An
electronic drive box was mounted to the rear of the frame and allowed for complete control
of the machine from a nearby laptop computer. A complex configuration of wiring and
programming was required to adequately control all of the separate systems of the lift and to
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get them to work in concert. This was done by a combination of learned programming,
commercially available automation hardware and software, and a healthy dose of mentoring
from Professor Schreiber, an expert in the field of automation. Every aspect of the lift’s
control system ran though the drive box before ultimately being fed to the computer
command center. Also added at this point was an emergency brake system. The command
computer would allow a single person to have complete control of the lift system as well as
the ability to stop the machine with the push of a single, large red button should the need
arise.
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CHAPTER 4
FABRICATION
Prior to beginning this enormous project, I was not aware that I would take such
pleasure in becoming a mechanical designer. Sure, I knew that I liked playing with all sorts
of contraptions and seeing how they work, but actually being the person that calls that item
into existence from the grey space between the two halves of the brain was another question
entirely. Fortunately, I discovered that not only did I find the whole process and its necessary
revisions fascinating, but I genuinely enjoyed losing myself in the work and research. This
new discovery aside, the design phase of the project had now reached its completion. The
time had finally come to begin the stage of this undertaking that I found the most exciting:
fabrication. While I had designed and built a number of metalwork projects up to this point in
my career, I had never participated in one of such a large scale and with so much complexity.
After spending months designing and planning however, it was not nerves that I felt but pure
The task at hand seemed daunting. Among four people, Dominic Abbenante, June
Higginbotham, Loren Schreiber and me, there was a monumental amount of work to be done
in a relatively short period of time. I did dismay, however. I was confident that, over the
course of the previous months, my team and I had acquired much more than the requisite
amount of knowledge to be successful. Thanks to planning during the design phase, the vast
amount of materials, hardware, tools, and components called for by the design had already
been delivered to our shop or were on their way to us from their respective warehouses and
factories. Looking at the mounds of metal and boxes of bolts piled on the work tables filled
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me with excitement for the task at hand, and also reminded me how much I trusted my team.
I knew that without their hard work and devotion to my project, it simply could not get done.
In the time between finalized designs (Appendix A) and beginning the actual
fabrication of the lift, it was crucial to come up with a game plan for the order in which
things would get built and added to the system. It would be very possible during the process
of building to go too far into one area and hinder progress in others. Likewise, some parts of
the system could be developed separately from the main structure and progress could be
made on multiple fronts if labor was scheduled accordingly. Once an overall strategy was
devised, it was really as simple as following the timeline as closely as possible in order to get
things done on time. One of the more difficult issues was scheduling my team so that our
hours overlapped and we could work together. Because we all had class and other department
obligations, our availability did not always line up conveniently. This hurdle was overcome
with the surrender of many free nights and weekends over the passing months in order to
As the remainder of the work to be done at this point was less in planning and far
more in sheer man hours and physical labor, substantial progress was visible from day to day.
First it was simply a few rectangular members made of steel tubing. Next came the massive
rear wall–the backbone of the entire system. Later, a number of small members were
assembled to create larger sections. Before anyone could have guessed, we were already
wheeling portions of the huge structure outside to be cleaned, prepped, and painted.
Throughout this manufacturing stage, all pieces were tested for compatibility with those they
would interact with when everything was completed. Once all of the pieces had been
checked, cut, milled, welded, ordered, or whatever other process was needed to make them
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available, it came time to assemble the whole mass of parts to see if the overall objective had
been achieved.
Now I finally succumbed to nervousness and worry. The entire system was complete
for the very first time. All planning was in the past. Alterations to the design could not be
made without dire repercussions in other areas. All that could help me now was having
confidence that the hundreds of hours poured diligently into this endeavor by my team and I
would be fruitful. That and maybe a little luck from crossing my fingers behind my back. The
moment of truth was nearly upon us and it would unsympathetically judge whether the last
nine months of effort had resulted in my ultimate success or frustration. Schreiber was
behind the controls and I wanted to be the very first person elevated to new heights by this
contraption that I had somehow managed to call into existence though time spent designing,
Power was engaged. The drive box and computer controls were switched on.
Pneumatics were engaged and I was in position on the platform, ready to respond to whatever
resulted. There was a moment of silence as Professor Schreiber prepared and fellow students
gathered around to watch. There was nothing left to do but see what happened. Schreiber hit
the buttons and I was propelled upward! Saying that I was ecstatic would be an
understatement. Sheer joy filled me as I was taken up and down the length of the system’s
travel. Dominic and June joined me for multiple celebratory trips up and down the lift at this
time. Not everything in the operation was quite perfect yet but with minor adjustments to
programming and other small details, it would certainly be completed and at maximum
performance within the next few days; well in time for its debut with the San Diego Opera at
I find it very difficult to put into words the great strides that were made on this project
during the fabrication and assembly phase. While many tasks were repeated day to day on
multiple elements of the system, others were unique to the single time and place they were
completed. There is something very ephemeral and hard to define about time shared with
trusted friends in pursuit of a common objective. It is for this very reason that I documented
the entire building process with photographs (Appendix B). These pictures show not only the
progress of my lift system as it evolved from drawings into a grand, complex machine, but
also how my friends were willing to help me achieve something great no matter how much
hard work we faced. Over the course of this project I witnessed as my efforts brought into
existence something that I would have previously thought impossible. I am amazed with the
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B
PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHS
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Figure 29. The A-Team (Justin Kidwell, June Higginbotham & Dominic Abbenante).