Casa da Música receives an innovative weighing solution designed and tailor-made by Cachapuz

A year and eight months ago, the first drafts were made of what would become an innovative project for the concert halls in Portugal: the combination of tailor-made weighing software and hardware, for the Casa da Música‘s Suggia room.

Cachapuz, a friend company of Casa da Música, has compiled the needs identified by this company regarding the lightning structure and, after an analysis of the software and hardware requirements, has developed a prototype of a lightning equipment weighing control system. After its approval, necessary adjustments have been made in order to deliver a robust and reliable solution that could ensure the intended functionality and efficacy. Cachapuz’s innovative character has resulted into a tailor-made project designed from scratch, specifically for Casa da Música.

So, what does this Cachapuz’s weighing solution consist of?

This solution named Stage Rigging Control (SRC) provides a robust and reliable system of real-time weight registration and monitoring of the three lightning platforms which equip the Suggia room. The incorporated software in this solution, as well as the hardware’s architecture, were designed and developed by Cachapuz, ensuring an answer to all the specific needs that the structure requires. The installation of the solution and respective tests have been conducted for two days at Casa da Música.

One of the main advantages of this solution is based upon the installation of a weighing kit by monitoring point of weight through Ethernet communication and a supervision system in software. This creates a visual representation of the lightning structures, allowing the visualization and cargo registry on each point, and the total weight attached to the structure.

The innovative and differentiating factor of this solution when compared to the existing offers in the market, which have wireless communications and units power supplied by batteries, consists in a communication by Ethernet cable and electric power supply by cable. Several communication interferences of other equipment were therefore eliminated, guaranteeing the permanent system energy supply and reducing the need to move the structure to replace the batteries.

Casa da Música is therefore ensured of the simplicity in the maintenance and diagnosis od the system which provides all functions for its monitoring.
This project, bearing ‘Cachapuz’ signature, demonstrates the versatility and the innovation that this company capitalizes to promote the satisfaction of its clients’ needs. ‘Heavy weight’ projects like this reinforce the success positioning of Cachapuz.