IT in Manufacturing


Luna Rossa partners with Siemens for 38th America’s Cup

August 2026 IT in Manufacturing

Siemens has expanded its digital engineering partnership with Luna Rossa, strengthening its role as a technology partner as the team optimises its racing yacht for the forthcoming 38th America’s Cup.

As competition margins continue to narrow in the America’s Cup, teams face growing challenges in managing complex engineering workflows, connecting simulation and design data and making faster decisions across aerodynamics, structures and onboard systems. Addressing these challenges requires an integrated digital approach that spans disciplines and supports rapid iteration under demanding timelines, for which Luna Rossa has expanded its adoption of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software.

“Developing a competitive yacht means managing complexity across many engineering domains while continuously refining performance,” says Gilberto Nobili, technology and operations director at Luna Rossa. “By expanding our collaboration with Siemens and adopting a wider set of technologies to drive our innovation, we can strengthen our digital engineering foundation and support the team as we prepare for the next America’s Cup.”

“High-performance sailing presents many of the same challenges faced by leading manufacturers,” says Franco Megali, vice president and chief executive officer for Italy, Israel and Greece at Siemens Digital Industries Software. “By expanding our collaboration with Luna Rossa, Siemens brings together advanced digital engineering technologies to support innovation under some of the world’s most demanding performance conditions.”

Integrated digital engineering

Through the expanded collaboration, Siemens supports Luna Rossa by connecting simulation, systems engineering, structural optimisation, product design and traceability within an integrated digital engineering environment.

Yacht design, data management and traceability

A unified digital design and data management approach helps connect engineering teams and workflows. Siemens’ Designcenter software serves as the strategic CAD platform for product design, enabling the development of complex components and assemblies alongside Polarion software for application lifecycle management (ALM). Polarion supports requirements, test and traceability management, helping connect engineering intent with validation activities across the development lifecycle.

Advanced simulation and performance exploration

To better understand yacht behaviour under complex operating conditions, the team uses advanced computational fluid dynamics and fluid-structure interaction capabilities. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ software is used to support aerodynamic and hydrodynamic simulation, helping engineers virtually evaluate performance and assess design trade-offs earlier in development. Siemens’ digital twin technology and reduced-order modelling further support efficient performance exploration while managing computational demands.

System and mechatronic modelling

Understanding interactions between onboard systems is critical to overall yacht performance. Using Simcenter Amesim software, the team performs system-level and mechatronic modelling to analyse and optimise system behaviour earlier in the development process, helping inform design decisions before physical validation.

Structural modelling and optimisation

Lightweight, high-performance composite structures play a key role in competitive sailing. Siemens structural modelling and optimisation technologies, including Simcenter 3D software, Simcenter Optistruct software and Simcenter Hyperstudy software, are used to support composite design, structural optimisation and multidisciplinary design studies, helping engineers explore multiple design options efficiently.

Together, this integrated digital engineering environment helps Luna Rossa explore design options earlier, connect simulation and design data more effectively and support informed decision-making as preparations continue for the forthcoming 38th America’s Cup season.

For more information contact Siemens South Africa, [email protected], www.siemens.co.za


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

How data and AI are unlocking South Africa’s next mineral frontier
IT in Manufacturing
Data, AI and blockchain are reshaping how mining companies explore, extract and prove the provenance of resources, opening a new frontier for South Africa’s mining sector.

Read more...
AI is raising South Africa’s cybersecurity stakes
IT in Manufacturing
As AI accelerates both the sophistication and scale of cyber threats, South African organisations face significant gaps in cloud security, data governance and identity management that need to be addressed before AI capabilities are further embedded into business operations.

Read more...
How modern EAM is becoming the driver of productivity, resilience and sustainability in mines
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Modern enterprise asset management is turning maintenance from a routine function into a strategic priority, helping mines extend the life of ageing infrastructure while improving productivity and safety.

Read more...
Physical AI solution with potential to transform South African manufacturing
IT in Manufacturing
NTT DATA and Hyster-Yale Materials Handling have deployed physical AI in an industrial assembly environment, embedding intelligence into production workflows to improve quality assurance and cut deployment timelines significantly.

Read more...
AI has an energy problem but Africa has an opportunity
IT in Manufacturing
Africa’s abundant renewable energy resources and largely unbuilt infrastructure put it in a unique position to power the growth of AI data centres sustainably, provided energy solutions are designed to match the scale and flexibility that AI demands.

Read more...
Decoupling software from hardware for future-proofed process automation
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Schneider Electric explains why decoupling software from control hardware helps industrial operations modernise without disrupting production or replacing existing infrastructure.

Read more...
Advancing high-performance motorsport design
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens explains how its simulation software is helping motorsport engineering group ORECA speed up vehicle design and optimise composite structures for its Le Mans hypercar programme.

Read more...
AI could help relieve pressure on electrical design engineers
IT in Manufacturing
A global survey of 1267 electrical CAD users across 40 countries reveals widespread concerns about workforce shortages, knowledge retention and productivity, as organisations increasingly explore AI-assisted tools to improve engineering efficiency.

Read more...
Next-gen infrared imaging software?
IT in Manufacturing
Optris has launched Optris Connect, a software platform for PI and Xi thermal cameras that combines an intuitive interface with multi-camera connectivity, simplified configuration and integrated error reporting, available free of charge without a licence or subscription.

Read more...
Dynamic control of industrial solar plants and energy storage systems
Beckhoff Automation Editor's Choice IT in Manufacturing
Spanish group, Power Electronics uses Beckhoff embedded PCs and TwinCAT software to achieve switching times of 110 ms across solar and battery storage systems, enabling the delivery of grid support services that command higher energy prices.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved