Innovative production system for work boat catamarans

Project Information

INCAT

Grant agreement ID: 743563

DOI

10.3030/743563

Project closed

EC signature date 28 November 2016

Start date 1 December 2016

End date 31 May 2017

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

MICAD SRL
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - INCAT (Innovative production system for work boat catamarans)

Reporting period: 2016-12-01 to 2017-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Currently, work-boat catamarans are being produced either with fibreglass (GFRP) or with Aluminium. GFRP catamarans is the most commonly used technology because of its low cost but hardly meet unique customer needs while aluminium boats are designed and produced to meet specific users’ needs: however, its application in the industry is limited because of associated high costs.

INCAT project aims to create a new series of work-boat catamarans which are at the same time convenient to produce (as GFRP boats) and highly customised (as aluminium boats), transferring in the naval industry the modular chassis concept developed in automotive.

The overall objectives of the INCAT innovation project are:
- Develop the optimal design for the catamaran work boat technical modules.
- Finalise the industrialisation of the modular production process
- Develop a Digital Business Ecosystem (DBE) Management Platform for commercialisation

The INCAT catamaran module is unique and meets the small boatyards needs for innovation and new products, because the proposed technical module is cheaper than a similar product developed in house.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The Feasibility Analysis has been articulated in two main areas: Industrial feasibility, to define the modular production process and Business Feasibility, where an in deep market analysis was carried out, a financial plan was finalised and IP management strategy assessed.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The competitive advantage the boatyards adopting the INCAT technology will have, is focused on those two elements:
- ability to produce a catamaran family with only one set of moulds, thus reducing initial investment costs;
- ability for monohull producing yard to enlarge the commercial offer to others work boat models, without developing a dedicated construction line.

At a time when the world boating market is growing and catamarans work boats are constantly replacing mono hull vessels, becoming the most widely used work boats type, it is vital for small boatyards to be able to offer to the market catamaran work boats to remain competitive. The INCAT offer to the market is unique and meets the small boatyards needs for innovation and new products, because the proposed technical module is cheaper than a similar product developed in house.

In addition, the DBE platform will have a relevant aspect to reach emerging markets because the possibility involves in the same business environment new actors quickly and without cost, thus becoming more relevant for both customers and partners.

Catamaran technical module

Modular moulds set

Catamaran work boat family developed from the same module