Applications

The 3D printed fiberglass boat, MAMBO, finally takes to the open sea

Remember that 3D printed fiberglass boat we were showing you in the aisles of Formnext 2019? Designed by Moi Composites in collaboration with Autodesk, Catmarine, Micad and Owens Corning, it finally went to sea! Named MAMBO (Motor Additive Manufacturing Boat), it…

The 3D printed fiberglass boat, MAMBO, finally takes to the open sea
3Dnatives

Remember that 3D printed fiberglass boat we were showing you in the aisles of Formnext 2019? Designed by Moi Composites in collaboration with Autodesk, Catmarine, Micad and Owens Corning, it finally went to sea! Named MAMBO (Motor Additive Manufacturing Boat), it is the first 3D printed fiberglass boat that will be on Italian waters at the Genoa Boat Show starting tomorrow. It is 6.5 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, weighs about 800 kg and is equipped with a real navigation system, cork flooring, white leather seats and a 115 hp engine – a real first for the maritime sector!

The additive manufacturing is as effective in the air as it is in the water! Maritime applications are steadily multiplying, whether to preserve the environment, design more efficient devices or simply create spare parts for all types of vessels. 3D printing technologies have begun to prove their worth in the field of boat manufacturing: for example, the 3D printed University of Maine, which exploded into world records. Designers relied on large-format technology to create the entire boat in one go. In the case of the Italian manufacturer Moi Composites, it’s more the material used that should be highlighted since the MAMBO is made of a fiberglass composite.

3D printed fiberglass boat

Image credits: Autodesk

Composite 3D printing to design MAMBO

Moi Composites uses Continuous Fiber Manufacturing 3D printing technology, a continuous composite 3D printing method: a Kuka robot guided by an algorithm deposits a thermosetting plastic filled with continuous fibers (in our case glass), which is then cured by a UV light source. A system that would make it possible to imagine parts that are lighter, more resistant and more durable over time, all without creating inaccessible molds and limiting material waste. The Italian startup has carried out several projects to demonstrate the capabilities of this technology – it all started with their Atropos robot. The MAMBO boat is probably one of the most outstanding examples.