Italy

Sacs Marine

From class-approved propellers to fully printed hulls, 3D printing is on the rise. We take a look at the opportunities for yachtbuilders and ask whether the industry is more confined by mindset than technology.From model-making to printing food or even replacement organs, it seems there is nothing 3D printing cannot do. The use of additive manufacturing, as it is also known, is already viable across a range of industries for the production of plastic, metal and ceramic elements. And earlier this year we learned of 88-metre Pegasus, a concept by designer <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5910" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jozeph Forakis (Company)">Jozeph Forakis</a> touted as “the world’s first 3D printed superyacht”. But is this emerging technology the miracle solution that will enable us to print entire boats in a matter of days?<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/295550/image/large-2e977725d308de0c51d4f283798ac61c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/295550">“When we started out, we looked at how we could introduce this technology in a field where everything is strictly artisanal,” says Paolo Nazzaro, co-founder and MD of Superfici, an Italian additive manufacturer based in La Spezia.“ The shipyards reacted like it was arcane magic, and it took time to prove to them that we could use new technology to improve design and functionality.”With clients ranging from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5753" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sacs Marine (Company)">SACS</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1440" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heinen & Hopman (Company)">Heinen &amp; Hopman</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4062" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Raymarine UK Ltd (Company)">Raymarine</a> to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a>, Amer, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1661" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tankoa Yachts S.p.A. (Company)">Tankoa</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/51" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Perini Navi (Company)">Perini</a> and even Lamborghini, the message is starting to get through, although the challenge now is convincing shipyards to change the way they approach design. Nazzaro points to a tender helm console Superfici designed and printed for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5753" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sacs Marine (Company)">SACS</a>, which was an exercise to show that when you change the way you build parts you also change the way you design them.&nbsp;“Now they understand,” he says. “We design not only the exterior but also the internal parts because we print everything as one; it means parts are becoming more complex even though they are actually easier to build, and shipyards are starting to change the way they conceive projects.”“It’s a different mindset,” agrees Adam Wheeler, Design Office Manager at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker International</a>. “Rather than just designing for manufacture, we can design for form now. The beauty of 3D printing is it lends itself to free thinking. There are no limitations.”&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker</a> has started using 3D printing across its range and has set up an internal programme known as RAMP (Research into Additive Manufacturing Processes). Currently its 60-strong design office uses 3D printing primarily for components in non-visible areas, but the tech allows the team to create complex pieces that are not possible to manufacture by conventional injection moulding, such as parts for plumbing or air-conditioning ducts that can maximise available volume, or elements like plenum boxes and manifolds that by printing them whole mitigates the risk of leaks through human error.&nbsp;“We can develop and realise organic shapes that subtractive manufacturing doesn’t allow us to do,” Wheeler confirms. “It’s definitely the future and we’ve got high aspirations as to how we utilise additive manufacturing going forward, although the print resolution isn’t quite there yet to print a major moulding without having to revisit it with paint or other finishing.”For Will Penfold, Senior Project Manager at 3D printing company AMufacture in the UK, designers and shipyards are still playing catch-up with the technology. “A lot of the time parts come to us that have been designed for injection moulding or machining and are not designed with 3D printers in mind,” he says. “We then advise how they can tweak the design and add value or features, because we can print parts that can’t be made in any other way.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/295551/image/large-73b02ba3b3b53862aafcc41a6b980e6d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/295551">AMufacture prints custom components for high-end race boats, and low-volume production parts for sailboats, motoryachts and luxury tenders. A supplier to companies like <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1640" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Harken Inc. (Company)">Harken</a>, it announced at the start of 2023 that it was the new 3D printing technical partner for SailGP.&nbsp;“Over the past six months we’ve had a lot of conversations with a lot of different marine companies, not only in the UK but also in Europe,” Penfold says. “It suggests that the technology is on the verge of becoming mainstream in the marine sector.”Print tech&nbsp;There are a bewildering number of 3D printing technologies. Not all are suitable for finished parts or the marine environment, and others may be promising for future adoption but right now are very expensive. The key methods currently include:Fused deposition modelling (FDM): A method of material extrusion, this is perhaps the best-known 3D printing technology in which a print head lays down extruded layers of melted plastic filament, concrete or other materials. It is used in most hobbyist 3D printers.Vat polymerisation: In this method, light is used to selectively cure a photopolymer resin in a vat to create a complex solid shape. Stereolithography (SLA) is perhaps the best-known process, but there are many variants based on differing light sources and proprietary processes.Powder bed fusion: In a way, this is a more advanced version of FDM whereby a thermal energy source is used to fuse powder particles (thermoplastic, metals or ceramics) to build a solid object layer by layer. Selective laser sintering (SLS) and multi-jet fusion (MJF) are two example technologies. Parts produced using these methods tend to have excellent mechanical properties and can have complex geometries.Material jetting: Material jetting works in a similar way to a standard inkjet printer, but instead of ink uses photopolymers which are sprayed in layers and then cured with UV light.Binder jetting: This process is similar to SLS but uses binder droplets rather than heat to fuse power particles. It is a low-cost process for functional metal parts, although mechanical properties do not match those of powder bed fusion parts.Direct energy deposition (DED): An electron beam, laser or plasma is used to feed and fuse material simultaneously when it is deposited. Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) used to create the RAMLAB/<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6617" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Shipyards (Company)">Damen</a> propeller is a form of DED. The tech is expensive and parts require surface finishing, but it can be used for high-end components in automotive, aerospace etc, making it one to watch for superyachts in the future.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/295557/image/large-d45a2e168c0ce486d13f9c90f6eb01e8.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/295557">Are we there yet?While the possibilities for 3D printing are immense, there are still some barriers to its widespread adoption in yacht construction. The WAAMpeller project by RAMLAB in Rotterdam showed the potential of additive manufacturing when it successfully printed a ship propeller in nickel alloy, aluminium and bronze that was subsequently class-approved by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1463" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bureau Veritas (Company)">Bureau Veritas</a>. However, the propeller required additional finishing, and the cost of such printing technologies is still prohibitively high for small-scale production.There is also the problem of size with most printers currently offering print scales of up to around one cubic metre, and the rapidly changing nature of the technology means it is a hard call for a yard to invest in a serious printer – one reason why third-party print companies will likely continue to provide off-site parts manufacture even as the technology matures.“The interesting thing is in metal 3D printing, which is still a bit boutique and expensive,” says Penfold. “But as new technologies come online, that’s getting cheaper and there are a lot of fabricated parts that suddenly you’re going to be able to print.”The result is more design freedom, which promises to provide savings in both cost and weight – advances that are probably only two to three years away. Similarly, the issue of size is being overcome not by larger print beds, but by designing in junctions that allow for component elements to be bonded together.&nbsp;“In FDM printing you can build bigger with print beds up to 12 metres long, but the quality is not great,” says Penfold. “The print technology that we use, which is MJF [see sidebar], can create parts that are 100 percent homogenous and equally strong in every axis. As the technology matures and metal printing gets cheaper, I think that will be a big thing for the marine industry.”Spares on demandIt is not just ease of manufacturing that 3D printing offers; it also opens up opportunities for spare parts on demand or, in the case of older models or obsolete parts, one-off replacements via laser scanning, modelling and printing.&nbsp;The idea of a yacht carrying its own 3D printer and printing off plastic and metal parts on demand is also tantalising, and this prospect was further bolstered in 2017 when Rotterdam-based RAMLAB partnered with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6617" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Shipyards (Company)">Damen</a>, Promarin, Autodesk and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1463" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bureau Veritas (Company)">Bureau Veritas</a> to 3D print a class-approved, 1.35-metre diameter ship propeller. The reality, however, is that such steps are likely many years away not least because of cost, space and the need for parts to be finished post-printing.&nbsp;“I don’t think we’re all going to have 3D printers on our yachts,” says Will Penfold, “but I think instead of having ten parts on a shelf somewhere gathering dust, companies will have a design on a server and when someone needs a part it will just be printed off and three days later it will be on board, rather than having to go through the longer process of conventional fabrication. We’re already in discussions along those lines.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/295552/image/large-76d0e6721af67d976ea6a576c5c10514.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/295552">A future blueprint&nbsp;Despite the challenges, 3D printing allows for complex geometries, custom designs and limited production runs, all of which are pertinent to the low-volume, high-quality nature of yacht building. Another relevant advantage is that the materials used are fully recyclable and reusable, which means an end-of-life solution for parts and tooling, waste reduction for prototyping, and the evolution of parts on the fly without having to create new moulds.So does this mean that we will soon be cruising in printed yachts that have come off a production line in a matter of days? This prospect was mooted in 2019 when the University of Maine printed a 7.62-metre open boat that broke three world records in 3D printing. But while you can now 3D-print houses, and 3D-printed boats are being made in the Netherlands for use on calm canals, it is unlikely we will get to this point in mainstream yachting.“The way the University of Maine boat is printed means it can float, but it would crack if you tried to navigate with it in waves,” says Nazzaro. “The other problem is weight [it came in at 2.2 tons].”&nbsp;Instead, Nazzaro believes the future is more likely in 3D printing moulds, which can then be used to build boats. AMufacture’s CEO and co-founder Craig Pyser agrees that printing tooling will become more widespread, but in tandem with CNC machines. Clearly, we are on the verge of more widespread adoption of 3D print tech in yacht construction, and that opens up some delicious prospects in terms of design and efficiency.&nbsp;“Someone said to me in my early days in this field that with 3D printing, complexity is free,” says Pyser. “When I fully understood what that meant it was an incredible moment, because it means clients are only limited by their imagination. And what excites me isn’t so much the advancements in technology, where you’ll probably gain on speed and the range of materials you can utilise, but about the increased understanding and adoption of 3D printing across various industries, including marine.”This article was originally published in Issue 2 of How To Build It, you can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/magazine/how-to-build-it-issue-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">download the magazine for free here</a>.

3D printing in the yachting industry 

From class-approved propellers to fully printed hulls, 3D printing is on the rise. We take a look at the opportunities for yachtbuilders.

Is 3D printing reshaping the yachting industry?

The 37.9-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/121" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palmer Johnson Yachts (Company)">Palmer Johnson</a> motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2400" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kjos36.57m (119'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts2009">Kjos</a> has entered the market. The y<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/yachts/kjos/for-sale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">acht Kjos, for sale</a>, was delivered in 2009 as part of the popular semi-custom <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/121" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palmer Johnson Yachts (Company)">Palmer Johnson</a> 120 series and is in great condition for her new owner.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196555/image/large-df5cce7049c15c03b829fdce4ba6295f.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196555"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2400" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kjos36.57m (119'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts2009">Kjos</a> features exterior design by Nuvolari Lenard with naval architecture by her builder <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/121" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palmer Johnson Yachts (Company)">Palmer Johnson Yachts</a>. The <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/yachts/motor/for-sale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">motor yacht for sale</a>is characterised by her sleek profile with flowing lines from bow to stern.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196550/image/large-f1988581d873d543c75afe08b7f97b22.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196550">The 223 GT <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/yachts/for-sale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">yacht for sale</a> greets guests with stainless steel-framed sliding doors and tinted glass before entering her main saloon. The elegant and sophisticated main saloon of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2400" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kjos36.57m (119'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts2009">Kjos</a> offers plush seating and an adjoining dining area with a custom-made wood, leather, marble and glass table for eight guests.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196549/image/large-14b0e51b4281bc81c12cd15879e1570f.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196549"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2400" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kjos36.57m (119'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts2009">Kjos</a> is able to accommodate up to eight guests across four staterooms with a spacious owner’s suite, complete with a king-size bed and ensuite his-and-hers bathroom. Both are adorned with high-gloss cross-grained wood accents, marble, glass, and stainless steel fixtures and finishings.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196552/image/large-5bde7648871a5c8337624396452b8665.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196552"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196545/image/large-d385db3172c8ba4299132332bce63f3e.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196545"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196544/image/large-df3ca025c33b6e2a09f24029c14eec89.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196544"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/196553/image/large-24b9e84c61970fb7b2f2746935323c56.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/196553">The exterior areas of the <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/yachts/palmer-johnson/for-sale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Palmer Johnson yacht for sale</a> have been designed with entertainment and relaxation in mind. Her spacious aft deck includes comfortable seating areas, while her flybridge boasts panoramic views, three built-in seating arrangements, a large sunpad and a coffee table. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2400" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kjos36.57m (119'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts2009">Kjos</a> comes with a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5753" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sacs Marine (Company)">SACS</a> Strider 11 Chaseboat and various water toys, including a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4162" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Manta Maritime (Company)">Manta</a> e-Foil and two <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3590" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Seabob Adriatic (Company)">SeaBobs</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/267050/image/large-da9b9ae33b970cf0fbea1bf4671a1235.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/267050">In terms of performance, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2400" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kjos36.57m (119'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts2009">Kjos</a> is powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1409" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MTU (Company)">MTU</a> engines that provide her with a cruising speed of 16 knots and a top speed of 25 knots.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/267051/image/large-b327d1faa6f24c1436b66f32b214ca74.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/267051">

Palmer Johnson’s 37m yacht Kjos for sale

Palmer Johnson’s 37m motor yacht Kjos for sale was delivered in 2009 as part of the popular semi-custom Palmer Johnson 120 series.

37m Palmer Johnson motor yacht Kjos for sale

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers Yachts</a> has acquired Schaap ShipCARE in Lelystad, the Netherlands, which will now operate under the name <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers</a> Marine Center from today. The site will allow <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers</a> to cater for larger scale projects and will be used to build its forthcoming new yacht brand, Stratos.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/241731/image/large-463734dd80f75b9e1acf6eaf19d098aa.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/241731"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers</a> Marine Center has access to a ground floor plan of approximately 18,000 square-metres, four service and storage buildings that total around 8,000 square-metres and a 70 tonne crane.Bas Lengers, Owner of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers Yachts</a>, cites strong growth as a driver for this acquisition. “The demand is increasing, and we must anticipate this trend in order to continue our growth,” Lengers explained. “We are very excited to be taking a new path by launching our own yacht brand.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/107181/image/large-fb5034944f24c98674e3057acba775f3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/107181">“With the access to the facility in Lelystad, we unlock the possibility to create more capacity and to have the construction of these ships in our own hands, which I think is very important in these unprecedented times. We have extensive and pleasant cooperation with Leen Schaap and our relationship is built on mutual trust. I know what he is capable of and that he is outstanding at doing his job. We are also very enthusiastic about our new, dedicated employees.” &nbsp;Schaap ShipCARE is famous for constructing fast ocean-going yachts, two of which were winners of the Ocean Race (formerly known as the Volvo Ocean Race). Schaap ShipCARE also provides yacht refit and renovation services, and the team will remain working at the site and become part of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers Group</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/107179/image/large-ae45c4d5cc70134c9339dde1fc403ab0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/107179">Leen Schaap, owner and director of Schaap Ship CARE, commented, “More than twenty years ago I started working with Bas Lengers and the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers</a> company. I have always been fascinated by the way Bas and his team are operating. Selling and doing business is in their blood, they breathe it. I am really happy about this next step and am convinced this will contribute even more to the bright future of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers Yachts</a>. We are very excited to be working with this international company under the same flag.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/188762/image/large-7451e7d15db5e1c052acbf68c1210adf.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/188762"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/359" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lengers Yachts (Company)">Lengers Yachts</a>’ headquarters in Muiden, the Netherlands, will continue to function as the brand’s showroom for new and used yachts of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5648" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bluegame (Company)">Bluegame</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6157" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="S.Y Prestige Yachts (Company)">Prestige</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5753" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sacs Marine (Company)">Sacs</a> and Stratos.&nbsp;

Lengers Yachts acquires Schaap ShipCARE

Lengers Yachts has acquired Schaap ShipCARE in Lelystad, where it will build a new yacht brand, Stratos.