CU Hyperloop: Triumphs, Challenges, and Innovations
CU Hyperloop takes home 2nd place at the "Not A Boring" Competition, where the used 3D printed parts to aide in the construction of their tunnel boring machine.
CU Hyperloop Achievements and Contributions from MatterHackers - CU Hyperloop April Newsletter
The CU Hyperloop team experienced an eventful and educational year, marked by both challenges and triumphs. Despite a significant disappointment in not being able to dig, the team firmly believes in learning more from setbacks than successes. This mindset has driven them to diligently address points of failure to ensure full preparedness for future endeavors. The motor malfunction underscored the importance of redundancy throughout the machine, leading to design revisions aimed at preventing similar issues in the future.
Sponsors' generous donations remain foundational to the mission of revolutionizing the future of tunneling technology and shaping the engineers of tomorrow.
Competition Results
The 2024 'Not-a-Boring' Competition concluded recently, providing the team a much-needed rest. Over the preceding week, the team worked tirelessly to integrate their system and clear all safety checks in preparation for the dig. They secured second place and were honored with the Innovation Award for their inflatable gripper system.
Although the machine passed all testing and security checks, a malfunction in the motor controller prevented the commencement of digging. Despite extensive troubleshooting, the issue in this critical component could not be diagnosed. The competition's challenge—to dig a 100-foot tunnel—remains unmet by any team, with this year's winning team managing to dig a total of 5 feet. This highlights the technical challenge's depth, which the CU Hyperloop team feels poised to achieve in the 2025 competition cycle.
As the 2025 competition cycle begins, the team welcomes new leadership with Zaphod Schmidt as the Team Lead and Mateo Medellin as the Chief Engineer. The team extends deep gratitude to Ferin Von Reich and Max Balasubramaniam for their exceptional leadership throughout the 2024 'Not-a-Boring' competition cycle. Their guidance led to the best year in the club's history, culminating in winning the Innovation Award. Additionally, the team achieved two significant milestones: conducting the club's first independent test dig and successfully testing all subsystems for the first time.
Welcoming New Leadership
Zaphod Schmidt, stepping into the role of Team Lead, is a senior pursuing a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science with a minor in Electrical Engineering. He previously served as the Software Lead during the 2024 cycle and made significant contributions to software development in 2023, helping the team clinch the Accuracy Award for their navigation system. His leadership and technical skills are expected to guide the team to new heights in the upcoming competition.
Mateo Medellin, the new Chief Engineer, is a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. Having been an integral part of the team for two years, Mateo was the lead engineer behind the propulsion system, which won this year's Innovation Award. His expertise and dedication will be invaluable assets to the team's success.
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MatterHackers' Contribution Strengthens CU Hyperloop
MatterHacker’s generous donations of ASA, ABS, and PVA filaments have been vital to the team's success. The Black PRO Series ASA Filament was particularly crucial for constructing durable and high-quality electrical boxes. Additionally, the ABS Filament supplied by MatterHackers was pivotal in manufacturing various structural components of the machine. The team expressed deep gratitude for MatterHacker’s continued commitment to facilitating innovation and progress in the field.
The conclusion of the 2024 'Not-a-Boring' competition saw CU Hyperloop place second internationally and win the Innovation Award. This monumental achievement serves as a testament to the team's dedication and the patronage from sponsors. The team extends sincere gratitude for the support and shares insights into how MatterHackers' contributions enabled their success.
Looking forward to the 2025 competition cycle, the CU Hyperloop team remains committed to pushing the boundaries of tunneling technology and shaping the engineers of tomorrow.
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