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


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