Hull for Autonomous Surface Vehicle
Commissioned by a defense contractor based in Singapore to upgrade their Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) used for monitoring and collecting marine debris, MADE confronted the complexities of the project with determination. Our primary goal was to engineer a high-tech prototype that could efficiently clean up floating waste in Singapore’s harbor. The client was keen on enhancing the hulls, manufactured from conventional materials that posed problems due to deformation and excess weight. MADE responded to this challenge inventively by incorporating graphene additives into composite materials, substantially improving impact resistance. We successfully built the hull and delivered the enhanced ASV to the client. The resultant ASV, designed by MADE, achieved a considerable 68% weight reduction and a significant increase in rigidity.
Improved Radar Arch for a Military Boat
Singapore-based defence contractor approached MADE with a problem related to their ships’ mast radar arches, previously acquired from another vendor. These arches, designed to mount radar antennas and other devices, were failing due to fatigue caused by vessel movement. MADE undertook a thorough analysis of the problematic arches, identifying their weak spots, and proceeded to redesign the arches from scratch, strictly adhering to the customer’s requirements. Key changes included meticulous scrutiny of the interface between composite and metal parts to ensure gradual load transfer. The fibre preform material was swapped from a chopped strand mat to a non-crimp fabric for increased stiffness, thereby reducing load between different parts. Additionally, MADE eliminated the interface between parts, a previous failure point due to high shear loads, ensuring that stresses remained within the fibre. Following a detailed review and approval of the full design report, MADE utilised one of the defective products to create the mold necessary to produce the new, improved arches.
Electric Boat Battery Cases
MADE, in collaboration with Graphene Laboratories Inc, was engaged by a Singapore-based boat manufacturer to develop composite battery cases for electric boats. These cases needed to be thermally efficient to serve crucial functions like protecting the battery and controlling its temperature. While composites are suitable for enclosures, their poor thermal conductivity poses a challenge for passive cooling. This issue was addressed by implementing a tailored resin system with graphene additives, improving the thermal properties.
Following a successful prototype review and testing, the client commissioned a series of fifteen enclosures. The production process involved manufacturing a close-tolerance mould and using vacuum infusion for case creation. The delivered enclosures passed inspection, and potential improvements for future iterations have been identified. Further testing is currently ongoing at the client’s facility.
