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Kockums launches catamaran range
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Kockums launches catamaran range SWEDISH shipbuilder Kockums AB has delivered its first CarboCAT® carbon fibre composite catamaran, which has been designed as a supply and service vessel for offshore wind farms. The 23 m CarboClyde has been in service at the Baltic 1 offshore wind farm of German energy supplier EnBW since September.
Kockums is well known for building naval ships (including the Visby Class ‘stealth’ corvette) using carbon fibre composite and it has developed its own vacuum infusion process called KVASI (Kockums Vacuum Assisted Sandwich Infusion). It is partnering with Fintry Marine Design AG of Switzerland to develop a range of CarboCAT
A range of CarboCAT composite catamarans are being developed to suit different uses. The first is being used as a supply/service vessel for an offshore wind farm.
commercial catamarans of 18-23 m and 38-43 m which can be adapted to suit different purposes – from sea ambulances to passenger ferries. Fintry Marine is responsible for marketing the CarboCAT range worldwide. “The CarboClyde is the first commercial workboat built entirely using a carbon composite construction technique and is fully classified by DNV,” explains Lindsay Leggat Smith, Managing Director of FINTRY Marine Ltd. “FINTRY Marine and Kockums thus set new standards, in reducing the fuel consumption and maintenance costs, increasing service life, improving the operating characteristics, not to mention providing more safety and comfort for passengers and technicians.”
Kockums and Fintry Marine report that the CarboCAT vessels, which are based on a sandwich composite structure, offer the following advantages: • 30% or more reduced structural weight compared to aluminium vessels; • potential fuel savings of up to 20%; • savings of up to 25% in maintenance costs compared to an aluminium vessel of similar capacity; and • high safety performance as a result of the composite sandwich construction and double bottom structure. Kockums; www.kockums.se Fintry Marine Design AG; www.fintry-marine.com
Lamborghini showcases carbon fibre technology LAMBORGHINI unveiled its carbon fibre technology demonstrator, the Sesto Elemento concept car, at the Paris Auto Show in October. The car is based around a carbon fibre monocoque passenger cell manufactured in a one-shot process. Connected to the monocoque are the front subframe (incorporating the suspension points) and
the crash boxes, both also made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). The rear subframe, with the engine mount and rear axle suspension points, is made from aluminium. The exterior panels, major suspension components (control arms), the wheels and the drive shaft are also CFRP. A big benefit of carbon composite is that complex
Lamborghini’s Sesto Elemento has an overall curb weight of 999 kg, a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of 2.5 seconds and a top speed of over 300 km/h.
REINFORCEDplastics
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010
structures can be integrated into a single component. On the Sesto Elemento, the front and rear of the body shell are each manufactured in a single piece. Thus, the body shell exterior is made up of the roof section (part of the monocoque), the two front and rear structures (cofango), and the doors. Each door consists of only two elements, the exterior skin and the interior cladding, which are bonded to create one component. The minimalist approach has also been applied to the interior. Lamborghini has dispensed with the conventional seat frame and the whole internal structure is obtained from the carbon monocoque. The seat cushions are fixed directly to the
monocoque. CFRP is visible throughout the interior – on the floor and roof of the monocoque, on the doors and also on the cockpit and centre console. The car is finished in a new, matt-shimmer clear coat so that the CFRP structure can be seen throughout. Lamborghini has used its new Forged Composite process, in which materials with short carbon fibres are hot pressed in a mould, to produce some of the car’s components. The process was developed in collaboration with golf club manufacturer Callaway (see Business News page 15). Lamborghini; www.lamborghini.com
www.reinforcedplastics.com
Kockums launches catamaran range SWEDISH shipbuilder Kockums AB has delivered its first CarboCAT® carbon fibre composite catamaran, which has been designed as a supply and service vessel for offshore wind farms. The 23 m CarboClyde has been in service at the Baltic 1 offshore wind farm of German energy supplier EnBW since September.
Kockums is well known for building naval ships (including the Visby Class ‘stealth’ corvette) using carbon fibre composite and it has developed its own vacuum infusion process called KVASI (Kockums Vacuum Assisted Sandwich Infusion). It is partnering with Fintry Marine Design AG of Switzerland to develop a range of CarboCAT
A range of CarboCAT composite catamarans are being developed to suit different uses. The first is being used as a supply/service vessel for an offshore wind farm.
commercial catamarans of 18-23 m and 38-43 m which can be adapted to suit different purposes – from sea ambulances to passenger ferries. Fintry Marine is responsible for marketing the CarboCAT range worldwide. “The CarboClyde is the first commercial workboat built entirely using a carbon composite construction technique and is fully classified by DNV,” explains Lindsay Leggat Smith, Managing Director of FINTRY Marine Ltd. “FINTRY Marine and Kockums thus set new standards, in reducing the fuel consumption and maintenance costs, increasing service life, improving the operating characteristics, not to mention providing more safety and comfort for passengers and technicians.”
Kockums and Fintry Marine report that the CarboCAT vessels, which are based on a sandwich composite structure, offer the following advantages: • 30% or more reduced structural weight compared to aluminium vessels; • potential fuel savings of up to 20%; • savings of up to 25% in maintenance costs compared to an aluminium vessel of similar capacity; and • high safety performance as a result of the composite sandwich construction and double bottom structure. Kockums; www.kockums.se Fintry Marine Design AG; www.fintry-marine.com
Lamborghini showcases carbon fibre technology LAMBORGHINI unveiled its carbon fibre technology demonstrator, the Sesto Elemento concept car, at the Paris Auto Show in October. The car is based around a carbon fibre monocoque passenger cell manufactured in a one-shot process. Connected to the monocoque are the front subframe (incorporating the suspension points) and
the crash boxes, both also made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). The rear subframe, with the engine mount and rear axle suspension points, is made from aluminium. The exterior panels, major suspension components (control arms), the wheels and the drive shaft are also CFRP. A big benefit of carbon composite is that complex
Lamborghini’s Sesto Elemento has an overall curb weight of 999 kg, a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of 2.5 seconds and a top speed of over 300 km/h.
REINFORCEDplastics
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010
structures can be integrated into a single component. On the Sesto Elemento, the front and rear of the body shell are each manufactured in a single piece. Thus, the body shell exterior is made up of the roof section (part of the monocoque), the two front and rear structures (cofango), and the doors. Each door consists of only two elements, the exterior skin and the interior cladding, which are bonded to create one component. The minimalist approach has also been applied to the interior. Lamborghini has dispensed with the conventional seat frame and the whole internal structure is obtained from the carbon monocoque. The seat cushions are fixed directly to the
monocoque. CFRP is visible throughout the interior – on the floor and roof of the monocoque, on the doors and also on the cockpit and centre console. The car is finished in a new, matt-shimmer clear coat so that the CFRP structure can be seen throughout. Lamborghini has used its new Forged Composite process, in which materials with short carbon fibres are hot pressed in a mould, to produce some of the car’s components. The process was developed in collaboration with golf club manufacturer Callaway (see Business News page 15). Lamborghini; www.lamborghini.com
www.reinforcedplastics.com