Additive manufacturing (AM) is one of the most disruptive technologies of this century, with huge potential to transform design and manufacturing processes. In some industrial sectors, however, resistance towards new technologies, along with superficial knowledge of the potential and capabilities of AM, is proving a big obstacle to innovation.
The marine industry, including the yachting sector, faces the additional obstacle of uncertainty over certification. AM is a new technology and standards are not yet fully defined, leading to scepticism and reluctance to use AM-made parts onboard. RINA has taken this need into account and released general guidelines for the certification of metallic AM parts. We hope this will speed up the process of innovation in this area.
All changes, even disruptive ones, take time to grow and evolve. AM is no different, spreading slowly but surely across many important industrial sectors, including space. In the yachting sector, we are already seeing successful examples of interesting and challenging projects using AM. These range from small components to major structural parts and even the entire hulls of small yachts. Not only polymeric materials are used, but also metallic ones. Of course, there are still challenges in this sea of opportunities, mainly due to the dimensions of the components required for yachts and the technological maturity of big AM machines.
What is the solution, or solutions? RINA has developed strong know-how in many areas relevant to AM, from feasibility studies to alloy design, refining the skills to identify opportunities in every industrial field. We can say for sure that AM is not the solution to all of our problems in the yachting sector or elsewhere. However, it can be extremely useful in specific situations. We see the greatest added value with highly customised items made in limited numbers.
This is one reason why AM has so much potential to benefit yacht design and building. The opportunities are huge. Take materials, for example. Even though AM offers fewer options for metals than for plastics, we can still use it to offer customers a broader range of appropriate materials and post-processing treatments. Speed is another benefit. Geometrically complex parts can be designed, modified and manufactured much more quickly with AM than with conventional machining processes. Even if the cost of the part may exceed the market price, this is not the most serious issue for luxury vessels, where it isn’t uncommon to see parts made of precious metals. There are even big benefits in niche areas. Vintage yachts, for example, can take advantage of AM by rebuilding 3D models of old parts for restoration.
With the help of competence and experience, we can transform the opportunities offered by AM into concrete applications in the yachting industry.