9-metre 3D-printed boat opens new opportunities for marine manufacturing

The University of Maine has launched 3Dirigo X, a 30-foot (approximately 9-metre) high-performance boat manufactured using large-scale 3D printing, demonstrating how additive manufacturing could move beyond prototypes and become a practical production technology for the marine industry.

Designed and manufactured at the university's Advanced Structures and Composites Center, 3Dirigo X is engineered for offshore conditions and speeds approaching 40 knots.

The project also demonstrates significant progress in manufacturing productivity. Printing rates at the centre have increased from around 20 pounds per hour to approximately 500 pounds per hour, alongside advances in composite materials, digital design, sensors and process control.

Large-scale additive manufacturing also enables hull geometries to be modified digitally, allowing different vessels and components to be manufactured using the same equipment without requiring expensive dedicated moulds.

Potential applications include unmanned vessels, patrol craft, logistics vessels, sensor platforms and replacement components. Further testing of 3Dirigo X will now assess durability and performance under real Atlantic operating conditions