Freight Transport System at $6.5 M per Lane Mile

Construction of the first phase of the LEVX® container freight transport demonstration has provided a real world opportunity to examine the costs associated with guideway construction from the ground up. The total cost of the demonstration guideway design is estimated at $6.5 million per lane mile, or $13 million for a bi-directional system.

Civil structures including foundations, vertical columns and the steel substructure totaled 28% of the estimated per lane mile cost or approximately $1.85 million. The remaining $4.65 million was allocated to the LEVX® proprietary guideway components including the magnetic suspension and propulsion elements and associated structures.

Guideway Gets Finishing Touches

Phase 1 guideway construction wraps up at the Port Angeles construction site with the installation of the passive (non-electrified) magnetic suspension and torque reaction rail components. The completed guideway is part of the demonstration of a next-generation "maglev" technology trademarked LEVX®. LEVX® slashes the construction costs and energy requirements of its predecessors with a simplified, pre-engineered design.

The LEVX® demonstration will feature the transport of fully loaded freight containers weighing nearly 70,000 pounds that are continuously and passively suspended at least 1" above the guideway. The freight carriage is now being assembled with system testing planned to begin in February.

Magna Force Signs Agreement With PricewaterhouseCoopers Korean Affiliate, Samil

Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Korean affiliate of the global PwC organization, and Magna Force, Inc. have entered into a non-exclusive engagement agreement in support of the LEVX® Patent Equity Plan.

Magna Force and Samil have been working closely over the past several months to complete an extensive due diligence review of the LEVX® technology and associated business opportunities. With those preliminary tasks completed the companies are now ready to move forward with an array of planned activities that will reach well beyond Korean interests alone.

Magna Force's management is enthusiastic about working with the carefully selected team of Samil professionals who provide expertise in many areas including in-depth corporate analysis and strategic experience in diverse M&A services.

About Samil: Since its establishment in 1971, Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers has been the Korean affiliate of the global PricewaterhouseCoopers organization. Samil's 210 partners and over 3,600 staff make it the largest professional services organization in Korea, more the double the size of the next largest accounting firm. Although Samil dominates the market in terms of size and experience, it organizes itself into smaller teams in order to provide a personal level of service to individual clients. Specific groups include specialization in the following industries: banking, consumer and industrial products, technology, communications, entertainment, services, government and middle-market. Samil maintains specialty teams in the areas of risk management solutions; tax structuring, consulting and compliance; and management consulting and information technology. The team structure allows Samil to share resources and knowledge firmwide when appropriate, while protecting proprietary client information.

Patent Plan & Pricing Unveiled

This week Magna Force unveils the LEVX® Patent Equity Plan and Country Price Sheet.

We developed the valuation for the LEVX® patent portfolio utilizing a combination of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, United Nation and World Bank reports.

Purchasing LEVX® patents provides immediate exclusive ownership and control of LEVX® project developments and related business ventures within a selected country. This business model creates no on-going reporting requirements, royalty payments or profit sharing from the new owner.

The company is considering payment schedules and other flexible finance terms on a case by case basis.

Success At 60 Tons

LEVX® heavy duty carriages are designed to levitate total vehicle weights of over 41 tons, enough to easily transport fully loaded freight transport containers between port terminals and intermodal yards. Recent testing of carriage components at our Port Angeles facility revealed an actual capability for levitating, moving and cornering vehicles weighing as much as 60 tons. Robust propulsion and brake system tests have also documented significant excess capacity for safe and efficient operation.

Stopping at 800mph

We are continuing our sponsorship of the North American Eagle team and their quest to bring the land speed record back to the United States. With the fuselage of an F-104 Starfighter, the NAE is built for speed. Why get involved with this you ask? The answer is pretty simple, really... These guys like to go fast, but somehow they've got to stop.

North American Eagle Braking Systems
Slowing a vehicle down from supersonic speeds requires a phased approach using multiple technologies. Assuming the Eagle is traveling at its target speed of 800 mph, here's how braking works:

    • The driver pulls back on the throttle. In doing so, he deploys speed-brake doors located on each side of the fuselage, just forward of the tail section. Hydraulically actuated, these speed brakes were part of the original aircraft design and function in the same way by creating drag to slow the vehicle down. With the speed brakes deployed, the car begins a gradual deceleration.
    • At about 650 mph, a drogue parachute is deployed to assist the speed brakes. A drogue chute is more elongated and much thinner than a conventional parachute, which means it creates less drag and is less likely to get torn apart. A much larger main chute follows the drogue at about 500 mph, creating even more drag. This slows the car to approximately 125 mph.
    • At 500 mph, the driver can activate the magnetic brakes on the rear wheels to scrub off kinetic energy built up in the massive 300 pound wheels, which tend to spin down slower than the car will decelerate. These are state-of-the-art components made of rare earth (neodymium iron boron, or NdFeB) magnets mounted in stainless steel brackets on the rear axle near each wheel. The brackets move close to, but do not touch, an aluminum rotor mounted on the inside of wheel's hub (See animation of how the Magnetic Brakes operate). The resulting magnetic resistance slows the car to 100 mph.
    • Finally, with the car traveling less than 100 mph, a "Flintstone" break pad (currently in development) just off the cockpit, will hydraulically activate to drag along the ground at speeds below 100 mph. (Source: How Stuff Works)

We wish Ed Shadle and his crew all the best luck with their next land speed record attempt!

Construction Begins!

With the initial ground-breaking on June 30th, 2011, construction of Phase I of the LEVX® Certification Project is now underway! The LEVX® Team had various modular components built to its specifications. These recently delivered materials include pre-fabricated steel beams and footing components to be used for the new elevated guideway. LEVX® stresses the philosophy of using low cost, light weight, pre-fabricated components for construction of LEVX® systems. This modular design approach will allow flexibility in the manufacturing of simple guideways which meet the engineering demands of specific clients under a variety of site conditions.

Translated Videos Coming Soon!

The LEVX® Team is currently in progress of translating the LEVX® introductory video into 9 languages. As with the brochures, the additional languages for videos will include Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish. These new videos will help increase global exposure to our exciting technology.

Magna Force, Inc. Receives Building Permits

Our team just got the news we've been waiting for: Building permits issued! On June 28th, Magna Force, Inc. was granted building permits by both the City of Port Angeles and the Port of Port Angeles building & safety departments for all phases of construction of the LEVX® Certification Project. This means construction of the various components including the new elevated guideway will be soon be underway at the site!

Translated Brochures Now Available!

In support of the recent global interest in LEVX® technology, we now have color brochures in PDF format available on the website at the LEVX® Media page. The languages available are: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and English of course! Please feel free to download and/or print these for use an introduction to the LEVX® Company and our technologies.

Engineering of the LEVX® Certification Site Completed

Surveying and engineering for the elevated guideway portion of the LEVX® Certification Project has been completed and construction layout has begun. The LEVX® Team is in the process of staking points for footing placements, upon which a 260-foot section of the new LEVX® elevated guideway will be built. This initial section of the guideway will be straight and level. Phase I Materials are currently being fabricated and should be available soon.

1 kWh per Container Mile

A LEVX® carriage achieves levitation without an energy source. Propulsion, on the other hand, does require an energy source. The first propulsion module for the LEVX® certification system is being fabricated with two types of regenerative components for added efficiency. The module can operate in either all electric or hybrid modes.

Today's electric and hybrid vehicles take advantage of efficiency-improving technologies, such as regenerative braking. In regenerative braking, the vehicle's kinetic energy is converted into battery-replenishing electric energy, rather than wasting it as heat energy as conventional brakes do.

At 1 kWh per container mile, LEVX® transports containerized freight at a fraction of the energy of diesel trucks, greatly reducing fuel costs and CO2 emissions.

* California Environmental Protection Agency, Air Resources Board Detailed California-Modified GREET Pathway Studies February 28, 2009

Happy New Year from the LEVX® team!

This year we celebrate a significant ten year anniversary. Since April 21st, 2001, a LEVX® prototype has successfully demonstrated passive (requires zero energy), permanent magnet levitation. It is the world's longest, continuously suspended carriage – relying solely on the strength of the passive magnets. Over 85,000 hours later, this LEVX® prototype remains stable, with no degradation of the air gap between the guideway and the carriage.

Created with magnets reused twice from previous tracks, a second mobile LEVX® prototype has been similarly suspended over 68,000 hours. Using recycled magnets demonstrates the durability and flexibility of the LEVX® technology.

The LEVX® team looks forward to more exciting milestones and achievements in 2011. We wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

40 ton acceleration rate testing begins

Activities to support our intermodal freight transport customers and government certification of a LEVX® system continues. Magnet selection and optimization for our hybrid electric (ultra low emission) and all electric (zero emission) container mover systems are complete.

Our efforts are now focused on 40 ton acceleration rate testing. The LEVX® team creates custom test cells in-house utilizing know-how and expertise in industrial fabrication and permanent magnet technologies.

Structural plans under development

The LEVX® design team is beginning structural plans for the LEVX® elevated guideway. SolidWorks 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) software provides our team a dynamic tool for intelligent and quick development of manufacturing-ready drawings and data.

Throughout the design phase, SolidWorks Simulation will subject our models to the same conditions that they'll experience in the real world. Virtual prototyping ensures quality and performance - before construction begins.

After a rigorous review from our design team, LEVX® drawings and data will be independently analyzed by our strategic partners and engineering consultants.

Magna Force, Inc. opens new corporate headquarters

Magna Force, Inc. is pleased to announce the opening of their new corporate headquarters nestled in the heart of downtown Port Angeles, Washington. Visitors will meet with LEVX® technology sales and marketing teams and tour the nearby demonstration site.

Leading the new office is Jo Klinski, COO and CIPO at Magna Force. She manages global customer relations and specializes in intermodal freight transport facilities and seaports. To schedule a meeting, contact Jo at 360.457.9428.

Surveyors begin work on demonstration track

The construction planning phase of the LEVX® demonstration project is well underway. Surveyors are setting up a robotic total station instrument to establish survey control points on site.

These control points will not only determine the path for the elevated guideway and switch, but are requisite for continuous monitoring in pursuit of government certification.

Magna Force announces plans for construction of a LEVX® transportation system

Magna Force is moving forward with the final engineering and safety certification of a LEVX® freight transport system.

Activities have already begun in preparation for construction of the LEVX® system that will transport fully loaded 40' freight containers along an elevated guideway, through a switch, and around corners. The demonstration will, as closely as possible, mimic service for a sea port or intermodal freight transport facility.

We are very pleased that our recent successes are bringing new jobs to Port Angeles as well as contributing to our community's strength as we "buy locally" to support the region's economy whenever possible.

Winning the Sustainability Dollars

Port Strategy Online Edition

By Stevie Knight

Stop treating green initiatives as 'add-ons' and start embracing holistic solutions, Stevie Knight suggests.

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Magnetic Couplings

Naval Sea Systems Command

"Fleet-wide implementation (of magnetic couplings) for approximately 15,000 surface ship pump applications will provide annual savings of more than 1,700 Sailor-years."

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NAVSEA Success Stories Continue on USS Anzio

Naval Sea Systems Command

By Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs

The magnetic coupling installed on Anzio's number 1 seawater service (SWS) pump, the ship's workhorse pump, also performed superbly. Magnetic couplings use two precision-machined aluminum rotors and high-energy magnets to transmit torque through air. Since the pump and motor never come in contact with each other, even with the pump running 24/7 for 18 months, the pumps and bearing have shown little, if any, decline in performance.

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From Lab to the Deck-Plate

Naval Sea Systems Command

By Petter Kristiansen

Magnetic couplings eliminate precision alignments, eliminate coupling maintenance, increase bearing and seal life and lower starting currents for electric motors.

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Magna Force Named Technology of the Year for 2001

Industry Week Magazine

By Frank R. Chloupek

Industry Week Magazine honored Magna Force's industrial innovations by naming its Adjustable Speed Drive System a Technology of the Year for 2001.

Imagine an easy-to-install industrial technology that reduces energy consumption, eliminates mechanical vibrations and electronic harmonics, relaxes alignment tolerances and cuts maintenance needs.

Sound too good to be true?

"This is something that no one even knew was possible," says Ken Black, senior applications engineer for MagnaDrive Corp., Seattle. "This is a new animal in the zoo."

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