A launch system brings a vehicle from a standstill up to a target speed over a set distance, then lets it go. A linear induction motor pushes the vehicle directly, without touching it, so its push does not depend on wheel grip. That means the same launch every time — in rain, ice or on a slope that would beat a friction drive. Axis supplies the motor; the vehicle, track, restraints and ride control sit with you or your integrator.
How a launch works
A launch is a short, powerful push: a hard acceleration from a standstill through the launch section, then a hand-off as the vehicle coasts or picks up another system. The same motors run just as happily at low, steady speed, so on a ride they can also ease trains through the station and drive them through slow, show-paced dark-ride sections — not only launch them.
The motor comes in two forms. A single-sided motor pushes against a metal plate carried on the vehicle or the track. A double-sided motor drives a thin metal fin from both sides, which balances the pulling forces and gives more push for a given width. We choose the layout that best fits the job, and size the motor around the exact launch it has to deliver — not a generic rating.
Target speed and acceleration
A launch comes down to three numbers that trade against each other: the exit speed, the length of the launch and how hard the vehicle is pushed. Fix any two and the third is largely set. The motor is controlled to keep pushing steadily as the vehicle speeds up, so it reaches the target speed cleanly.
How often it fires
A launch that fires once an hour and one that fires every ninety seconds are different machines, even at the same peak push. Every launch puts heat into the motor, and how often it fires decides whether that heat clears before the next launch or builds up. For a busy launch it is often this sustained duty, rather than the single strongest push, that sets the limit — so we check heat build-up across the real firing rate.
Power and the drive
A launch draws a brief but large burst of power each time it fires. The electronics that feed the motor, the site power supply and any energy storage all follow from how fast, how far and how often the vehicle is launched — not from average power. We size the drive against the same duty as the motor, so the two are matched.
Where launch systems are used
The same contactless, grip-independent push suits a range of launches, each with its own priorities.
Coaster & ride propulsion
A hard launch over a short section — and, on the same ride, gentle station moves and steady drive through dark-ride and show sections. We rate the motor across the whole ride, not only the launch.
Test and catapult sleds
Very high exit speed on a long track, usually fired less often, so it is the outright peak push that drives the sizing.
UAV and aircraft launch
A controlled build-up to a set release speed, where a clean, accurate hand-off matters most.
Industrial and material handling
Repeated launch-and-transfer moves where reliability across a heavy workload matters more than outright peak.
Whichever it is, we prove the design with modelling and simulation — running the full launch and checking heat build-up — before any metal is cut.
Related
Have a launch profile to hit?
Tell us your exit speed, launch length and repetition rate, and we will size the motor and drive around it.
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