- Voltage Vessels tests 3D-printed naval ship for defense evaluation program
- Eclipse X9 combines recycled plastic with basalt fiber reinforcement material
- The material exhibits high tensile strength, validated by testing at the University of Maine.
A small Hawaii company is trying to disrupt ship manufacturing by replacing traditional shipyard construction with large industrial printers and basalt-reinforced thermoplastics.
Voltage Vessels, founded by Sam Young, recently introduced a 6-meter rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) for the United States maritime defense evaluation programs.
The vessel is produced using a Dutch CEAD additive manufacturing system capable of manufacturing large-scale composite marine structures.
3D printing eliminates the old shipyard
Military RHIB platforms traditionally require fixed production facilities, extensive fiberglass work, specialized molds, and highly trained labor operating through long manufacturing schedules.
Voltage Vessels argues that such systems create dangerous vulnerabilities during conflicts where damaged vessels require immediate replacement far from continental shipyards.
Instead, the company proposes distributed production centers capable of printing replacement helmets directly from digital files using locally composed raw materials.
The material driving this approach is called Eclipse X9, a composite that combines recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) thermoplastic with chopped basalt fiber.
Basalt is a volcanic rock that has unusually high resistance against corrosion, compression, environmental degradation, and prolonged exposure to marine conditions.
Based on validated testing through the University of Maine’s Center for Composites and Advanced Structures, Eclipse X9 demonstrated a tensile strength approaching 108 MPa.
That level of performance corresponds to the pressure conditions found near the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest abyss on Earth, almost 11 kilometers deep.
The material reportedly retained more than 90% of its structural strength after prolonged saltwater immersion testing spanning more than 24 months.
Its water absorption remained below 0.4% during the evaluation periods, an important figure because excessive absorption gradually weakens marine hull materials over time.
Voltage Vessels also claims that Eclipse X9 offers superior structural performance compared to established reference composites already used in marine additive manufacturing.
Unlike aluminum structures, basalt composites do not significantly interfere with the radio frequency transmissions supported by navigation systems, radar arrays or communications equipment aboard unmanned vessels.
Distributed manufacturing could reshape Indo-Pacific naval logistics
The Pentagon increasingly favors distributed maritime operations throughout the Indo-Pacific region, where replacement ships may face severe limitations and controversial conditions.
Transporting replacement hulls from shipyards in the continental United States to areas in the Pacific takes weeks and relies on vulnerable infrastructure networks.
Voltage Vessels argues that localized additive manufacturing could dramatically reduce replacement timelines because production would only require printers, electrical power and regional material supplies.
The company says its national compounding infrastructure could reach 15,000 metric tons per year through regional partnerships in Pacific territories.
Because PETG thermoplastics can be melted repeatedly without substantial degradation, damaged structures could theoretically be recycled directly into newly printed replacement components.
Whether voltage vessels can genuinely transform shipbuilding remains uncertain until independent defense laboratories validate their long-term operational performance.
Via Defense Blog
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