July newsletter
2025 TBM Structure
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
We hope you're enjoying a fantastic summer! While our team is working remotely during the break, we're diligently preparing for next year's competition. Our Mechanical Team is hard at work designing the 2025 Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and developing an innovative tunnel support system. Meanwhile, the Electrical Team is crafting a custom microcontroller tailored to our TBM's specific needs. On the Software side, we are rigorously testing our Rotating Inertial Measurement Unit (RIMU) and developing a new internal component tracking software called Hyperdrive.
TUNNEL SUPPORT
This year, we're excited to transition to a 3D-printed tunnel support mechanism. Our previous system required the machine to be long enough to carry all the support material onboard before digging. With our new approach, the support material doesn’t need to be stored on the machine, allowing us to significantly shorten its length. Our current mechanical design is nearing completion. The innovative concept involves a giant 2-foot-wide 3D printer mounted on the back of the TBM, capable of printing a 5mm thick tunnel as we dig. This printer is incredibly fast, able to produce a Rubik's cube worth of plastic every 30 seconds. Nozzle testing is progressing well, and since we don’t have a heated nozzle yet, we are using peanut butter for testing due to its similar viscosity to molten PLA
Micro Controller Schematic
hyperdrive
We are excited to introduce a new software tool for the club called Hyperdrive. In past years, we have struggled to keep track of the thousands of components and costs on the machine using just spreadsheets. With the start of a new competition cycle, we have the opportunity to build this tool from the ground up. Hyperdrive will be an internal website that tracks components on the machine, their order history, and our finances. As the year progresses, it will evolve into a comprehensive inventory tracking system, fully equipped with barcodes and scanners to streamline our operations.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out!
Phone: 720-519-9882
Email: cuhyperloop@colorado.edu
Tunnel Support 3D Printer CAD Model
Peanut Butter nozzle test… tasty!
MICRO CONTROLLER
We are designing a new microcontroller specifically tailored for our TBM use case. The main goal is to make the microcontroller smaller and remove unnecessary components from our current design. Additionally, we are incorporating other quality-of-life improvements such as on-controller Ethernet and vertical micro USB ports to enhance functionality and ease of use.
Hyperdrive Home Page
THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY!
We are thrilled about the direction our clubis heading and the innovative projects we're undertaking. Our progress wouldn't be possible without the incredible support from our community and sponsors. Your contributions and encouragement drive us to reach new heights and achieve our goals.
We are deeply grateful for your continued backing and enthusiasm. Stay tuned for more exciting updates next month as we continue to push the boundaries of engineering and innovation.