Velettrica Uses 3D Printing for More Sustainable Maritime Transport

Additive manufacturing can create parts with advanced materials that guarantee effective and cost-efficient solutions even in the most extreme environments, from the sky to space and the depths of the ocean. A prime example of this technological revolution is Velettrica, an Italian startup that used 3D printing to develop key components for the functional prototype of the SAIL-POD 25 sailboat engine. To discover how the use of cutting-edge technologies, such as 3D printing and biomimetic design, is opening new frontiers for “sustainable sailing,” we met with Velettrica founder Roberto Baffigo.

3DN: Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your connection to 3D printing?

Hello, my name is Roberto Baffigo. I was born in Rome in 1972 and have always been involved in sports, including rowing, sailing, mountain biking, skiing, and now swimming with fins. I studied physics, which stimulated my curiosity and desire to experiment. My connection to 3D printing comes from the world of jewelry: the transition from manual to digital prototyping was a real revolution that exploded with the availability of increasingly reliable and inexpensive printing techniques. Subsequently, 3D printing allowed me to quickly test all the inventions contained in Velettrica’s unique propeller.

Roberto Baffigo and the Velettrica team with the SAIL-POD 25 motor

3DN: How did Velettrica come about, and what is its mission?

Velettrica was born in 2021 from the dream of exploring impact-free sailing, an idea that matured during vacations at sea with my wife Chiara and our children Stella and Pietro Noè. I always dreamed of being able to travel with them in harmony with nature. I wanted to make the sailboat even more environmentally friendly by using an electric motor, not only for propulsion, but also to generate energy when powered by the wind. The motor developed as part of the Velettrica project is called the SAIL-POD 25.