Digital Engineering Connected Development Brings Luna Rossa to the Optimal Yacht Faster

Related Vendors

Siemens Digital Industries Software GmbH

FAULHABER Drive Systems

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

SIMTOS (Seoul International Machine Tool Show)

Luna Rossa is intensifying its partnership with Siemens and increasingly relying on digital engineering ahead of the 38th America's Cup. Through integrated technologies in design, simulation, and systems engineering, the team optimizes its development processes across the entire lifecycle—and can evaluate design options earlier.

As the performance density in the America's Cup continues to increase, teams face growing challenges. This includes controlling complex technical workflows, linking simulation and design data, and making faster decisions in the areas of aerodynamics, structure, and onboard systems. To tackle these challenges, an integrated digital approach is required that encompasses various disciplines and allows for rapid iterations under high time pressure. For this purpose, Luna Rossa has expanded the use of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industrial software.
"Developing a competitive yacht means mastering complexity across numerous technical disciplines while continuously optimizing performance," said Gilberto Nobili, Technology & Operations Director at Luna Rossa. "By expanding our collaboration with Siemens and leveraging a broader range of technologies to drive our innovation, we are strengthening our digital engineering foundation and supporting the team in preparing for the next America's Cup."
 

Digital Engineering Optimizes Workflows

As part of the expanded collaboration, Siemens supports Luna Rossa by connecting simulation, systems engineering, structural optimization, product development, and traceability in an integrated digital engineering environment.

• Yacht design, data management, and traceability:
  An end-to-end approach to digital design and data management connects teams and processes efficiently. Siemens Designcenter serves as the central CAD platform for product design and supports the development of complex components and assemblies. Combined with Polarion for Application Lifecycle Management, requirements, tests, and traceability can be managed and linked throughout the entire development lifecycle.
• Simulation and performance analysis:
  To understand the yacht's behavior under complex conditions, the team relies on computational fluid dynamics and fluid-structure interactions. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ supports aerodynamic and hydrodynamic simulations, enabling virtual performance evaluation and early assessment of design trade-offs. Additionally, digital twin technologies and reduced-order modeling ensure efficient analysis without excessive computational demands.
• System and mechatronic modeling:
  For the overall performance of the yacht, the interaction of the onboard systems is crucial. With Simcenter Amesim, the team models systems and mechatronic interactions at the overall vehicle level. This enables early analysis and optimization of system behavior and allows for reliable design decisions to be made before physical testing begins.
• Structural modeling and optimization:
  Lightweight high-performance composite structures are a key success factor in regatta sailing. Siemens technologies such as Simcenter 3D, Simcenter Optistruct, and Simcenter Hyperstudy support composite design, structural optimization, and multidisciplinary studies. This enables engineers to specifically compare and further develop design variants.

Integrated Digital Development Accelerates Design Decisions

Overall, this integrated digital engineering environment helps Luna Rossa to evaluate design options earlier, link simulation and design data more effectively, and make informed decisions as preparations for the upcoming 38th America's Cup season continue.