Dutch Curve Works Composite Suite Receives Bureau Veritas Approval in Principle

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Curve Works, an Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands-based company, received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas (Paris, France) for its 3D composite suite concept in early summer this year. This approval confirms that prefabricated structural panels manufactured using adaptive molds can be used to build classed composite vessels and assembled into certified maritime structures. Francois Geuskens, co-owner and Chief Technology Officer, highlighted this approval as one of the most significant milestones as the company marks its tenth anniversary.

Geuskens stated on LinkedIn that this approval holds special personal significance, as it was the very concept that led him to found Curve Works a decade ago. The company was established with the belief that large composite structures required a better manufacturing approach—one that could reduce the cost and waste of traditional tooling solutions while also meeting the requirements of certified structures. The original vision was to manufacture composite panels on adaptive molds and then assemble them into larger structures, making modular composite construction a viable option for industries such as shipbuilding.

Geuskens also outlined the potential benefits of this approach for ship designers and shipyards: lower investment costs, shorter lead times, scalable production capacity, greater design freedom, and reduced tooling waste.

He also acknowledged that modular composite construction still has a way to go before becoming standard industry practice, but this Approval in Principle gives the company greater confidence in its direction. He attributed current progress to a decade of persistence and collaboration, noting that advancing a concept to a state recognized by a classification society requires considerable perseverance, teamwork, and patience.

CompositesWorld previously reported on this approval from Bureau Veritas and has tracked Curve Works' adaptive mold technology for years in the article "Reconfigurable tooling: Revolutionizing composites manufacturing," providing a technical perspective on Geuskens' development of the adaptive mold process.