Cadbury World opened initially as a museum devoted to the history of chocolate making in 1990. In 1994, Iimagination created the 'Fantasy Factory' - a child's eye view of chocolate making.

Hunting for Magic
The themed ride, featuring the 'Bean Team' - a group of chocolate bean characters on a quest to find The Magic of Cadbury, takes passengers through a fantasy land based on the four seasons of the year. Throughout the ride, the Bean Team, together with well known Cadbury characters, such as the Cadbury's Caramel Bunny and Mr Cadbury's Parrot are seen participating in the hunt for the magic. During the ride, which lasts approximately ten minutes, visitors witness the Bean Team taking part in a range of activities as they pursue their quest; from trekking through tropical forests, to balancing on gushing geysers at the base of a golden Crunchie waterfall; from ice skating - to sledging and skiing in a Winter wonderland.

All actions of the Bean Team, the other animated characters and the majority of the moving scenery components are pneumatically controlled, using the latest actuators and nodular valve technology from SMC.

Modular Design Key
The quest for the Magic of Cadbury, which was designed and built by design and communications consultancy, Imagination ltd, is based throughout on a modular design and build concept, with many common components being used to automate different aspects of the experience.

This is particularly true of the pneumatic components, with SMC Series C85 actuators and Series SY manifold mounted, plug in solenoid valves, used extensively throughout the ride.

The C85 is SMC's standard ISO/CETOP cylinder which offers high speed actuation and longevity. Used in a variety of bore sizes and strokes to automate a large number of the pneumatically controlled movements, the C85 provided the design engineers and technicians from Imagination with the flexibility to meet system requirements from a minimum of actuator types. This helped simplify both engineering and build, as well as the process for ordering stock spares and replacements.

Best Use of Pneumatic Technology
Additionally, as much of the design and development of the ride was performed on site during the build period, with systems often having to be modified in the final stages, the use of common components throughout, such as the C85, enabled the best use of the technology, as the actuators and other components could be quickly and easily swapped about to gain the desired effects. In line with the modular, flexible theme, the Series SY valve stations are positioned locally to the systems and components they are controlling, helping to reduce wiring and optimise performance.

For example, the Crunchie Waterfall; a waterfall of simulated milk, tumbling over golden honeycombed rocks, to a pool at the base where two members of the Bean Team are perched on top of spurting geezers, makes use of thirteen manifold mounted, plug in Series SY solenoid valves, to control air supply to a series of actuators controlling the movements of scenery and members of the Bean Team in this area.

A Moving Experience
In particular, the valve station provides air supply to two SMC actuators - a Series CQ and a Series CJ - which unusually, are operating effectively submerged in the 'milk' pool at the base of the Crunchie waterfall. These actuators are responsible for holding the members of the Bean Team and moving them to create the effect that they are indeed balancing on the jets of water from the geezers.

The entire ride is mirco processor controlled from a central system, which controls not just movements, but also sound throughout the experience. Feedback from hundreds of sensors is used to trigger the appropriate sights and sounds as the passengers, who are seated in track based cars, are moved around the ride.

Reliability is Essential
A spokeswomen for imagination explained, "Cadabra is designed to create a unique attraction for children and families, integrating the power and magic of the Cadbury brand with the essence of chocolate.

The ride operates almost continuously throughout the opening hours of Cadbury World, so reliability of all components is essential. This is particularly important with regard to the pneumatics and control technology. If a pneumatic component fails, something will cease to move, and the impact of the experience will be affected.