Cablecars are one of the safest modes of transport anywhere; after the mountains, they have now also conquered the cities. One reason for this success story is their constant development in the areas of safety, ease of maintenance and customer comfort, to name but a few aspects.

World market leader DOPPELMAYR/GARAVENTA is a mastermind here, constantly setting new standards through continuous improvements. One example of this is the RPD Nexo Rope Position Detection Nexo System.

The RPD  (Rope Position Detection)  system, which monitors the position of the cable car haul rope directly on the sheave assemblies, was launched on the market as early as in 1999. With this, rope displacement from the sheave groove can be detected at an early stage, so that the risk of deropement is significantly reduced.

The completely redeveloped system was presented in 2019 at INTERALPIN. 20 years of experience went into the new system, so that improvements were possible not only in the standard functions but also in operational safety.

The RPD Nexo system was designed for operation in the most extreme environmental conditions. The robust system is able to run with no problems at ambient temperatures between -40 and + 50 degrees and the cable car therefore also continues to guarantee a winning place among safest modes of transport.

This innovation offers absolute efficiency for cable cars operators, a high level of availability of the cable car system and maximum safety for passengers – all in line with SMART Cable car, the digitalisation approach of DOPPELMAYR/GARAVENTA.

Smart, practical, customer-friendly and even “thinking” technologies, which DOPPELMAYR already offers today and hopes to develop more intensively in the future, will benefit cable car customers and passengers alike.

To this end, a simple cable car journey should create an interactive experience. Fully automated, self-driving systems and infotainment provisions in the gondolas are just a few of the ideas already implemented in this area.

Gondola lifts and chairlifts have ergonomically shaped seats and can also be powered by the DDD  (Doppelmayr Direct Drive).  This gearless drive concept has exceptionally low vibrations and noise and it therefore significantly improves travel comfort for passengers.

With the DDD, a permanently activated, hermetically sealed synchronous motor is used, which is water-cooled. Sustainable heat recovery is therefore possible. Furthermore, because of the water cooling, the loud noises are eliminated, which has a very positive effect on the surroundings.

In direct comparison, the noise emission with the DDD is lowest – it is as quiet as a whisper. Cable car engineers also appreciate the system because it is quicker and easier to maintain.

This and many other developments from DOPPELMAYR/GARAVENTA have shaped the industry for many years and make cable cars a timeless, innovative and safe transport system for all areas.