KEN MCMORDIE, flow meter project manager for North Vancouver-based Pacific Levitation Systems Inc.,
displays two of. the company’s products. The block on the left is a cross-sectional slice of an electromagnetic
coil similar to one built for the TRIUMF particle accelerator at UBC. The Magnetic Levitation World Globe
(right) is a popular consumer item developed by the company.

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

NV firm gives new
meaning to lite beer

TWO MEN sit at a workbench engrossed in the challenge at
hand: how to levitate, by way of static display, a larger-

than-life beer can?

North Vancouver-based Pacific
Levitation Systems Inc. (PLSI), a
world leader in magnetic levitation
technology, is juggling the in-
vestigation of several new-tech ap-
plications, including the floating of
a Budweiser ‘‘light’’ beer can.

Said Ken McMordie, PLSI flow
meter project manager, ‘‘The idea
is that these companies spend mil-
lions on novelty advertising. PLSI
hopes to sell 25,000 to them to put
in bars and pubs. There's other
things, too. This is one thing we
haven’t done effectively yet, ap-
proach people like Reebok runners
or Nike — float the shoe, why
not? Pen people have approached
us for floating pens,’’ he said.
“Something PLSI has tried to
penetrate, but not successfully yet,
is Boeing. They make a two-
propeller plane with vertical lift.
And they’re always trying to get
money from congress. What a
fabulous thing to levitate a model
of.”

The company drew attention last
year with the introduction of its
first product, the Magnetic Levita-
tion World Globe, a novelty con-
sumer item of which it has sold
approximately 21,000 units to
date.

Said McMordie, ‘‘There's a
product out there and the cheques
come in regularly.”

More cheques are expected once
the company negotiates the
distribution rights to Europe and
the Orient.

Weightier industrial
projects are under way:
eThe spinning mirror module.
“The idea is to supply the new tech
to equipment manufacturers. If
you set out to manufacture a laser
printer and you wanted a scanning
mirror module, you come to us,”
McMordie said.

Initially the technology will be
used to increase scanning speed for
data acquisition and printing ap-
plications.

But said McMordie, ‘‘The big

mag-lev

By MICHAEL BECKER

picture is the HDTV thing, which
is what we really dream of doing.
The cathode ray tube has reached
its limitations.’”

He envisions colored laser or arc
lamp light thrown by rapidly spin-
ning mirrors as a new way of pro-
ducing moving images.

Other projects PLS! is consider-

ing include:
eThe mag-lev transport system.
Research contracted by a Motorola
subsidiary, resulted in the design
of a magnetically-levitated trans-
port table used in the manufacture
ef microchips and integrated cir-
cuits.

Said McMordie, ‘It’s a way of
floating the chip, without touching
it and putting contaminants in the
air. The chip is etched in the pro-
cess.””

The microchip plasma confine-
ment project. A device designed
for the Motorola subsidiary to
magnetically confine plasma used
to etch computer microchips.

*The levitating shaft. A high-
speed, magnetically spun spindle.
The fMoating shaft is magnetically
driven by a motor, operating in the
range of 300,000 to 500,000 rprns.
Possible applications include
high-speed grinding and cutting.
e°TRIUMF particle accelerator
electromagnets. If the KAON fac-
tory goes ahead, PLS! is in a good
position to reap much of the $80
million to be spent on specialized
magnets.

‘*There's a huge number of coils
involved,’’ McMordie said. The
company has already vacuum-
casted a large, one-ton magnetic
coil for the project.

eThe turbine flow meter project.
A magnetically-floated turbine us-
ed to accurately measure gas flow
through pipelines.

As the gas goes by it spins and

See Weighty
Page 5

FINAL
CLEARANCE
90-75%OFF

Our Remaining Fall/Winter Collections

Hours:
Mon. - Wed.
Thur. & Fri.
Sat.

Sun.

10am -6pm
10am-9pm
Sam-6pm
12 noon - 5 pm

TheSporting Look
1519 Bellevue Ave.,15th at Ambleside in
West Van. Phone 925-2990

monsicur TX RVIZ

Gentlemens Fine Apparel
818 Burrard St. (at Robson)

Vancouver, B.C.
662-8878

Monsieur Parviz does not
carry inventory from one
season to another.

in order to make space
for the new merchandise
Monsieur Parviz is offering
everything at

Alt fine quality sweaters,
shirts & outerwear

40, 50 & 60% of

“Buy one item at regular
price, get second ilem, at
equal value free (limited

eee

OPEN SUNDAYS 12-5 PM