MADE – 3D printed parts for a race boat in rABS

Add:North is proud to be the filament sponsor for Swedish sailor, Joakim Brantingson, who’s participating in one of the world’s most dangerous sailing races – the 2023 edition of Mini-Transat. A race where the competitors sail solo for around 25 days, covering 4050 nautical miles, (7500 kilometres), to compete and try to be the first to cross the Atlantic.

From the beginning of this project a huge focus was put towards working on sustainability, both with materials and partners. The core material of the hull in the boat, named Estelle, (after the Swedish princess), is made from recycled PET-bottles. Clothing, technical ropes and the 3D-printed parts onboard are just some examples of gear supplied from the different project partners which are also made from recycled materials.

Joakim has 3D-printed several parts for the boat. Drilling templates in PLA, bushings in Adura-Nylon, shims and brackets in rABS and even some handles in the glow in the dark green, E-PLA.

“Setting up a race boat with all of its components is complex, so having the opportunity to design and 3D print durable parts yourself has been extremely helpful”, says Joakim Brantingsson, 2023 years Mini-Transat contender.

Parts that are subjected to extreme loads are printed in Add:North’s rABS and strengthened with carbon fiber lamination. An example of this is the brackets for the two solar panels at the aft of the boat.

rABS – 100% recycled ABS from industrial parts

This 100% recycled ABS from industrial parts has the same fine mechanical properties as virgin ABS, with excellent inter-layer adhesion, high printability and a nice surface finish. rABS is excellent for printing functional and tough parts, thanks to high wear and impact resistance with a working temperature of up to 100°C. Relative to other ABS materials it has very good bed adhesion and minimal warping. rABS is also treatable with acetone for a complete smoothing of the surface layers.