THE SEA
Drive the boat before it's even been built & try a new propulsion system.Simulating performance before building the boat
Boat builders have a proud history of craftsmanship and their skill and know-how are invaluable. But until now you couldn't experience the boat and how she would perform until you actually put her in the water. That's why Volvo Penta developed a simulator where you can experience the boat before it even leaves the drawing board.Simulating performance before building the boat
Boat builders have a proud history of craftsmanship and their skill and know-how are invaluable. But until now you couldn't experience the boat and how she would perform until you actually put her in the water. That's why Volvo Penta developed a simulator where you can experience the boat before it even leaves the drawing board.
Engineers and boat builders are similar in their attention to detail. When the engineers at Volvo Penta developed a new propulsion system - the Inboard Performance System (IPS) - they saw a need for testing it before fitting it to a customer's boat. So, they developed a simulator that not only gives you a near perfect physics simulation, it also lets you experience your boat with the actual steering system in a 3D graphics environment. Before it has even been built.
The beauty of the system is that you both get a tactile and visual experience of the vessel's handling, as well as data about performance and fuel economy. So there is a lot of money and time to be saved, not only in the building process but also during the entire lifetime of the boat.
Small changes for increased performance
The simulation gives you a good representation of how the boat performs in the sea under different conditions, such as the height of waves or increasing wind speeds. If you change the model by reshaping the hull or moving the engine, the boat's performance in the simulation will change accordingly.The beauty of the system is that you both get a tactile and visual experience of the vessel's handling, as well as data about performance and fuel economy. So there is a lot of money and time to be saved, not only in the building process but also during the entire lifetime of the boat.
Revolution in propulsion
Volvo Penta's IPS is in itself a revolution in both performance and steering. It includes one of the greater innovations in boating: a joystick with exceptional handling and manoeuvring capabilities, ensuring easy docking among other things. Compared to conventional installations it makes the boat faster, quieter and more fuel efficient.
Benefits of IPS innovation:
- 20% higher top speed
- 15% faster acceleration
- 30% reduction in fuel consumption
- 50% reduction in sound levels
Future challenges for our engineers
Our engineers and researchers are facing a lot of interesting challenges as regards tomorrow's technology. How can we create new propulsion systems, refine simulations, optimize technology and improve feedback?