36 Minutes from Grafenberg to Paris!
Yes, that could be possible – if multi-billionaire Elon Musk's Hyperloop concept becomes reality. RAKU® TOOL board materials from RAMPF make a significant contribution to the success of this groundbreaking high-speed transportation system.
Transporting goods and people by “pneumatic dispatch” at 560 mph – that is the basic idea behind the Hyperloop and explains the extremely short travel time in the article headline. This epochal promise is likely the reason why the concept initiated by celebrity entrepreneur Elon Musk a decade ago is still being vigorously pursued by researchers.
Right at the forefront is the Technical University Munich (TUM), Germany. Its Hyperloop team has won all the student competitions that have thus far been organized by Musk. It is therefore no surprise that Europe's first fully certified Hyperloop test track for passenger operation was built in Ottobrunn near Munich.
The research focuses initially on sealing the 24-meter-long concrete tube, ensuring passenger safety in the vacuum of the tube, and the capsule in which passengers are to be transported. The latter is where the RAKU® TOOL MB-0600 polyurethane and RAKU® TOOL WB-0691 epoxy board materials provide their valuable services.
Lightweight components for futuristic capsule
"Our boards are used to make molds with which numerous carbon and glass fiber composite parts are manufactured. These include the main and emergency doors as well as structural add-on parts such as the exterior cladding and seat backrests,” reports Miodrag Sekulovic, Sales Manager at RAMPF Tooling Solutions.
The greatest advantage of composite materials is that they are both extremely lightweight and stable. The combination of strength, rigidity, and low weight makes it possible to minimize component weight while maximizing mechanical strength.
"It is impressive to see the dedication and innovative spirit with which the team from the Technical University of Munich is advancing this groundbreaking project. We are proud to contribute with our materials as well as expertise and eagerly anticipate further developments,” says Miodrag Sekulovic