Abstract: Giant wheel, as one type of largescale amusement device, is not only a symbol of the amusement park, but also of the city. As one important part of the giant wheel, the main spindle is difficult to be disassembled. In this paper, the simulation model of the giant wheel was designed and manufactured, in which the operation process of the main spindle could be simulated. The acoustic emission(AE) technique was used to monitor the test process. The acoustic emission signals characteristics were analyzed, including AE parameter distribution features and wave spectrum characteristics.