3D printing and the sea

Livrea 26, la barca figlia del vento. © Livrea Yacht.

Additive printing is about to make a splash in the maritime sector. Damen Shipyards Group, RAMLAB, Promarin, Autodesk and class society Bureau Veritas have entered into a consortium to develop the world’s first class-approved 3D-printed ship propeller. The propeller will be based on a Promarin design typically found on port tugs. The propeller, 1.3m in diameter and weighing 180kg, will be made from a bronze alloy using the Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing process. The actual printing will be performed by RAMLAB in Rotterdam. This will be the first 3D-printed maritime component to be approved by Veritas, after testing. On the pleasure craft side, Autodesk has once again entered into a partnership, this time with Italian startup Livrea, to build the first 3D-printed yacht, more specifically a 26-foot cutter. The plan is to finish the yacht in time for the 2019 Mini Transat, a solo 4,000-nautical mile race from France to the Caribbean.

⇨ gCaptain, “Dutch Consortium to Develop Class Approved 3D Printed Ship Propeller.”

⇨ 3Dnatives, “Livrea veut créer le premier voilier entièrement imprimé en 3D.”

⇨ “In the Fold,” Autodesk news and opinions, “Sicilian boat builder Livrea harnesses robotic additive manufacturing to build world’s first 3d printed yacht.”