Fri, 28 Nov 2025

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 Will boats be a breakthrough for 3D printing tech?

Dutch firms are betting that hulls made with 3D printing machines will mean cheaper boats.
CEAD, a company from Delft, has developed a method to 3D print boats that are strong, resistant to sunlight and marine growth, and require minimal manual labor. The company's co-founder Maarten Logtenberg used a sledgehammer to test the material's strength, which bounced off without leaving a scratch. After two years of experimentation, CEAD has perfected a mix of thermoplastics and fiberglass that can be used as the base for 3D printing boats. The process uses large-format 3D printers, with the largest one being nearly 40m long, to build up layers of material according to a digital design. The result is a seamless object that requires minimal human intervention in the production phase. CEAD has already built several prototypes, including a 12m fast boat for the Dutch Navy and an electric ferry for a customer in Abu Dhabi. The company is automating almost 90% of the boat-building process, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. Traditional fibreglass boat building requires a mold and considerable manual work to ensure the vessel's strength. In contrast, additive manufacturing eliminates the need for molds and allows for rapid design changes without significant build process adjustments. CEAD's innovation has sparked interest from other companies in the maritime sector, including Raw Idea, which is using 3D printing to produce boats made from recycled consumer plastics. The company believes that 3D printed boats will become increasingly popular, especially in the rental market, where consumers are drawn to novelty and social media attention. Regulatory bodies are also adapting to the new technology, engaging with innovators like CEAD and Raw Idea to ensure that their products meet safety and certification standards. While it's unclear whether entire ships can be printed in one go, experts believe that 3D printing will revolutionize the maritime industry by reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and enabling rapid production of custom vessels.
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