Sliding door drive DICTAMAT Move with control unit Multi Control ensure smooth operation of the Gant-Hohtälli cable car in Zermatt

To be able to carry the expected 1000 passengers per hour, the sliding gates on the platform must open in sync with the doors of the cable car

The cable car takes around 5 minutes to cover the 1,000 m difference in altitude and 2,707 m distance between the valley station and the mountain station. With 8 cable car rides per hour, there is not much time left for getting on and off. Everything has to be precisely timed. The moment the sliding doors of the cable car open, the sliding gates on the platform must also open in perfect sync, otherwise there could be a dangerous back-up in the cabin. Once at the mountain station, all gondola passengers want to get out as quickly as possible. This alone is a challenge for the drive system. But then at an altitude of almost 3,300 m, regardless of the temperatures, wind, sun, rain, snow or ice, that’s something quite extraordinary.

Since 1999, DICTATOR drives and control units have been able to enjoy the view of the Matterhorn

DICTATOR drives were already in use when the spectacular cable car was commissioned in 1999. Despite the extreme operating conditions, they ensured smooth operation for 24 years. Did the view of the Matterhorn motivate them to achieve this extraordinary feat? In 2023, however, they had had enough and handed over their duties to the new generation of drives.

Door drive DICTAMAT Move and control unit Multi Control meet the latest safety requirements

Two sliding gates are used for each cable car access. These run parallel to the two sliding door panels of the cable car. Each sliding gate is opened and closed by a DICTAMAT Move drive. The drives are controlled by the Multi Control control unit, which has corresponding inputs and outputs to process and pass on additional information. Additional external safety devices for personal protection such as light barriers or similar are not possible for two reasons:

• Mainly due to the extreme weather conditions at an altitude of almost 3,300 m
• Space reasons

The integrated load cut-off is therefore of the utmost importance. It can be adjusted precisely to the conditions on site and can distinguish very accurately between a possible sluggishness of the doors due to frost or people. This means that personal safety is always guaranteed.

The drives are protected from wind, rain and snow by an additional housing. Two control units were each installed in an additional housing and are located inside the cable car station.

Remote access and diagnostics via Internet

A very special feature of the control unit Multi Control is particularly advantageous at this remote installation site: if required, the control unit can be accessed via Internet – after appropriate activation on site – and logs on movements and statuses as well as diagnostics can be called up. And you can also make settings if required.

Auf fast 3.300 m Höhe sorgen DICTATOR Antriebe für das reibungslose Öffnen und Schließen der Perron-Schiebegitter bei der Gant-Hohtälli-Seilbahn – synchron mit den Kabinentüren. 

Als Belohnung für den Einsatz unter z.T. widrigsten Bedingungen hat der Antrieb einen ungetrübten Blick auf das Matterhorn. Noch fehlt das Schutzgitter am Perron. 

Vorbereitungsarbeiten zum Tausch der Antriebsanlagen der Schiebegitter – Blick auf den Perron der Bergstation der Gant-Hohtälli-Seilbahn. Hier steigen die Besucher aus bzw. zur Talfahrt wieder ein. 

Der Antrieb DICTAMAT Move ist für seinen Einsatz auf 3.300 m Höhe zum Schutz gegen Schnee und Regen in einem maßgefertigen Gehäuse mit hoher IP-Schutzart eingebaut. Die Kraftübertragung erfolgt mit Zahnriemen.

Jeweils 2 Steuerungen sind in einem Gehäuse verbaut, das im Gebäudeinneren angebracht ist. Die Steuerungen haben ein Touchscreen-Display zur Einstellung. Sie können aber auch ganz bequem per Tablet oder Handy oder sogar per Internet aus der Ferne programmiert und abgefragt werden.