Pricing
 


Hotplate costs are in the $50,000 range for a group of 4 independent stations, including 4 sets of Activities and cabinetry. Please see our pricing document for more detail.

 
   
  Technical product description
   
  The HotPlates platform consists of a shiny, horizontal stainless steel surface, inlaid with 4 sand-blasted circles. Four concealed computer-controlled electromagnets in a square array underlie the platform. These electromagnets are made by winding a coil of copper wire around an iron-based core and running variable electric current through the coil. The exhibit's controls allow users change many parameters of the electric current in these coils.
  • The Amplitude control affects the magnitude of the current in the coils.

  • The Frequency control affects how quickly the current in the coils changes from positive, through 0, to negative.

  • The Phase control affects whether, when the current in one coil is at its maximum positive value, the current in the next coil is 0, its maximum negative value, or somewhere in between.

  • Holding down the Pause button keeps the current in all the electromagnets at a fixed value.

  • The toggle switch controls whether the current in the electromagnets oscillates smoothly from positive to negative values, or whether it jumps virtually instantaneously from positive to negative.
The LED display shows, in each of its four columns, the amount of current in each electromagnet coil. If the topmost LED is lit, the electromagnet has its maximum positive current. If the bottommost LED is lit, the electromagnet has its maximum negative current. If the middle LED is lit, the electromagnet has 0 current.