These inflatable boats use basalt fiber to reduce radar returns and RF interference.
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Voltage is also using another novel breakthrough in the material for its 3D-printed boats. Instead of relying on traditional fiberglass and plastic construction, these boats are printed using recycled PETG plastic combined with chopped basalt fiber. This material has significantly higher tensile strength compared to the HDPro material currently used by CEAD 3D printers for maritime use. More importantly, the basaltic material, which the company calls Eclipse X9, has no electrical conductivity. Although its transparency for specific radio frequencies is still being evaluated, it theoretically has the advantage of reducing its radar cross section (RCS), as well as avoiding interference with the various signals that autonomous naval systems rely on.
The U.S. Navy is actively looking into large-scale additive manufacturing (more popularly known as 3D printing) as a way to streamline production and manufacture components where they’re needed. There are plans to deploy 100 large-format metal 3D printers in bases and other locations across the world, which could help simplify logistics for the U.S. military’s global footprint. However, these are so far limited to components — Voltage Vessels’ proposal scales this up to include boat hulls. The startup also envisions an annual output of 15,000 metric tons. Considering that a single 20-foot (6-meter) RHIB weighs around 1,300 pounds (about 600 kg), that could mean as many as 25,000 hulls annually (although this may vary depending on the design and sizes of the boats being printed.
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Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/us-navy-pitched-3d-printed-inflatable-boat-for-maritime-defense-six-meter-vessel-combines-recycled-petg-plastic-with-chopped-basalt-fiber-for-better-strength-water-resistance-and-stealth#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.