Rodriquez Quarterly n. 4.pdf - RODRIQUEZ - Cantieri navali

R O D R I Q U E Z Technology
Research Projects
Rodriquez operates in a
sector in which technological
innovations as well as
innovative products are
fundamentally important.
since building their first hydrofoil,
Rodriquez has regarded research
and innovation as a basic necessity.
Before being produced industrially, in the
early days each new type of Rodriquez
vessel had to be tested on prototypes and
continually modified so as to obtain the
best possible results. The use of innovative
technologies and newly developed
on-board equipment is necessary to have
a reasonably priced product with long-lasting
reliability, high performance and low
running costs.
With this in mind, Rodriquez has and continues
to participate in research projects
jointly with the Italian Ministry of Education
and also with the European Union.
The goal is to have an exchange of ideas
and to co-research new concepts with
various institutions, universities and other
companies in order to develop core competencies
as well as new design methods
and techniques.
Rodriquez works in one of two ways in
such project, either as the project leader
Michele Sferrazza and Carmen Roberto
Rodriquez research project managers.
Michele Sferrazza e Carmen Roberto
responsabili dei progetti di ricerca della
Rodriquez.
or as a part of a consortium. Those where
Rodriquez has been the project leader
include:
• Nave Project: concluded in December
2001, this was to develop ship stabilization
foil systems. The application of this work on
Rodriquez’s fast ferries has seen a significant
reduction in the ship’s movements due to the
wave motion resulting in greater passenger
comfort and an increase in vessel speed due
to the reduced hull resistance from the dynamic
lift generated by the foil system.
• Monitus Project: concluded in July 2003,
this work was in cooperation with the
Technical University of Denmark (DTU),
Marin in the Netherlands and Rina (Registro
Italiano Navale) in Genoa. The goal
was to develop software able to record
and analyse the primary forces on a ship’s
structure such the sea state, ship’s motion,
and structural loads. Testing was done on
an actual vessel in regular service using a
newly developed monitoring system.
• Natav Project: concluded in June 2003,
the goal was to develop an innovative fast
ship for the transport of passengers and
vehicles. The prototype, to be built entirely
of aluminium, will be equipped with a system
of foils to reduce the vertical motion
along with variable geometry fins to reduce
the roll, and intruders for trim control.
There will also be retractable bow-thrusters
to facilitate maneuvering.
• Fully-Submerged Foil Hydrofoil Project:
currently in progress, this is to develop two
full-scale prototypes each equipped with a
fully submerged foil system for improved
performance and passenger comfort versus
the present surface piercing hydrofoils.
Also, this will allow the vessel to operate in
more adverse weather conditions as well
reduce the resistance allowing greater
speeds with the same installed power.
• Enviroaliswath Project: currently in
progress, this is to develop a revolutionary
vessel that combines the advantages of a
Swath (Small-Waterplane-Area Twin-Hull)
with those of a fully-submerged type hydrofoil
as it will be equipped with a system of
12
foils able to provide both dynamic support
and stabilization. Another characteristic
will be a reduction of the wake wash, i.e.
the generation of waves with a high energy
content caused by the movement of the
hull through the water, thus having a lower
environmental impact. The Department of
Naval Engineering (Dinav, Dipartimento di
Ingegneria Navale) of University of Genoa
is participating in this project.
The second type of project comprises those
undertaken jointly by CTMI and CALEF of
which Rodriquez is involved but not as a
project leader.
The CTMI group, in which Rodriquez,
Caronte & Tourist, Calzoni, RINa, the Engineering
Department of the University of
Messina, the Department of Transport Engineering
of University of Reggio Calabria
are participating, is presently involved in:
• SINAVE Project: this is to develop an
intermodal transport system based on
the use of fast ships, with an emphasis
on the sea transport of perishable goods.
Rodriquez’s contribution to this project will
be to design a fast ship able to meet the
requirements of the intermodal system.
The CALEF group, in which Rodriquez,
Enea, Centro Ricerche Fiat, El. En., Zanon,
Istituto R.T.M., 3T, and Mer. Mec. are participating,
is involved in the following:
• Pales Project: Concluded in December
2001, this saw the development of new
methods for designing light modular structures,
welded together with an innovative
laser and electron beam technique, thereby
allowing the use of lighter materials for
shipbuilding.
Through its subsidiary Rodriquez Engineering,
Rodriquez participates in the CETMA
group. At present Rodriquez is involved
with CETMA in the following projects:
• Teplan Project: This is to find new and
innovative techniques for on board waste
disposal by means of a thermal / plasma
method.
• Mavet Project: This is to develop multifunction
passenger transport modules as
part of a new flexible architecture system