Tanaruz, a Dutch company that manufactures tailor-made 3D printed boats, has unveiled a 3D printed yacht made from recycled plastic.
The boats are manufactured in Rotterdam using a “plug-and-play” 3D printer which is about 14 meters long. Four different models which range from 4.5 to 10 meters in length, constitute the portfolio of the company. Each of them can be customized – the customer can choose the color, interior and equipment of his choice – and equipped with electric motors, batteries and solar panels.
With an entry-level model priced at 15,000 euros (a cost that would be half the price of a traditional boat of the same size), Tanaruz ambitions to scale up the production of its boats to 300 by 2023. What makes the company outstanding is that its boats are said to be more sustainable and cheaper to produce than conventionally manufactured models.
So, how does Tanaruz make shipbuilding much more efficient and sustainable?
Alex Shifman, the founder of RAW Idea , the startup behind Tanaruz, explains that what makes yachts expensive is that when they are manufactured using traditional processes, they require a lot of manual labor. “With Tanaruz we want to make pleasure yachts accessible to everyone who is looking for an affordable, but above all a sustainable product“, he told our colleagues from rtlnieuws.
“We at Tanaruz have used 3D printing to revolutionise shipbuilding by using a mixture of recyclable polymers with 30%of glass reinforcement. Such combination provides sufficient flexibility for 3D printing and a good strength for the boats. The polymers are leftovers from industrial sites. We collect these polymers and give them a new life instead of opting for new materials. Most of the time, leftovers are simply thrown away instead of being used. Instead of polluting the environment, the plastic is recuperated, specially treated, and then used for printing. The recuperated plastic is reprocessed using a process called recycling that enables it to be reused multiple times. When a boat reaches the end of its life span, we shred them and reuse the materials to print newer models. With safety regulations in mind of course. The polymer is resistant to high and low temperatures, endures UV exposure, and does not change its properties over time. By repeatedly reuse the Tanaruz boats, the polymer may decrease in strength. To decrease the safety compromise,new polymer will be added to restore the qualities of the polymer produced for the printing of the boats and provide the required level of safety for the people onboard”, the company explains on its website.
Prior to Tanaruz, we saw the manufacture of 3D printed boat using recycled material in a joint research project between Caracol and energy company NextChem. However, if this objective is successfully implemented, Tanaruz would certainly be the first company to achieve the production of 3D printed boats made from recycled material at scale.
This year, the company plans to 3D print 100 boats in Rotterdam. They are currently looking for a new location and partners who would help them grow internationally.
Remember, you can post job opportunities in the AM Industry on 3D ADEPT Media free of charge or look for a job via our job board. Make sure to follow us on our social networks and subscribe to our weekly newsletter : Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Instagram ! If you want to be featured in the next issue of our digital magazine or if you hear a story that needs to be heard, make sure to send it to contact@3dadept.com