MAGLEV TRAINS

 BY SERENA                  MAGLEV TRAINS

INTRODUCTION

Maglev trains are trains that levitate above the tracks using magnets. To make it work you have to add a lot of magnets to the bottom of the train and to the tracks. We (the class) had to make a foam piece (bottom of maglev train) float above a track. My partners for this project were Rebecca and Abby. Rebecca was the spokesperson, Abby was the drawer, and I was the designer.

 

MY THOUGHTS ON THE PROJECT

At first, I didn’t like the project. I didn’t like it because I didn’t understand how the magnets worked. I assume other

people didn’t understand either because Mrs. Winders noticed and we started the project all over again. I learned a lot

about magnets that I didn’t know before, did you know that non magnetic materials have no impact on magnetic

materials? Or that opposite poles attract and same poles repel? (this is how we make the trains float) Or that bar

magnets are useless for making maglev trains because the north and south are on the same side? I really liked this

project because I learned SO much about magnets and transportation engineers!

OUR GROUPS DESIGN

At first, the design was a whole mess, but our group started experimenting and we found a pretty good design. The

track had 2 strip magnets on each side and 1 strip magnet in the middle, like a bridge. There were a whole bunch of disk

and ring magnets on the strip magnets too.   The bottom of the train had a disk magnet in each corner and one ring

magnet in the middle of the bottom of the train.

 

THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS

The engineering design process is a technique that most engineers use in their projects, including me. This is how it

goes: ASK: we asked each other how do the magnets work? Hat types of magnets are appropriate? IMAGINE: we

imagine how to make the design. PLAN: we gather materials and make diagrams. CREATE: we create our designs

IMPROVE: we improve what is wrong with them.

CONCLUSION

I really liked this project. Our group had a lot of problems but we managed to work our way around them and make a

good maglev train!