March 5, 2023 According to Mohou.com, Al SeerMarine, a marine equipment manufacturer from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, recently began using 3D printing technology to manufacture Hydra, an unmanned surface vessel (USV) 3D printed. This drone is currently only a conceptual model, but it will be the first 3D-printed unmanned surface vessel model to be shown to the public. The model was presented at the NAVDEX 2023 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, an event which brought together players from the maritime and defense sectors. In terms of dimensions, the vessel designed by AlSeer Marine is 5 meters long and weighs 350 kilograms. It is reported to be manufactured in the company’s 3D printing factory.
To build Hydra, Al SeerMarine visited Dutch 3D printer manufacturer CEAD. The latter offers a composite system capable of 3D printing parts of a boat. The marine equipment manufacturer benefits from AM Flexbot technology, a flexible robotic solution for large-scale 3D printing. However, the UAE-based company did not mention which parts of the boat feature 3D printed components. CEAD has already proven itself in the automotive sector with the ZEM, an ecological car whose 3D printed parts capture more CO2 than they produce.
△CEAD’s Flexbot technology is used to 3D print ships (Photo source: Al Seer Marine)
Hydra completes design in 5 days using 3D printing
Where 3D printing plays an important role in manufacturing autonomous ships is the speed with which they can be built. In fact, according to Al Seer Marine, Hydra was designed in just five days, in addition to onboard design and engineering work. As mentioned earlier, this drone is just a prototype. The marine equipment maker said it is still developing the system provided by CEAD to produce more 3D printed parts for integration into ships.
Visitors to NAVDEX 2023 will be able to see the Hydra in action thanks to a video broadcast by Al Seer Marine during the show. Some company representatives even announced that they were working on a lighter model of the autonomous ship, also made using 3D printing. The UAE-based company also added that it would print an integrated mast on the ship, which would be powered by an electric motor. Once completed, Hydra will be used as a stealth ship for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Source: 3D Printing Network
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