One current example: The 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina. According to market researchers, the spectacular opening ceremony alone reached more than 2 billion viewers, i.e. around a quarter of the world's population. One memorable part of the choreography were the Olympic rings floating above the audience and the athletes, each of them weighing around 600 kilograms. The company Skywalker Systems from Upper Bavaria was responsible for the technology behind this impressive show. Safety brakes from mayr® power transmission ensured that the rings remained safely and reliably in position.
When hundreds of millions of people all over the world watch the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and the Olympic rings float majestically through the arena, the attention is on the spectacle and not on the technology which makes it possible in the first place. Nevertheless, the performance of those working behind the scenes is highly impressive. In this case, Skywalker Systems took the lead, a German specialist for stage and show technology which is one of the few top players worldwide in this highly specialized segment. The company builds and operates flying systems for cameras, scenic objects and artists in 1D, 2D and 3D for events of all kinds, above all for the very large, spectacular ones.
Three tons above the heads of the world
For the opening of the Olympic Games, Skywalker had the five Olympic rings, each weighing around 600 kg, float above the heads of athletes from all over the world and numerous other performers as part of the choreography. At the same time, performers were acting in the air, some of them standing in the rings. The requirements placed on the technology used allow for no concessions: There are no compromises when it comes to absolute reliability, complete safety and faultless function. For the required safety in the rope winch system, Skywalker Systems relied on brakes from mayr® power transmission, more precisely on the ROBA-stop® stage.
The technical challenge: Brakes with 2 circuits and the lowest possible load in the event of a fault.
Stage brakes must hold the load with sufficient safety even when the maximum load is increased by 25 % by the test load. At the same time, it is important that they generate the lowest possible additional loads in the event of a fault. With conventional double brakes, in which two brakes are arranged one behind the other, the braking torques of both brake circuits add up in the event of a fault, including their tolerances. As a result, very high forces can act on ropes, supporting structures and the suspended load in the event of a fault. This becomes particularly critical if a person is suspended from the rope, as these loads are then transmitted directly to that person.
ROBA-stop® stage: Safety through intelligent design
The ROBA-stop® stage was developed by mayr® power transmission specifically for the requirements of stage and show technology. Its decisive design advantage: With this safety brake, two circuits act on a single friction system. This means the ROBA-stop® stage provides reliable functionality without braking torque doubling, in a compact construction. Uncontrolled load peaks are avoided in this way.
In the Olympic application, the brake is used in construction size 200. Nine rope winches – an in-house development by Skywalker Systems – move the Olympic rings and guide the elements through the arena in a controlled manner. In normal operation, the ROBA-stop® stage functions as a safe, whisper-quiet holding brake. In an emergency, it reliably brakes the suspended load.
Marc Sieger, Managing Director of Skywalker Systems GmbH, sums up the reason for this decision: “The decisive factor in favor of the mayr® brakes was the added value provided by the braking system with 2 circuits without doubling the braking torque – while still ensuring the safety required for our application and for the people involved.”
When invisibility is the proof of quality
During the opening ceremony, the technology then also worked smoothly and reliably. The ROBA-stop® stage held the rings dependably in position. Marc Sieger illustrates the significance: “For us, at an event like this, where the whole world is watching, even a small amount of slipping at the wrong moment would be a disaster. Every single element, from the ropes and the deflection pulleys through to the brakes, must function perfectly. Not one of them may have a fault of its own, otherwise this will result in a ring like this coming down unstoppably and endangering human lives. We simply have to live with this responsibility. To a certain extent, that is something we have in common with mayr®."
Bernd Kees, Product Manager at mayr® power transmission, adds: “The trust which Skywalker Systems has placed in our brake is both an incentive and a benchmark for us. Because when safety becomes a reliable constant, room is created for maximum performance. The ROBA-stop® stage was developed for precisely such applications – with high safety requirements regarding holding the load and, at the same time, the desire for reduced loads during dynamic braking in the event of a fault. We are delighted that it has proven itself in one of the most visible applications in the world."
From prototype to the Olympic opening ceremony: Development to a tight schedule
The collaboration between mayr® power transmission and Skywalker Systems began in August 2024. First of all, two prototypes of the ROBA-stop® stage in construction size 200 were manufactured and put through extensive tests. These tests were already successfully completed in January 2025. Shortly afterwards, the brakes were delivered for the Olympic rope winches and installed. A tight schedule which challenged the development engineers on both sides and spurred them on in the best sense of the word. Marc Sieger, CEO of Skywalker Systems, draws a clear conclusion on the collaboration: “With deadlines like these, there is no such thing as ‘we'll do that later’; everything has to work exactly on that one day. All that counts is a faultless job in that one moment. 2 years of preparation for a 2-minute deployment. mayr® was very cooperative and gave us optimum support during the development. We were impressed by the depth in which the experts here go into things. And the result speaks for itself."
Trust as the foundation for collaboration
Skywalker Systems is one of the few top international suppliers in the show technology segment for large-scale events. It is no coincidence that a company of this caliber deliberately chooses the Allgäu-based brake specialist mayr®. Marc Sieger sums it up: “Time and again, we receive dubious offers through questionable channels for complete systems at spectacularly low prices. That would never be an option for us. In my business, I need partners I can trust and people I can simply pick up the phone and call whenever questions come up."
This trust is based on technical substance: well thought-out solutions, fast and cooperative development work as well as extensive testing already at the factory are standard at mayr®.
