Texas Guadaloop
As a part of Texas Guadaloop, I worked on designing and manufacturing a 12' custom track and integrated emergency buffer stop to hold the 350lb electromagnetic levitation hyperloop pod. Our team worked to develop a robust design to integrate our bogie, housing the structure and levitation of our electronics, levitation processes, and fluids cooling system. Purposefully designed to not only hold our current pod design, but become a building point for future design cycles, leaving growth ability to scale and add more manufactured track.
Isometric view of dynamics and track design mated assembly.
Isometric view of 12ft track assembly design.
Once joining Guadaloop in the spring of 2025, I entered a two-year design cycle. In the midst of manufacturing season, we began training in using the drill press, angle grinder, and welding as we waited for our procurement to arrive. Upon receiving our metals, we began to measure out drill holes and planning out the component assemblies.
Soon realizing our welder was broken and again realizing that our design requires welding 0.5" aluminum metal. Our original MIG welder would not have the bandwidth to achieve this. We began researching the possibility of outsourcing and rental options, analyzing the cost analyses and probability of either option. Finally, we found an outsource welder in Austin to help us. But with this, we would have to make a jig and find a space for him to work. Finally, we found a welder we could outsource to who could come to site and weld our assembly.
Manufacturing Process
Isometric view of buffer stop assembly design.