[webinar] Embracing Digital Transformation in Maintenance & Plant Operations | March 13 at 10AM EST – Register Now
Condition Monitoring Matters: Lessons Learned from Fury 325
What Caused the Crack in Carowinds’ Fury 325 Roller Coaster?
Elizabeth Ruiz
Posted 7/19/2023, Updated 8/1/2023
UPDATE
Last week, it was confirmed that another “weld indication” (break or crack) was found on the Fury 325. There is not yet a timeline for reopening the ride.
In a statement, Carowinds said, “During such reviews, it is not uncommon to discover slight weld indications in various locations of a steel superstructure. It is important to note that these indications do not compromise the structural integrity or safety of the ride,” the statement reads. “Once a repair is completed, it undergoes inspection and approval before the ride is deemed operational.”
The steel support column that was damaged in June has been replaced.
Looking to ride the “tallest, fastest, longest” roller coaster in North America this summer? There may be a crack in your plans.
In late June, a crack in a column of the Fury 325, a 95 mph “giga coaster” threatened the safety of passengers at Carowinds Amusement Park in Charlotte, North Carolina. The crack was likely apparent for a week before a now viral video posted by a park patron encouraged the park to shut down the ride.
Image courtesy NPR Matthew Owen/Carowinds: The Fury 325 roller coaster
The damage probably came as a surprise considering the Fury 325 had just passed its annual inspection in February with only a few (quickly corrected) problems with signage. The park’s maintenance department performs a variety of maintenance checks that occur on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis. During some of these checks, technicians disassemble, inspect, test, and rebuild cars and trains for rides. Regular condition monitoring activities also include x-ray, ultrasonic, accelerometer, and magnetic particle testing. For enormous rides like the Fury 325, these checks can take up to 1,600 person-hours.
Following the ride closure, the park’s maintenance department and engineers from the firm who designed the ride, Bollinger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, performed a root cause failure analysis. It was determined that the column cracked along a weld line; this is likely why the crack was not caught sooner. Weld flaws are an unpredictable failure.
Welders who make parts, such as the support column, are certified experts whose work is inspected by third parties. Even if welds are inspected, a crack in the weld or an air inclusion may be hard to spot, and these flaws can easily propagate.
The roller coaster is still closed while these teams work on replacing the column and thoroughly inspect the ride further, looking at all the track, columns, and the foundation. Following the incident, Carowinds will implement additional preventive maintenance efforts to ensure similar failures do not occur in the future. This will include regular visual inspections employing drones to get a closer look at areas that are hard to reach for park personnel.
The plan is to replace the support column and follow up by performing accelerometer tests which employ sensors to measure vibration. After this, Carowinds will run the coaster for 500 full cycles while simultaneously running more tests on the entire structure to ensure its integrity. They will contract out a testing firm to complete the final inspection.
A YouTube video on Carowinds’ channel showing the construction of the Fury 325 coaster reveals that ultrasonic flaw detectors were used for condition monitoring before construction was complete. Engineer Darrell Richards explained to DesignNews that engineers cannot always predict the load, so engineers pad designs with surplus strength and load-bearing capacity. Then, each support is backed up with alternate load paths.
A problem with failures such as this one is that fatigue is invisible until it has already started to happen. When it starts, evidence such as rust stains from cracked paint is apparent, as well as other indications that can be picked up by a well-trained inspector.
Although the failure was not prevented, these precautions did prevent that failure from causing a tragic accident.
According to AP News, North Carolina Department of Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson said he is “very pleased” with Carowinds’ efforts to repair the crack on the Fury 325 and improve its routine inspection process. The NC Department of Labor have been on site and are continuing to investigate how the damage occurred and why the ride stayed open for such a length of time after discovery.
A strong mining Reliability and Maintenance program is also vital for safety in mines and any workplace. What are the best ways to keep mine equipment reliable and safe?
A strong mining Reliability and Maintenance program is also vital for safety in mines and any workplace. What are the best ways to keep mine equipment reliable and safe?
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent world events have pushed manufacturing companies to shift their production to the United States in 2023, with 1,8000 companies in the US alone planning to reshore production to the states. While reshoring efforts are ramping up, manufacturers must be wary of the skills gap.
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent world events have pushed manufacturing companies to shift their production to the United States in 2023, with 1,8000 companies in the US alone planning to reshore production to the states. While reshoring efforts are ramping up, manufacturers must be wary of the skills gap.
Enduring nearly 2,000 years of foot traffic, harsh weather, and earthquakes the Pantheon is one of the most impressive structures in the world. Modern concrete structures only last an average of 100 years, assuming proper maintenance is regularly performed. Yet the Romans were able to create a material that has the ability to heal small fissures on its own, allowing their infrastructure to withstand the test of time. Being that concrete is the most commonly used building material in the world, scientists have been searching for the lost recipe to self-healing concrete for hundreds of years without success. Until now, when a team of scientists finally cracked the code.
Enduring nearly 2,000 years of foot traffic, harsh weather, and earthquakes the Pantheon is one of the most impressive structures in the world. Modern concrete structures only last an average of 100 years, assuming proper maintenance is regularly performed. Yet the Romans were able to create a material that has the ability to heal small fissures on its own, allowing their infrastructure to withstand the test of time. Being that concrete is the most commonly used building material in the world, scientists have been searching for the lost recipe to self-healing concrete for hundreds of years without success. Until now, when a team of scientists finally cracked the code.
As the focus strengthens on renewable energy, hydropower is being touted by the US Department of Energy as the future, providing 100% clean electricity by 2035. How does hydropower work and how can it help? Are there drawbacks? What will need to be addressed for reliability and maintenance in hydropower facilities?
As the focus strengthens on renewable energy, hydropower is being touted by the US Department of Energy as the future, providing 100% clean electricity by 2035. How does hydropower work and how can it help? Are there drawbacks? What will need to be addressed for reliability and maintenance in hydropower facilities?
Due to a particularly harsh and active hurricane season, the US Chemical Safety Board is urging chemical companies to properly prepare facilities for extreme weather as soon as possible. With increasingly frequent and damaging weather on the rise due to climate change, it is important to have a plan in place for hurricanes and other natural disasters to protect the site personnel and people living in the surrounding area from harm and danger related to compromised production facilities.
Due to a particularly harsh and active hurricane season, the US Chemical Safety Board is urging chemical companies to properly prepare facilities for extreme weather as soon as possible. With increasingly frequent and damaging weather on the rise due to climate change, it is important to have a plan in place for hurricanes and other natural disasters to protect the site personnel and people living in the surrounding area from harm and danger related to compromised production facilities.
While ammonia offers reliable and cost-effective solutions for industrial refrigeration, its toxicity poses significant risks to personnel and communities if not handled properly. o address these challenges, the integration of predictive maintenance and a CMMS emerges as a crucial strategy.
While ammonia offers reliable and cost-effective solutions for industrial refrigeration, its toxicity poses significant risks to personnel and communities if not handled properly. o address these challenges, the integration of predictive maintenance and a CMMS emerges as a crucial strategy.
Reliability Engineers and Maintenance Technicians are in high demand in 2024, and the competition is tough. What can you do to set yourself apart from other candidates when applying for a reliability engineering or technician position? Continuing education and earning certifications can set you up as the best candidate for a new career or help you move up the ladder in the company you are working for now.
Reliability Engineers and Maintenance Technicians are in high demand in 2024, and the competition is tough. What can you do to set yourself apart from other candidates when applying for a reliability engineering or technician position? Continuing education and earning certifications can set you up as the best candidate for a new career or help you move up the ladder in the company you are working for now.
