GF and start-up Swissloop partner for the future

GF has renewed its sponsorship of Swissloop's innovative high-speed transportation project, another example of its commitment to supporting start-up ventures. Together with GF Casting Solutions, the ETH Zurich project prepares for the European Hyperloop Week in July.

A joint team will showcase its visionary plans for a new generation of climate-neutral transportation technology, unveiling the outcome of the upcoming assembling phase.

Swissloop, a student-led initiative, focuses on designing and building operational prototypes of transport capsules, the so-called “pods”. The aim is to help shape a possible new mode of transportation, one that involves traveling at high speeds through tubes. GF Casting Solutions has supported the project in the past by developing and manufacturing the lightweight aluminium components of the pod's chassis, contributing to making them significantly lighter.

“GF's introduction of casting aluminium components marks a significant advancement in the realization of our project,” said Ziao Tang, Swissloop structures engineer. “By incorporating these parts into the pod, we have been able to establish a future-proof concept, enabling the possibility of mass production and ensuring long-term viability.”

The next step for Swissloop involves assembling various components, during which the team will integrate the levitation, propulsion, and guidance systems into the pod, working in conjunction with GF's chassis frame.

“The aim of our partnership with Swissloop is to support young talents from ETH, while promoting GF Casting Solutions as an innovative employer. I enjoy working with students. They are highly motivated and collaborative," said Manuel Stanoev, development engineer and project lead for Swissloop at GF Casting Solutions.

Swissloop will participate in the European Hyperloop Week (EHW) in Zurich, Switzerland, from July 15 to 21. This event brings together university teams showcasing prototype components and full-scale pods to a panel of judges, competing across various categories. Swissloop has received numerous international awards. Find out more about the project here.

26/03/2024