Yes, you can now 3D print a yacht!
Sustainable yacht building has become a pressing issue in recent years. How to build faster, cleaner and with more customization, with less environmental impact, are the big questions. 3D printing could provide the answer.
3D printing in the yacht industry
Recent months have seen the launch of some innovative concepts that have utilized 3D printing for more sustainable yacht building. Once dismissed as a method for simply designing prototypes, today the pioneers of this cutting-edge technology are now printing boat parts and even whole boats.
3D printing offers many advantages. You can simply print a new boat or part once, test it, and if it’s not perfect, redo it on the spot instead of redoing the entire mold, which costs money and takes a lot of time. You can experiment at will. You can build to order very quickly. And it’s much faster to go from idea to working concept. While 3D printing has been around for years, it’s now getting to the point where the printers are big enough to actually print a boat. You can learn more about 3D yacht printing in this excellent Boat International article.
How is it more sustainable?
The traditional manufacturing processes are often extremely wasteful because it normally uses 100% new materials. But what if you could literally melt a yacht down and start again? The Dutch boat builder, Impacd Boats, is already doing just that, with their boats made of recycled plastics. Similarly, the innovative start-up Tanaruz Boat has begun orders of their 3D-printed customizable boats built from reusable polymers.
The ability to reduce waste and the flexibility of materials that can be used through 3D printing is incredible. For example, recycled materials that reduce the environmental impact of build even further.
The future
When it comes to sustainable yacht building, 3D technology provides so many advantages that we believe it will become a standard method of building yachts. Combined with the use of recycled materials, 3D printing saves shipyards wastage, energy, and time compared to conventional construction. These innovative technological leaps in 3D printing toward our sustainable future will continue to transform the industry.
The team at Boatbookings is always looking for ways to reduce our impact. It is so inspiring to see this type of technology being used that has the potential to revolutionize sustainable yachting, helping us move towards a greener future for our charter fleet. We love to explore the technology of the future, especially when it will help progress the industry’s green credentials.
If you are interested in any of our environmentally-friendly crewed catamaran charters, contact the Boatbookings team today to discuss further.