Voltage Vessels Advances 3D-Printed Composite Boat Development with Eclipse X9 Material
BY Composights
Published: 29 May 2026
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Startup company Voltage Vessels is advancing development of large-format 3D-printed marine structures using its proprietary Eclipse X9 composite material, as the company expands efforts around distributed additive manufacturing for maritime and defense applications.
The company recently confirmed that a 6-meter rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) manufactured through large-format additive manufacturing has been submitted for U.S. maritime defense evaluation under autonomous naval program frameworks. The hull itself was printed in HDPro composite using a CEAD large-format additive manufacturing system, while Voltage Vessels internally developed Eclipse X9 material is undergoing separate evaluation for future marine applications.
Eclipse X9 is a structural thermoplastic composite combining recycled PETG with chopped basalt fiber reinforcement. According to the company, the material was engineered to support lightweight, corrosion-resistant marine structures compatible with scalable additive manufacturing processes for harsh ocean environments.
Voltage Vessels stated that the material was validated in collaboration with the University of Maine s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, where testing reportedly demonstrated tensile strength performance of approximately 108 MPa along with flexural properties exceeding HDPro, an established benchmark material used in printed marine vessel applications.
The company also reported environmental durability testing results showing more than 24 months of saltwater immersion with strength retention above 90% and water absorption below 0.4%, supporting the material s suitability for long-term marine exposure conditions.
Recent updates from Voltage Vessels indicate that the company is positioning additive manufacturing as a localized marine production strategy capable of reducing tooling requirements, shortening vessel build timelines, and enabling distributed manufacturing infrastructure.
Voltage Vessels stated that its long-term strategy includes localized production using recyclable structural composites, with Hawaii intended to serve as an initial pilot location for regional marine manufacturing development. The company has also outlined plans for U.S.-based compounding infrastructure capable of supporting up to 15,000 metric tons of Eclipse X9 material production annually, alongside potential licensed compounding partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region.
The development reflects growing industry interest in recyclable thermoplastic composite materials and large-format additive manufacturing for marine applications, where lightweight performance, corrosion resistance, and decentralized production capability are becoming increasingly important for next-generation vessel platforms.
Source: Voltage Vessels | News
