The Technology Behind the Ball Drop

The New Year’s Ball Drop wouldn’t be possible without a sophisticated electromechanical system that must operate reliably during the most critical 60 seconds of the year.

More than a billion people around the world unite to ring in the New Year, their eyes set upon the glittering New Year’s Ball in Manhattan. Thousands are gathered at Times Square—the famed “Bow Tie” of Midtown—braving the December cold and peering through glasses with numerically shaped frames. Millions more tune in from their various screens at home. With so much riding on its descent, the Ball, along with the mechanical and electrical systems responsible for its operation, must operate like clockwork. Central to its success is a powerful winch system that includes a combination planetary and helical-bevel gear unit from SEW-Eurodrive. This unit—which runs at 7.5 rpm with a 235.89 gear ratio, output torque of ~31,500 pound-inches (lb-in) and 40 hp brake motor—joins a sophisticated set of subsystems that work together to raise and lower the 11,875-pound Ball, making the New Year celebration possible.