Haas and INEOS: setting sail for success

INEOS Team UK has announced the installation of the 10,000^th Haas UK CNC machine at its headquarters in Portsmouth.

INEOS, one of the world's largest manufacturing companies, has formed the team to challenge for the 36^th America's Cup to be held in New Zealand in 2021. The business has partnered with Sir Ben Ainslie, the most successful Olympic sailor in history, as team principal and skipper.

The recently installed Haas CNC Toolroom Mill will be in constant use, developing components for INEOS’ first America’s Cup race boat, named ‘Britannia’ in homage to one of Britain’s most famous racing yachts. The team will use its world class technologies and manufacturing know-how to develop Britannia, giving the best possible chance to bring the oldest international sporting trophy and sailing's premier contest back to Britain for the first time.

Sir Ben Ainslie commented: “We're really excited to be part of this fantastic milestone for Haas Automation. It's a great partnership for our team, because our designers and engineers now have access to high quality Haas CNC machinery. For us to know we've got such reliability and accuracy is incredibly important, together with the technical support from Haas, both locally and globally, as we travel the world with the America's Cup.”

Chief designer, Nick Holroyd, outlined the complexity of the challenge: “This AC75 is the first foiling monohull of this size; it’s unlike anything ever seen on the water before. It’s hugely ambitious and sets out an entirely new type of boat – and with only 18 months to design and build there comes challenges, but that’s what makes the Cup so exciting.”

From the moment the AC75 Class Rule was published in 2018, the team has put over 90,000 design and 50,000 construction hours to get Britannia in the water.

Once the race boat's development work has been completed in Portsmouth, the CNC machine, together with a Haas Toolroom Lathe, will accompany the team to New Zealand for the America’s Cup, granting its engineers access to CNC milling and turning as required. Additionally, the team will benefit from full technical support thanks to Haas’ global network.

This 10,000^th installation in the UK brings the total number of Haas CNC machines to over 225,000 worldwide.

This is a mammoth project. So far the AC75 Britannia has amassed 50,000+ construction hours; 90,000+ design hours; 45,000+ CNC machine hours; with 25,000 individual parts. The estimated top speed is 50 knots/57.5 mph/92.6km/h and the weight is 6,450 tonnes.

With a working crew of 11 and an overall length of 22.76m with bowsprit, the boat design features a 5m beam and a carbon fibre hull and rig construction.

INEOS Team UK www.ineosteamuk.com

Haas UK www.haas.co.uk