We’ve worked in collaboration with some of the best boat designers and engineers in the UK to create the Pulse 63. Our ‘Behind the Build’ series takes a look inside the studios and workshops that have helped to develop our revolutionary electric RIB. This time we meet MTAG Composites to find out about their work on the RIB’s hull and composite components.
Based in Lincolnshire, UK, MTAG Composites is one of the largest manufacturers of composite parts in the UK. The team has developed a complete production system with the ability to manufacture moulds on site. They also produce painted glass and carbon fibre parts to incredibly high standards, whilst combining technology with traditional skills to keep costs low. In addition to the company’s marine expertise, the team manufactures parts for the rail, aerospace and leisure sectors.
“MTAG is thrilled to have been chosen as the manufacturers of the composite elements of the Pulse 63. The development of this revolutionary electric RIB epitomises the disruptive nature of harnessing technology in several different sectors to revolutionise another.”
MTAG Composites
Expert Composite Design
MTAG Composites specialises in closed vacuum-assisted injection RTM, vacuum infusion RTM, hand-lay moulding, solid closed moulding, and silicon vacuum bagging techniques. Combining manufacturing and engineering expertise to develop the right approach for each product, tooling is fast and short runs are possible. They also have the capacity to manufacture for extended contract durations on national and international projects. From CNC pattern making and portable 3D scanning to robotic trimming and drilling MTAG delivers parts to market on reduced lead times and maintains high standards through skilled operators who are focused on delivering high quality at every stage of a project.
Tooling and Manufacturing Know-How
Having already manufactured thousands of boats for RS Electric Boats’ sister company, RS Sailing, MTAG was involved with the development of the Pulse 63 from an early stage, contributing to tooling design and production, materials selection, manufacturing process development and commercialising the design for serial production.
All production tooling has been produced to an exact design using a combination of 3D scanning, CNC pattern design and production and hundreds of hours of skilled craftsmanship. Once production tooling was complete, MTAG developed a dedicated manufacturing team to produce four boats, complete with all deck ancillaries, per month.
Recycled Materials Development
MTAG is committed to the development of composites manufacturing and evolution towards complete product lifecycle consideration. This aligns with RS Electric Boat’s desire to make the Pulse 63 one of the most sustainable RIBs on the market. The Pulse 63 represents a great first step towards balancing product design with sustainability and MTAG has helped RS Electric Boats with this development using techniques developed during R&D activities.
Another key element of the Pulse 63 is the lightweight boat design and inclusion of sustainable materials wherever possible. The Pulse 63 uses MTAG’s award-winning infusible recycled carbon fibre process in key areas which replaces regular glass fibre reinforcement with a non-woven material made from feedstock derived from scrap carbon fibre and old carbon fibre products.
The process of reclaiming and re-processing the carbon was developed by ELG (now Net Zero) who worked with MTAG to prevent scrap carbon fibre from ending up in landfill. Normally destined for the production of prepreg, MTAG developed a method of infusing the dry scrap material. This results in lower materials costs, reduced storage overheads and fewer lay-up risks prior to infusion. The composite lay-up can be positioned precisely and infused in either a closed tool, or silicone bags (manufactured in-house by MTAG).
Exceptional Experience
MTAG Composites is made up of a team of highly experienced and knowledgeable individuals who have all helped to develop the Pulse 63 and bring it to market.
Headed up by Managing Director, Nick Maltby, MTAG has a highly productive relationship with RS Sailing and, in their own words, “is proud to be supplier to such a vibrant and successful company.” Nick directly influenced the development of the RS Venture dinghy with new moulding and manufacturing methods and he continues to lead MTAG looking at new and improved materials and processes to benefit RS Sailing and RS Electric Boats.
Nick is supported by Project Manager, Tim King, who draws upon his Project Management MSc and Industrial Design Degree, as well as time working as a Project Engineer, to ensure development of the RS Pulse 63 is delivered on time and to the highest standards possible.
And Josh Sykes, Engineering Manager at MTAG, brings 6 years of engineering, tooling, design and production experience to the project.
