JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #118 - January/February 2018 - 51

e-mobility SOLUTlONS

The first SeaBubbles prototype
flies on the Seine in Paris

GreGoire Metz,
Managing Director
Décision SA

Décision SA, part of the Carboman group and a specialist in the development and prototyping of complex composite solutions, has completed the first of five SeaBubbles water
taxi prototypes that were launched earlier this year on the River Seine in Paris. Sicomin,
a leading formulator and supplier of a wide range of bio based epoxy resins, natural
fibres and core materials, assisted with materials development.

écision began working on
the prototype in February
2017 and in record time
(just four months) completed
the final production design, the
composite structure, and the final
assembly of the first SeaBubbles
for its initial test run in Paris last
week.
Water taxi
The SeaBubbles project is the
vision of pioneering hydrofoiling
yachtsman Alain Thébault and
champion windsurfer Anders
Bringal, who imagined a
revolutionary and green urban
transportation network that uses
the waterways of major cities.
Passengers will ride in SeaBubbles
composite water taxis that fly
silently above the water surface,
powered by a clean charging
electric drive system. The project
has already secured impressive
funding as one of the fastest
growing start-ups in France, and
plans to operate in 50 major cities
within the next five years.
Cost-effective production
Décision has a long history of
delivering exceptional quality and
performance in their composite
creations, but with this project it
was particularly important to focus

on the future and not just on the
initial prototypes. To match the
ambitious growth plans of the
SeaBubbles project, it was vital to
consider a robust and cost-effective
serial production route from the
very beginnings of the project.
Working alongside the SeaBubbles
team, Décision analyzed the initial
design and delivered a production-ready tooling and composite
manufacturing process - as well
as completing the assembly of
the first prototype to a very tight
deadline for its launch at the Viva
Technology exhibition in Paris.
Bio-based materials
In addition to satisfying the
composite engineering targets
for weight and stiffness, the
SeaBubbles manufacturing process
was also required to include a
significant percentage of bio-based
materials. Sicomin was able to offer
a range of greener formulations,
all of which are certified by the
American BETA laboratory and
French CNRS and tested in
accordance with Carbon 14 measurements (ASTM D6866 or XP
CEN/TS 16640).
The SeaBubbles composite parts
are produced using a vacuum infusion process where the sandwich
structure comprising of reinforcement fibres and a natural cork core
are infused with Sicomin's DNV
GL certification InfuGreen810

advanced resin system.
Décision explains it was vital to
consider a robust and reliable
product from the beginning of the
project. Sicomin's InfuGreen 810's
DNV GL certification was a significant factor during the product
selection process. This marine industry standard provides undisputed quality assurance and allowed us
to make rapid progress during the
initial stages of the build. InfuGreen
810 contains 30% carbon content
that is derived from plant based
origins. It is also extremely low
viscosity at room temperature and
is specially formulated to assist
manufacturers producing parts for
mass production using injection or
infusion techniques.
Décision is now well on target
to complete the remaining
SeaBubbles prototypes, with
the next four units all due to be
delivered before the end of 2017.

Following on from the success of
this first phase of the project, the
company is expecting to work with
SeaBubbles on their latest concept,
a larger 15-seater vessel prototype
that is also planned for delivery this
year.
An everyday reality
Décision is immensely proud to be
chosen as an exclusive supplier to
the SeaBubbles team and to showcase its prototyping and development expertise in such a high-profile and unique application. Having
seen the project through from the
very start to the completion of a
working composite SeaBubble
that "flew" on the Seine, we can be
confident that flying water taxis will
very soon be an everyday reality.
More information:
www.carboman.eu
www.decision.ch
www.sicomin.com

A render of the future SeaBubbles stations in Paris. Credit: SeaBubbles/Decision SA.

N°118 January - February 2018

/ jec composites magazine

http://www.carboman.eu http://www.decision.ch http://www.sicomin.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #118 - January/February 2018