CompositesWorld
Issue link: https://cw.epubxp.com/i/546021
TRENDS AUGUST 2015 24 CompositesWorld Masters of Dispensing Electronically Controlled Metering Systems to Process Resin for: DOPAG (US) Ltd. - (859) 918 5690 - ussales@dopag.com - www.dopag.us • RTM • Vacuum RTM • Filament Winding • Pultrusion • Bonding • Sealing Composites specialists Magma Structures (Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK) reported on June 14 that it had delivered three of what it says are the world's tallest freestanding carbon fber composite masts. The rigs are designed to withstand bending loads of more than 40 Mn — more than twice the load imposed on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner wing during fight. The masts were ordered by a German shipyard and are destined for a sailing superyacht. Built at Magma Structures' waterside manufacturing facility near Portsmouth, the mast structures, or "rigs," were designed, developed, tested and built over three years by a team of more than 70, including an in-house Magma Structures delivers world's tallest freestanding yacht masts MARINE team of specialist composite design engineers. The rig was conceived by Dykstra Naval Architects (Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Load analyses and engineering drawings were compiled by Magma Structure's in-house design team. Despite their height, each cantilevered freestanding mast weighs only about 50 metric tonnes. The masts support a sail area greater than a standard sized football/soccer pitch, with full automation in terms of sail deployment, setting and reefng. Each mast is able to rotate using systems mounted on "wings" at the side of each mast, which added to both the design complexity and build challenge. Magma says the freestanding, rotating rigs are intrinsi- cally safer and more reliable than conventional rigs where failure through fatigue or overload of the many rigging elements can occur. The absence of standing rigging lines results in a much cleaner and uncluttered deck as well as signifcantly reduced maintenance issues. Magma says a high-performance carbon fber was used, and during the manufacturing process, the rigs were embedded with fber-optic sensors that will yield real-time, comprehensive in-service load data on all aspects of the rig as well as safety warnings, historical data, condition moni- toring and information to optimize the sailing performance. Source | Magma Structures