October newsletter
Mateo hard at work at our workshop
DESIGN REVIEW... REVIEW !
Last weekend, CU Hyperloop had an incredibly successful 2024 Annual Design Review! We presented an in-depth look at our machine and received valuable feedback from professors, alumni, and sponsors. The insights we gained were critical, helping us refine our approach and fine-tune key components of the system. A special thank you to the dedicated engineers who worked closely with us, helping us tweak the machine to optimize performance and push the boundaries of innovation even further
RECRUITMENT SEASON & NEW MEMBERS
New Members—YAY! We’re thrilled to welcome a fresh wave of passionate new students to CU Hyperloop! It’s always exciting to bring in new faces and pass down our knowledge to those who will carry Hyperloop's legacy for years to come. We’ve already started onboarding our newest members, and they’re diving right into the action as we finish up the final stages of our design. Stay tuned— by the time our next newsletter rolls around, we’ll be in the thick of manufacturing and bringing this year’s vision to life!
Our old machine getting disassembled
GRIPPERS
Putting a spotlight on our grippers, we’ve introduced a new design that enhances both functionality and maintainability. Last year, the material used for the grippers served two purposes: protecting the tubes from soil and transferring propulsion forces from the machine into the surrounding ground. This year, we’ve refined the approach by separating these roles —using fabric to protect the tubes and chains to handle propulsion force transfer. This update improves performance while also simplifying maintenance and serviceability, addressing a key challenge from last year’s manufacturing process.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out!
Phone: 720-519-9882
Email: cuhyperloop@colorado.edu
Our attendees watching the structures review
NEXT DELIVERABLES
Our next major milestones include getting the plates ordered and completing the testing phases for our various systems. These are critical steps in ensuring that all components are functioning flawlessly before we move into the next stage of manufacturing. In addition, the electrical team is designing and assembling custom electrical boards while the software team is using them to run hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing! With each test and part order, we’re one step closer to achieving our ambitious goals for this year’s project.
CAD model of our tunnel support system
TUNNEL SUPPORT
After our recent design review, we’re excited to announce a significant upgrade to our 3D printing process. We’ve transitioned to a mechanically controlled R-axis, featuring an innovative arm with a ball bearing at the tip—much like a ballpoint pen—that touches the print plate to precisely control the nozzle height. This setup locks the nozzle at a fixed offset from the print surface, ensuring consistent accuracy without the need for complex sensors. This change not only simplifies our software and control systems but also reduces mechanical tolerancing challenges, lowers costs, and boosts reliability by eliminating potential points of failure!