NUGAE showcases UL-LFAM robotic 3D printing for 13-meter catamaran structural components at JEC World 2026. At the JEC World 2026 event, Italian manufacturer NUGAE unveiled a 37 kg structural component for a 43-foot catamaran, produced in 42 hours using their proprietary Ultra-Light Large Format Additive Manufacturing (UL-LFAM) system. Developed in partnership with Politecnico di Milano under the NEMO project, the component utilizes 70% recycled materials to demonstrate a shift away from traditional, mold-heavy marine construction workflows. This achievement highlights the capability of robotic extrusion systems to handle large-scale marine geometries with significant material efficiency.

The marine industry has historically relied on labor-intensive, mold-based composite manufacturing, which often results in high waste and long lead times. NUGAE’s UL-LFAM approach positions the company as a direct competitor to traditional shipyards and emerging large-format robotic extrusion providers like CEAD or Ingersoll Machine Tools. By integrating recycled feedstocks into structural marine applications, NUGAE addresses the growing demand for sustainable maritime manufacturing and reduced carbon footprints in vessel production. This development signals a shift in the value chain where hardware providers are increasingly acting as full-service manufacturing partners for complex, end-use marine structures.

This demonstration indicates a broader trend toward the adoption of robotic additive manufacturing in the maritime sector to bypass the economic constraints of traditional tooling. As the industry moves toward more flexible, on-demand production models, the ability to print large-scale, recycled-content components will likely accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing in boatbuilding. Future milestones for NUGAE will involve scaling these robotic systems for full-hull production and validating the long-term structural integrity of these prints in harsh saltwater environments.