AI-Driven Solutions for Precision in Marine Manufacturing

3 mins read

In marine manufacturing, cost, durability, efficiency, and precision can be the difference between a team’s success or failure. Plyable helps teams by providing both knowledge and technology to address these challenges.

(Image credit: Plyable)

Prior to founding Plyable, Martin Oughton, the company’s founder, experienced the inefficiencies in traditional mould manufacturing while designing and building America’s Cup yachts in Bermuda. Upon returning to Oxford, the potential of machine learning and computer vision inspired the creation of Plyable.

AI-Driven Rapid Prototyping for Marine Manufacturing

Plyable's approach to marine manufacturing brings several advantages. Firstly, the company’s rapid prototyping capabilities allow swift iterations of mould designs, enabling manufacturers to test their products quickly. Plyable’s AI-driven tools and engineers analyse design files to identify potential issues early in the process. This ensures that final products meet specifications, reducing reworks and delays.

The company’s platform also provides real-time manufacturing updates, allowing clients to track progress and plan production schedules effectively. Additionally, Plyable’s expertise ensures that the moulds produced are durable and resistant to harsh environmental conditions.

Case Study: Composite Moulds for Offshore Racing Teams

Plyable's innovative solutions were showcased in a collaboration with Alex Thomson Racing (ATR) during the Vendée Globe. ATR required reliable tooling to ensure their vessel could withstand the race's environmental demands. With a four-year preparation window, time was a critical factor. Any quality issues or delays could have disrupted ATR's race preparations.

Plyable provided AI-driven technology to streamline the tooling design process and integrated live production updates, allowing ATR to monitor progress in real-time. This transparency helped ATR meet its exacting standards and stay on schedule. Peter Hobson, design manager at ATR, says: “Being able to use Plyable for both the design and manufacture of our tooling is very exciting for us because we know that they’re going to hit their lead times and we can log in to our account at any time from anywhere to see where our tools are in the chain.”

AI-Enhanced Tooling for Competitive Motorsport Projects

Elsewhere in the business, Plyable contributed to Formula Student Car rear-wing tool design and manufacturing for Oxford Brookes Racing’s (OBR) project. OBR required master patterns for a 1m x 0.5m rear-wing tool to be laminated by their team. The resulting composite mould was crucial for the team's testing process.

The challenge was to create this tool within a limited budget. Plyable offered critical guidance, including advice on aligning the two halves of the tool and removing excess material. The company also provided insights on material selection and surface preparation, helping OBR choose lower temperature options while maintaining accuracy. Plyable’s free advice accelerated OBR’s build process and allowed the team to finalise their design phase later than usual, staying within budget.

Cost-Effective Solutions for Motorsport Tooling

Plyable's support for OBR resulted in an early product delivery, enabling the team to complete their rear wing in time for testing. The pattern surface quality significantly improved the car's downforce efficiency. Prescott Campball, OBR team lead, expressed satisfaction with Plyable’s ability to support their budget constraints while delivering high-quality results.

“Our collaboration with Oxford Brookes Racing demonstrates Plyable’s ability to provide successful tooling on budget and ahead of schedule,” says Bill Mattholie, project engineer at Plyable. By guiding OBR on material selection and precise mould alignment, Plyable highlighted the strengths of both teams working together efficiently.

Revolutionising Marine Manufacturing with AI-Driven Innovation

Through its AI-driven technology and real-time updates, Plyable has successfully transformed the way marine manufacturing and motorsport projects approach mould design and production. Plyable's ability to provide durable, precise, and cost-effective solutions continues to support teams in highly competitive environments.

As part of the project, Plyable assisted OBR with material choice and suggested lower temperature options that maintained accuracy. The company also provided guidance on surface preparation and produced an instruction guide for the tool.

Plyable’s free advice allowed OBR to accelerate their build process and remain within budget. The turnaround enabled OBR to finalise its design phase later than usual, which allowed the design phase to stay open for longer. This year, OBR was using its original chassis moulds, and the turnaround for the rear-wing project was important for integrating new appendages.

“We were very pleased with the delivered product from Plyable, which arrived early, allowing us to complete our rear wing in time for testing on our OBR24 race car. The pattern surface quality was very good, increasing the effectiveness of the car’s primary downforce-creating element relative to other manufacturing methods we would have taken without this support. We appreciate Plyable’s efforts to assist our student team given our budget constraints, and we are looking forward to the projects we will have together in the future,” says Prescott Campball, team lead at Oxford Brookes Racing.

“Our collaboration with the Oxford Brookes Racing team showcases Plyable’s ability to deliver successful tooling on budget and ahead of schedule. By providing critical engineering expertise, we were able to guide them on material selection, cost-saving techniques, and precise mould alignment. The rewarding process highlighted the strengths of both teams, working together efficiently,” says Bill Mattholie, project engineer at Plyable.