WEG – WEG supplies drive solution for high-performance roller coaster in Germany

February 9, 2026

The ADV200 drive ensure reliable and precise control in demanding amusement application

WEG supplied a drive solution for a high-performance launched roller coaster in Germany, developed by InTraSys GmbH, a company with more than 30 years of experience in magnetic linear drives and linear eddy current braking systems for amusement and transportation applications.

The project involved the supply of ADV200 drive to control a linear induction motor responsible for the acceleration and launch phase of the roller coaster. This phase is critical, as it defines the ride’s performance, safety and overall passenger experience.

At the start of the ride, the linear motor accelerates the train to speeds of up to 25 m/s. To achieve this, WEG delivered a solution based on four 355 kW ADV200 drives operating in parallel, supplied at 690 V. This setup allows the required power to be delivered while maintaining precise control and system reliability.

The ADV200 drive is designed for high-dynamic applications and offers fast control response, which is essential for linear motor systems. In this project, the drive control algorithm ensures smooth, strong and stable acceleration, even under high electrical and mechanical stress, contributing to consistent operation and passenger comfort.

InTraSys systems are installed in amusement attractions worldwide, including roller coasters, water rides and freefall towers. The use of WEG drives in this application highlights the flexibility of the ADV200 series to adapt to complex control requirements beyond conventional industrial environments.

With this supply, WEG reinforces its capability to deliver robust and efficient drive solutions for motion control applications, supporting customers with technology that combines performance, reliability and engineering expertise.

The World asks, WEG delivers.

SourceWEG

EMR Analysis

More information on WEG: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Alberto Yoshikazu Kuba (Executive President, WEG Group): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on André Luís Rodrigues (Chief Financial and Investor Relations Officer, WEG): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on ADV200 Drive by WEG: https://www.weg.net/catalog/weg/IT/it/Drives/Variable-Speed-Drives/System-Drives/Variable-Speed-Drive-ADV200/Variable-speed-drive-ADV200/p/MKT_WDC_GLOBAL_PRODUCT_INVERTER_ADV200 + The ADV200 AC drive family has been designed and engineered to provide System Integrators and OEMs with a complete solution for demanding industrial applications. Developed through WEG’s passion for innovation and decades of expertise across a wide range of industries, the ADV200 delivers proven reliability and high performance. Its modular mechanical design, combined with advanced control and communication capabilities, ensures seamless integration into modern automation environments. Dedicated software applications further enhance flexibility, reducing time-to-market and enabling optimal results.

More information on InTraSys GmbH: https://intrasys-gmbh.com/ + InTraSys GmbH is one of the very few companies worldwide with more than 30 years of experience with linear magnetic motors and linear magnetic brakes.

Our goal: To make the technology of linear motors known beyond traffic technology and to use the potential of these contactless and wear-free drives for industrial applications in transport technology.

More information on Dr. Dieter Kraus (Chief Executive Officer, InTraSys GmbH): https://intrasys-gmbh.com/english/company/contact/

EMR Additional Notes:

Motors, Generators and Drives:
- Motor: Mechanical or electrical device that generates the rotational or linear force used to power a machine.
  - NEMA / IEC Motors: NEMA motors are commonly made with rolled steel or cast iron frames while IEC motors are commonly made with cast aluminum or cast iron frames.
    - North American NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards are crucial because they ensure that motors from different manufacturers are interchangeable and meet specific criteria for performance, safety, and physical dimensions.
  - Servo Motor: Self-contained electrical device, that rotate parts of a machine with high efficiency and with great precision. The output shaft of this motor can be moved to a particular angle, position and velocity that a regular motor does not have. It consists of a suitable motor coupled to a sensor for position feedback. It also requires a relatively sophisticated controller.
  - Shaft Grounded Motor: Electric motor that is equipped with a device to safely redirect harmful electrical currents away from its internal bearings. Without this protection, these currents can cause significant damage and lead to premature motor failure.
- Generator: Does the opposite of this, converting mechanical energy into electricity. It does not create electricity; rather, it forces the movement of existing electric charges (electrons) in a conductor to produce an electric current.
- Drive: (also often referred to as an electric controller) is the electronic device that harnesses and controls the electrical energy sent to the motor.
  - By positioning a drive between the electrical supply and the motor, power is fed into the drive, and the drive then controls and regulates the power that is fed into the motor. This allows control of speed, direction, acceleration, deceleration, torque and, in some applications, position of the motor shaft.

Magnetic Linear Drives:
- Magnetic linear drives (or motors) are electromagnetic devices that produce direct, straight-line motion without mechanical transmission components like belts or gears. By “unrolling” a traditional rotary motor, they use electromagnetic force to directly propel a carriage (mover) along a magnetic track, providing high speed, high precision, and low maintenance.

Linear Induction Motors:
- A linear induction motor (LIM) is an AC, asynchronous electric motor that produces linear motion directly rather than rotational torque, effectively acting as a “cut and unrolled” rotary induction motor. Using electromagnetic, three-phase, or single-phase induction, it generates a traveling magnetic field that induces currents in a conductive secondary plate, creating motion.

Fundamental Units of Electricity:
- Ampere – Amp (A):
  - Amperes measure the flow of electrical current (charge) through a circuit. Ampere (A) is the unit of measure for the rate of electron flow, or current, in an electrical conductor.
    - One ampere is defined as one coulomb of electric charge moving past a point in one second. The ampere is named after the French physicist André-Marie Ampère, who made significant contributions to the study of electromagnetism.
    - Milliampere (mA) is a unit of electric current equal to one-thousandth of an ampere (1mA=10−3A). The prefix “milli” signifies 10−3 in the metric system. This unit is commonly used to measure small currents in electronic circuits and consumer devices.
  - Volts measure the force or potential difference that drives the flow of electrons through a circuit.
    - Kilovolt (kV) is a unit of potential difference equal to 1,000 volts.
  - Watts measure the rate of energy consumption or generation, also known as power.
- Power vs. Energy: how electricity is measured and billed.
  - Power (measured in kW, MW, GW, TW): Rate at which energy is used or generated at a given moment.
  - Energy (measured in kWh, MWh, GWh, TWh): Total amount of power consumed or generated over a period of time (i.e., Power x Time).
- Real Power Units: actual power that performs work.
  - Kilowatt (KW):
    - A kilowatt is simply a measure of how much power an electric appliance consumes—it’s 1,000 watts to be exact. You can quickly convert watts (W) to kilowatts (kW) by dividing your wattage by 1,000: 1,000W 1,000 = 1 kW.
  - Megawatt (MW):
    - One megawatt equals one million watts or 1,000 kilowatts, roughly enough electricity for the instantaneous demand of 750 homes at once.
  - Gigawatt (GW):
    - A gigawatt (GW) is a unit of power, and it is equal to one billion watts.
    - According to the Department of Energy, generating one GW of power takes over three million solar panels or 310 utility-scale wind turbines
  - Terawatt (TW):
    - One terawatt is equal to one trillion watts (1,000,000,000,000 watts). The main use of terawatts is found in the electric power industry, particularly for measuring very large-scale power generation or consumption.
    - According to the United States Energy Information Administration, America is one of the largest electricity consumers in the world, using about 4,146.2 terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy per year.
- Apparent Power Units: measures the total power in a circuit, including power that does not perform useful work.
  - Kilovolt-Amperes (kVA):
    - Kilovolt-Amperes (kVA) stands for Kilo-volt-amperes, a term used for the rating of an electrical circuit. A kVA is a unit of apparent power, which is the product of the circuit’s maximum voltage and current rating.
    - The difference between real power (kW) and apparent power (kVA) is crucial. Real power (kW) is the actual power that performs work, while apparent power (kVA) is the total power delivered to a circuit, including the real power and the reactive power (kVAR) that doesn’t do useful work. The relationship between them is defined by the power factor. Since the power factor is typically less than 1, the kVA value will always be higher than the kW value.
  - Megavolt-Amperes (MVA):
    - Megavolt-Amperes (MVA) is a unit used to measure the apparent power in a circuit, primarily for very large electrical systems like power plants and substations. It’s a product of the voltage and current in a circuit.
    - 1 MVA is equivalent to 1,000 kVA, or 1,000,000 volt-amperes.
- Specialized Power Units: used specifically for renewable energy, especially solar.
  - KiloWatt ‘peak’ (KWp):
    - kWp stands for kilowatt ‘peak’ power output of a system. It is most commonly applied to solar arrays. For example, a solar panel with a peak power of 3kWp which is working at its maximum capacity for one hour will produce 3kWh. kWp (kilowatt peak) is the total kw rating of the system, the theoretical ‘peak’ output of the system. e.g. If the system has 4 x 270 watt panels, then it is 4 x 0.27kWp = 1.08kWp.
    - The Wp of each panel will allow you to calculate the surface area needed to reach it. 1 kWp corresponds theoretically to 1,000 kWh per year.