Fastest Hyperloop Prototype Comes From Munich

It should be almost as fast as the sound, the super-fast train of the future, also called Hyperloop. In Elon Musk's vision, the passenger capsules shoot through a tube at a speed of up to 1225 km / h - actually very similar to the pneumatic tube principle. For the development, the company Space X announced the "Hyperloop Pod Competition", in which universities and designers from all over the world developed their own prototypes.

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From January 27 to 29, 2017, the time had come: Of the 30 teams selected, 27 traveled to Los Angeles to take part in the finale on the Space X site. Among them the WARR Hyperloop Team of the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

The prototypes of the 27 teams underwent numerous tests in Los Angeles, because only the best three Hyperloop capsules were allowed to drive in the specially built tube for the competition: the students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the TU Delft and the TUM. The TUM capsule was the first to cross the finish line, winning the Fastest Prototype award. TU Delft from the Netherlands was also honored for the technically best and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the safest and most reliable prototype.

The best technical team relies on 3D printing

When designing their prototype, the Dutch team at TU Delft relied on 3D printing: support came from the 3D printing manufacturer Voxeljet and the prototype manufacturer RP2. As Voxeljet specializes in large-format 3D printers and on-demand parts, the company supplied the team with PMMA models for the casting of components of the transport capsule.

The PMMA models were printed on a VX1000. With a construction volume of 300 l (1000 mm × 600 mm × 500 mm), all 25 required cast models could be produced in one printing process. The high level of detail of the components was achieved through a print resolution of 600 dpi in combination with a layer thickness of 150 µm.

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Investment casting models cheaply produced using 3D printing

The printed samples were applied to a wax tree for vacuum casting. The tree was embedded in ceramics, which then came into the oven to harden. After burning out the wax and the PMMA molds, the aluminum could be cast. In the end, the aluminum received a T6 heat treatment, which improved the strength and facilitated further processing. "Despite the small number of items, 3D printing made it possible to produce the complex investment casting models quickly and cost-effectively," explains Florian Rauscher, Project Manager for Customer Services at Voxeljet.

Delft Hyperloop capsule relies on aerodynamics

The finished 1: 2 model of the Delft Hyperloop capsule should be safe, fast, reliable and efficient. The model reaches speeds of over 400 km / h and can carry both passengers and luggage. The capsule was constructed in a lightweight construction and therefore weighs 149 kg.

Although there is hardly any air pressure in the tube, the capsule must be aerodynamically shaped due to the high speed. The Delft team decided on a drop-like shape - which caused the problem of combining the suspension with the organic shape. It would have been very difficult to create the curved surfaces with a milling process, but the Delft team succeeded with the casting process. (kj)