Added: 12/11/2005 |
Investment into super yacht technologiesExpensive yachts that mega yacht brokers are looking for are a reflection of modern super yacht technologies. The most prosperous yacht builders invent and use such super yacht technologies. Among such companies Sea Ray and Silverton may be mentioned. It is one of the essential rules of the industry to invest money into technology to produce up-to-date super yachts. Let's look closer at the super yacht technologies that these two companies create and use.
Sea Ray has invested more capital into technology in the last ten years than any other builder in the industry. Computer systems that aid in the production of new boat models are constantly updated and refined. Its state-of-the-art facilities feature the latest innovations in hull construction and gel-coat application.
Product Development and Engineering facility is unmatched in the marine industry, with 250 of the top designers, engineers and craftspeople in the country. Sea Ray's top-of-the-line super yacht technologies and automation gives them the freedom to constantly dream of possibilities and then make them happen.Sea Ray engineers use the latest modeling software, scale models and full-size mock-ups to analyze every feature of a new design. They modify, experiment and study a boat from every angle, resulting in a fit and finish second-to-none.
Sea Ray's computerized 5-axis mill, the largest in the industry, uses the CAD/CAM data to precisely create master patterns from foam molds that are accurate to 1/2000 of an inch. Thus, its hulls are perfectly symmetrical. Laser-guided robots apply uniform gel-coats of the exact consistency and thickness to the hull and deck. Sea Ray standards demand a higher level of precision. That's why the company continually invest in new technologies that allow it to produce boats and yachts that are stronger, safer and more reliable.
Sea Ray has invested more money in robotic forming and finishing processes than any other boatbuilder in the world. State-of-the-art three-dimensional modeling software allows its digital schematics to be perfectly recreated in master-mold tooling. Computer-driven five-axis mill routers cut to tolerances of 1/20,000th of an inch. Hull and deck gelcoats are applied with advanced robotics, ensuring consistency of gelcoat finish and thickness.
For more than five years Sea Ray has been using Multiple Insert Technology to create fiberglass parts, from deck hatches to hulls. They now produce more than 40,000 closed molded parts per year. It's a precise molding technique that ensures that the exact amount of resin is injected each time to each side of the part, resulting in a two-sided finished surface
Let's study what they do at Silverton. Does super yachts technologies used here are somehow different from Sea Ray technologies? Utilization of a Computerized 5-Axis Mill Router combined with new proprietary CAD/CAM software allows the molds and patterns to be so precise that all parts will fit together with a minimum of labor and finishing. Not only does this process result in significant savings of time in assembly, but it also increases the quality of the parts, providing a superior product overall.
Quality enhancements have also been made in the cabinet areas with the use of computerized CNC routers. These machines are calibrated to exacting standards that give you a perfect cut every time. The waste factor is almost nonexistent, as the computer will utilize all the sheet fed product, whether it is a 4' X 8' piece of furniture-grade hardwood or a sheet of durable Corian. At Silverton, they have also incorporated a new computerized fabric cutting machine. This workhorse can cut almost anything, from fiberglass to upholstry, precisely and without waste. This allows fiberglass mat kits to be cut in a fraction of the time as the labor has been significantly reduced and the quality increased.
They take advantage of fabricating their own metal rail systems and supporting metal structures. Working in high quality stainless steel, they always use top quality rolled and flat stock. By utilizing precise jigs, bends and welds are extremely precise, making an exact fit on every piece. Whether it is a simple hand rail or a complex bow rail, the savings can be considerable over outside suppliers.
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