The University of Maine has launched 3Dirigo X, a 30-foot high-performance 3D-printed boat designed to demonstrate the growing potential of large-scale additive manufacturing for maritime production. Built at UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, the vessel is engineered for offshore conditions and speeds approaching 40 knots, tell Tech Xplore.
3Dirigo X advances research that began with the original 3Dirigo, unveiled in 2019. While that vessel demonstrated the feasibility of printing a boat at this scale and earned three Guinness World Records, the new design addresses the greater structural demands associated with high-speed operation in open water.
Manufacturing speed has also improved substantially. UMaine researchers have increased printing rates from about 20 pounds per hour during early development to roughly 500 pounds per hour. Advances in composite materials, sensors, process controls, and digital design have helped accelerate production. The university’s upcoming Factory of the Future is expected to push deposition rates to 1,000 pounds per hour.
A major advantage of the process is its ability to reduce dependence on expensive molds and tooling. Engineers can modify digital designs and use the same manufacturing equipment to produce different hulls and components. Digital twins also allow researchers to incorporate information from each build into subsequent designs, supporting faster testing and iteration.
Potential applications extend beyond commercial boats to unmanned vessels, patrol craft, logistics vessels, sensor platforms, and replacement components for defense operations. The technology is intended to complement conventional shipyards and skilled workers rather than replace them.
The launch, however, marks another testing stage rather than a finished manufacturing solution. Researchers will evaluate 3Dirigo X in Atlantic conditions to understand its durability and performance under repeated stresses. Broader adoption will depend on making the process repeatable, inspectable, and economically competitive.
