Mag Lev/Magnetic Levitation Resources

The sled that the Mag Lev vehicles must pull down the track is a mag lev vehicle that is not powered, has a mass between 50 grams and 200 grams for Car of Tomorrow (Division B) and between 50 grams and 400 grams for Magnetic Levitation (Division C), and has a maximum length (including the attachment device) of 4 inches (10.15 cm). The diagram below shows how the sled may be attached to the vehicle using a combination of a string and hook that attaches to the screw eye in the students' mag lev car. This is the basic setup that all vehicles and sleds should follow. Minor changes (such as substituting a screw hook for the string and hook combination) may be used as long as the total length of the sled with the attachment device does not exceed 4 inches.

There are several methods for obtaining a track identical to the one that will be used at competition. This will allow students to practice with their vehicles and make any modifications required to improve performance. The methods:

The track that will be used at competition is the same track as the one used for the Brookhaven National Laboratory's Office of Educational Programs Maglev competition. Before making any other arrangements to obtain a track, coaches should check with the Technology/Industrial Arts teachers in their district to find out if they might already have a track (many Technology/Industrial Arts programs around the state participate in the Maglev competition) that their students could borrow in preparation for the competition.
If your Technology/Industrial Arts teacher does not possess a track, see if they might be willing to build one for you. The diagrams that accompany the rules (reproduced at the bottom of this section) provide the information necessary to construct your own track. If the Tech teacher is unable or unwilling to build a track for your students, you might be able to find a parent who can build one for you.
Kelvin sells the type of track that will be used at competition. The Kelvin track can be purchased here. Note: In previous years we also suggested the track made by Pitsco. Pitsco has made changes in their track design: specifically, the magnets have been moved closer to the center of the new tracks, and are not located in the same area as they were on their old tracks, or in the diagram of the tracks for this event. If you have an old Pitsco track, that can still be used, but if you purchase a new one, the placement of your magnets on your car will not correspond to the track that will be used at competitions.

Motors that meet the specifications in the rules can be purchased from many different places, including Pitsco (order from here) and Kelvin (order from here).

Magnets, like the motors, can be obtained from a number of locations, including Pitsco (order here for packages of 100) and Kelvin (order here for packages of 250). Don't forget that you need magnets for the track, if you are building it yourself. It is suggested that the students attach the magnets to their cars using Velcro - this will allow them to make adjustments to the location of the magnets if the track they are using at competition doesn't exactly match the track they have used in preparing for the competition.

Students in Division B (Car of Tomorrow) may use kits as a starting point for their vehicle, so long as they make significant changes to the kit. Adding a screw eye to the rear of the kit does not qualify as a significant modification. Examples of acceptable modifications would be changes to the aerodynamics, changes to the power, and changes to the propulsion system (number and design of propellers). Students should be prepared to explain the changes they have made to the kit to the event supervisor, along with the reasons behind those changes. Students in Division C (Magnetic Levitation) may not use any kits

Both Pitsco and Kelvin sell kits that can be used as a starting point for this competition. If your Tech teacher has students participate in the OEP Maglev Competition, you might be able to convince him/her to work with your students in designing a car for the Science Olympiad competition.

Last updated 6/18/10