“Ball” for Las Vegas: “Sphere” event site with LED display from Schörfling

In total, approximately 47,500 individual, high-precision components are manufactured, with no two parts alike. In order to accurately assemble the elements, a lifting device was manufactured specifically for this project and approved by the American authorities.

Among the most notable special features are the 229 openable panels in the LED display: artists can, for example, use ropes to float in the “ball” through these openings.

The entire building is based on the idea of ​​flexibility, including the stage. Seeley was impressed by his concept, which was achieved within a year from conception through planning, production to assembly of the mobile mechanism. The screens in the theater (proscenium screen), which are approximately the size of a tennis court, were constructed so that the playable area could be set up and dismantled within a short period of time. “The design was refined in detail in collaboration with the client and their experienced operations team,” says Michael Lind, project manager at se-Austria. The complexity of this surface lies in the double curved contour – both vertically and horizontally.

The Sphere project also requires the highest level of precision in production

In order to maintain strict tolerances, the temperature during production had to be taken into account, as it is subject to fluctuations of up to ten degrees during the day. However, temperature change affects the expansion of the material.

The solution was achieved with the support of artificial intelligence: a 3D coordinate measuring machine recorded the room temperature on the one hand and the results of the processing center on the other. The data was then put into correlation and the target cutting lengths were adjusted to the actual cutting lengths of the aluminum bars based on the measurement data. This means that each screen surface component can be completely manufactured to the target size for the final installation state. Components are assembled, measured and then disassembled again for shipping.

From Attersee, Seele specialists manage extraordinary projects all over the world, including this one. “Sphere” is implemented by several companies participating in the Seele Group. Some employees moved to Las Vegas for the nine-month collection period. “This project fulfilled my life’s dream: on the one hand, to spend time abroad, and on the other hand, to participate in this important project,” says Branko Tesic, project manager at se-Austria. Together with Christian Sebastian, the project’s technical director, and the Seele team, they controlled operations at the construction site in Las Vegas.