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S & S Power, a worldwide leader in vertical amusement park rides, prides itself on providing low-maintenance thrill rides that are safe and dependable to various amusement parks and family fun-centers worldwide. The company originated rides such as the high adrenaline, vertical free-fall, Turbo Drop ™, the Frog Hopper ®, one of the first thrill rides for children, and the Space Shot ®, which hooks adrenaline junkies by air launching its passengers up a 185-foot tower, then bounces them back to a starting position. S & S launches thrill seekers into uncharted territory with its Thrust Air 2000 ™, one of the world’s fastest air launched coasters—a mind-bending ride accelerating from zero to 107 miles per hour in less than two seconds.

To ensure that all its amusement rides are dependable and require minimal maintenance, S & S uses igus’ ® maintenance-free products, including Energy Chain ® cable carriers, Chainflex ® continuous-flex cables and iglide ® plastic bearings. Energy Chain Systems ® are used on the company’s rollercoasters, while iglide bearings are employed almost anywhere pivoting, rotating or oscillating motion is needed such as lap bars and swing restraints.

E-Z Chain and System E2 Energy Chain house and protect Chainflex CF27, CF35 and CF130US cables, which provide power and control to the coasters. Due to Energy Chain’s all-plastic construction, it is weatherproof, corrosion-resistant and operates with minimal noise—all vital elements in the smooth functioning of S & S’ products.

S & S also uses between 1,000 and 2,000 iglide G300 and iglide Q bearings each year. Iglide bearings are lightweight, lubrication- and maintenance-free, and eliminate corrosion issues S & S had previously experienced while using bronze bushings. Both iglide G300 and iglide Q deliver excellent wear resistance and vibration dampening, even while handling loads of up to 600 pounds on the rides.

Six years ago, when S & S started using igus products, the company was confident the plastic components would be an ideal choice. “The maintenance-free, no lubrication, weatherproof elements of igus’ products are great,” said Quinn Checketts, lead designer for S & S Power. “But we were also really sold on the thorough documentation standing behind the products. That information makes it very easy for an engineer to justify using it. The customer service received from igus is superb; we have never experienced any quality-assurance issues and what we need is always in stock.”

All of the igus products used by S & S endure a wide range of environmental elements and rugged conditions, as its amusement-park rides are sold worldwide. S & S continually elevates the thrill-standard in the amusement ride industry with its new and radical developments—not to mention the heart rates of its screaming passengers! To learn more about S & S Power and to see ride locations, visit www.s-spower.com.