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Maglev Car

video Maglev Car

this is a video of my science fair project, i thought i would post it...it is a car that is being levitate soly due to the power of repelling magnets, the black things you see are the magnets, this car levitates about 2cm off the track, and i am currently trying to make a propulsion system by only using permanent magnets. the car is made out of foam and the blue stuff your see is double sided sticky tape to make it more aerodynamic.
*NOTE* if you saw this video on youtube, that was mine...and the picture credit goes to this site it is not my image...just wanted to point that out...

32 comments

Mar 7, 2011. 3:30 PMluneydude says:

if you want to try and make propulsion system you could check out my instructable just look up how to build a maglev train mines going to use a system of electromagnets and other stuff to keep it floating and to move it.

or if you want take some regular magnets and line them down the middle of the track going north south north south north south....and so on... and then on the bottom of your car put a magnet with the north side facing down on the front end and a magnet with the south side facing down on the other end of the bottom of the car and that will move it forward...mines more comlicated because it involves turning the magnets on and off and changing their polarity and keeping the car floating its very confusing so try what i said here cause that should work because thats how we set up our maglev track in 8th grade last year in engineering and technology class so good luck

Dec 9, 2010. 9:24 PMfrenchie23 says:

What would happen if you angled all the magnets at a 45 degree angle and have the car weigh the right amount so that they are all in line? would it work?

Mar 29, 2010. 9:00 PMdigitalmorphine says:

Could you tilt the rows of magnets inward in order to make the car stay on track instead of using those metal sheets on the sides?
I believe you'd also have to modify the bottom of the car accordingly, tilting its magnets.

Nov 29, 2010. 6:47 PMwolfkeeper says:

Unfortunately that doesn't work due to something called 'Earnshaw's theorem'.

Mar 30, 2010. 4:01 PM

awsome (author) says:

hmmm...thats actually not a bad idea i will try that thank you

Nov 29, 2010. 6:49 PMwolfkeeper says:

If you have a piece of aluminium on the bottom of the train, and you spin a magnet end for end or slide it along underneath it, it will move forward without touching.

Jul 13, 2010. 10:04 AMfreakyqwerty says:

what if you were angle the magnets foward? that make it so the car went forward would it not?

Feb 23, 2010. 2:03 PM

awsome (author) says:

Hey guys I made a new model this year...only this Time its levitated by Air...once I finish It i will post it up so you guys can see it

Nov 21, 2009. 9:54 PMJonas412 says:

I made some thing like this for the future city Compition in NYC. I had a friendly argument with a college student about the possibility of making a Perpetual Motion Machines with magnets. Not necessarily perpetual motion but at least spins a circuit a few of times to show the judges.

Jan 27, 2009. 10:20 PMJack Daniels says:

the problem is this isn't really a car more a personal train. all this can do is go along a magnetic track.

Jul 15, 2009. 6:55 PMyrmoma says:

Individual parts of the train are called "cars", so the title is accurate.

Nov 12, 2009. 2:22 AMminerug says:

I'm going to be pedantic and say they are called carriages everywhere else

Jul 16, 2009. 11:22 PMJack Daniels says:

yes if you want to get technical about it sure

Jul 17, 2009. 10:33 PMraykholo says:

if the car would be able to tilt forward slightly, it might move forward ti raise the back upon command, i would add an electromagnet in addition to the permanent magnets already there, and 2 wires going out for power through a push switch thats the simplest way 2 turn the electromagnet on/off, but it could also use a variety of wireless communication systems let me know if this works... :)

Jun 18, 2009. 12:40 PMMoomoomilk says:

Fantastici ya half ITALIAN all milk

Apr 13, 2009. 4:18 PM

Rotten194 says:

For the propulsion system, maybe tilt the magnets? Simple yet effective. You said they didn't have enough power, but maybe try mini Neodymium ones glued to the larger ceramic ones?

May 21, 2009. 4:42 PM

awsome (author) says:

funny you should say that...i did try it but the magnet was actually sticking to the magnets on the ground...or yanking itself off the car...

May 21, 2009. 8:08 PM

Rotten194 says:

Did you get the polarities right? Try reversing one. Great project, btw.

May 8, 2009. 2:22 AMextrordinary1 says:

You would enjoy a project Don Adsitt demonstrated on his website which I duplicated. His link is: theverylastpageoftheinternet.com In my project, I used larger ceramic magnets that were rectangular and placed on a steel sheet with opposing polarities the full length. Then I made a roller with round magnets. I placed a sheet of plexiglass over the magnets on the steel. In fact, I had to use quarter inch thick plexiglass, or the field was too strong. End result, the magnet roller with a slight nudge would roll rapidly to the other end. Spacing is also critical in performance too. True, it isn't maglev, but it can be a means of propelling your project?

May 3, 2009. 7:42 PMUnit 82374 says:

here's an idea. Use two electro-magnets on the ends of the "road" and "car" then, make a push-button swich for each set of magnets (one for each side of the "car" and "road") so that when you push one button, the magnets turn on, and repell each other. The "car" will reach the other side and stop, then you will push another button makeing it move in the other direction.

Mar 30, 2009. 11:58 AMrobotkid249 says:

That works great, my friend did the same kind of project. I think maglev cars though use liquid nitrogen and a semi-conductor wait no idk i think so.

Mar 21, 2009. 5:09 PMScienceWiz says:

Cool design! I did something like this for my science fair, except it was with liquid nitrogen and superconductors... Im thinking about posting an instructable of how to make them. Good video, but not really instructions..

Feb 1, 2009. 5:54 PMbufalloo says:

hey is it possible to use the same force used in railguns to power the thing along? you can just set it at a lower voltage and it would go at a steadier speed

Mar 15, 2009. 5:32 PMABoozer says:

Of course it is. Trains use this now. The only problem with setting down magnet roads is expensive.

Jan 27, 2009. 1:27 PMvernors says:

cool. put magnets an the sid e of the car and tilt the and have opposing magnets on the track tilted so it pushes it ford ___ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / like this

Jan 28, 2009. 6:35 AM

awsome (author) says:

yes...i tryed that but the magnets either did not have enough repelling power, or attracting power

Jan 28, 2009. 7:10 AMvernors says:

tthen use a fan. oh but get the power the way trolly cars do; from electric lines above them.

Jan 28, 2009. 10:30 AMxtank5 says:

You could also power it form the rails on the side of the track.

Jan 27, 2009. 1:28 PMvernors says:

oops. just put spaces in be tween the dashes.

Jan 27, 2009. 6:09 PMtemp says:

Where did ya get all those magnets?

Jan 27, 2009. 1:13 PM

kelseymh says:

Nice! It seems like your setup has a substantial amount of friction. Have you been able to research why, or ways to reduce it? As Kiteman noted below, you can't induce motion with a permanent-on-permanent magnet system -- the positions between opposite polarities are stable equilibria. You could use electromagnets on the track, with an AC power supply to periodically invert the polarities (which would support propelling via permanent magnets on the car), or an external thruster (propeller, jet, whatever).

142

Jan 27, 2009. 12:11 PM

Kiteman says:

Very nice. Unfortunately, you cannot propel the car with permanent magnets if the track is also made of permanent magnets. Your best bet is to add a small propeller, maybe driven by a pager motor and a AAA battery for lightness, or power it with solar cells for extra science-fair credit.