Dana Inc. has announced that it is providing driveshaft assemblies and gearboxes for the New York Wheel – which will be the world’s tallest observation wheel. This attraction is currently under construction on the north shore of Staten Island in New York City and will stand 630 feet high when completed in early 2018.

The New York Wheel features 36 pods that will each hold 40 people, taking visitors on a leisurely ride with a view of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline. Production automation company VDL Steelweld is manufacturing these capsules, and Dana is supplying driveshafts to support a leveling system that allows each pod to stay balanced as the wheel rotates. Dana is also supplying custom-made adaptors to convert the end of the shaft to fit the drive.

In addition, Dana is supplying its motion system products to engineering company Starneth for the New York Wheel project. Thirty-two planetary gearboxes will be used to rotate the wheel. These gearboxes are typically designed to move continuous chain-tread vehicles or other heavy machinery and feature a custom cylindrical input shaft to fit the needs of this specific application.

Dana gearboxes also were supplied for the 550-foot tall High Roller observation wheel in Las Vegas, which opened in 2014.

“When Dana was approached about the New York Wheel, we knew there would be very specific requirements for this distinctive project,” said Aziz Aghili, president of Dana Off-Highway Drive and Motion Technologies. “Dana offers a competitive advantage with a truly global footprint that supplies specialized driveshaft solutions, power-transmission products and support all over the world. Since every project is different, we work closely with customers to deliver reliable and highly engineered, custom-made solutions.”

The New York Wheel is expected to draw more than 3.5 million visitors annually and will be visible from the New York Harbor.