Thanks to Robb Report for this:
Could the Mambo represent the future of boat building?
The wild-looking 21-footer, introduced during the Genoa International Boat Show, was a big hit.
Built by Moi Composites via their Continuous Fiber Manufacturing (CFM) process, which uses a computer and 3-D printer to simultaneously build and shape a boat by adding individual layers of composite materials that are then cured by laser.
Moi CEO Gabriele Natale says 3-D printing will revolutionize boat production because it not only eliminates the need for tooling but can also create unique shapes that are impossible to achieve with traditional molds.
As for performance, Mambo’s electric-blue monoshell fiberglass hull hit an impressive 26 knots with “excellent stability,” Natale says, adding, “We just need to adjust a few settings, and we’re confident she’ll run at 30 knots.”
CFM technology uses continuous fibers, (in this case fiberglass) which deposit from the head of a Kuka robotic machine in a controlled manner, following the tool-path generated by an intelligent planning software algorithm.
This allows the creation of 3D fiber-reinforced objects, having the same mechanical characteristics to those of unidirectional fiberglass, starting from a digital CAD file, without using additional equipment or molds and with less material waste.
Once the concept was clear and the executive project realized, the various unidirectional fiberglass sections were 3D printed using two anthropomorphic robots located in two physical places 1,000 miles apart.
One in Milan, Italy at the operational headquarters of Moi Composites.
The other in Autodesk’s Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Birmingham, UK, making the best use of production delocalization, among the of additive manufacturing.
The 3D printing was completed and the pieces were joined and laminated to give life to this one-off, challenging boat.
Each individual section was laminated in a sandwich with a PVC core, polyester resins and fiberglass fabrics, creating the layering of the plating and reinforcement structures and then joining them together.
The production process was completed with aesthetic finishing of the external surface followed by assembly of the necessary boat equipment/accessories.
MAMBO not only constitutes an example of a boat totally 3D printed in continuous fiber composite material, but will also be the first object of its type planned to be operative.
This boat proves that this new technology is ready to produce objects for the market and not just showcasing prototypes.
Catmarine, a shipyard specialized in catamaran construction, with its experience has transformed the various sections produced digitally into a finished boat.
Micad, a nautical design studio actively involved in the field of research and technological innovations that took the challenge of engineering the complex structures of Mambo.
Last but not least, Owens Corning, supplied the glass reinforcements fibers and Osculati, a company in Italy for nautical components provided accessories capable of adapting to the curves and design of the entire hull.
MAMBO
https://www.moi.am/projects/mambo
