State-of-the-art Facilities
CNC Shop
Every yacht is created from a mold, and it is the quality of the mold that determines the outcome of the final product. To ensure the best and most accurate molds possible, Horizon owns a professional CNC shop dedicated to providing precise molds for each shipyard to use in building our yachts. Our CNC shop enforces stringent guidelines, including:
1. Performance evaluation:
Prior to producing a mold, yacht designs have to go through a series of calculation and verification assessments. Horizon's CNC shop studies and evaluates the speed, stability and resistance according to boat models' cruising area as well as the seaworthiness of the design. The performance evaluation must meet strict requirements before the new model can actually be put into production.
2. Mold design and manufacturability assessment:
In recent years, exterior yacht styles have become highly diverse, with more detailed shapes and lines, and designers now endeavor to develop yacht styles with unique aesthetics; however, the possible manufacturing complications of these designs are often overlooked. The responsibility and mission of Horizon's CNC shop is to carefully determine how to divide and combine the molds according to their distinct shapes, while also considering how the mold can be produced according to the design without affecting the shape condition.
3. Mold production:
Horizon's CNC shop utilizes advanced 3D computer - aided design software to construct our molds. With our computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), every detailed shape can be drawn out by the computer and in accordance with the designer's ideas. In addition to output complex and curved lines, CAM also ensures that each yacht component is accurately produced to the highest degree of quality
Dry Dock
Once construction is complete, every Horizon yacht has to undergo a series of tests in our covered dry dock and test tank before sea trial. In this dedicated test dry dock, well-trained technicians check every detail of the yacht using advanced instruments. Horizon believes that a comprehensive testing process is the key to ensuring the quality of each yacht.
Dry Dock tests include:
1. All boat systems under light load and full load
2. Service, engines, generators and other equipment for running the yacht several days at a time
3. All mechanical, electrical, electronic and hydraulic systems by professional technicians in various departments
4. Gear loading of the dinghy to ensure smooth operation as well as check the yacht's stability when discharging the dinghy
Leak Test
Before delivering a yacht to its owner, Horizon performs a series of water leak tests to ensure that the yacht is completely watertight. The test simulates weather conditions during a monsoon, using thousands of gallons water to shower the yacht from various angles for 2-4 hours. Horizon's leak test is important in guaranteeing the yacht is fully sealed and safe from outside water sources
Dust-proof Environment Pint Shop
In any yacht, the most significant visual element is always the finished surfaces; whether the paint used is glossy or metallic, these surfaces should have a mirror-like quality. Horizon's professional dust-proof environment paint shop is designed to primarily paint and varnish furniture and ascertain the finished surfaces meet quality approval.
The paint shop also adheres to rigorous environmental standards -- a special ventilation system is installed inside the shop ceiling and beneath the mesh floor to make sure chemicals and particles are filtered out. This ventilation system prevents the lacquerers from exposing the environment to chemical hazard environment and also ensures the product's quality.
Dust Control Equipment
During the boat building process, FRP and wood dust can affect the quality of lamination and the working environment. In order to decrease dust influence, Horizon utilizes the following control methods:
1. Arranges a specific factory area that has minimal influence on the factory environment for extensive grinding work
2. Provides a large tent to cover components for small grinding work
3. Supplies both fixed and removable Water Washing Dust Collectors
throughout the factory to collect dust as well as utilize the water curtain
to decrease dust.
Horizon currently uses 30 Water Washing Dust Collectors in our facilities.
Float on/off Launch Barge
To launch completed yachts for system testing and sea trials, Horizon invested $1 million US dollars to build our own float on/off launch barge. The steel barge tips the scales at 380 tons -- it's U-shaped structure measures 142'8' (43.5M) long with a beam of 44'(13.4M), and the barge can transport 400-ton loads by water and reach a maximum draft of 18'(5.5).
The barge is designed to open at both ends for seamless, ramp-free loading and unloading. The central deck is raised and lowered from an automated helm station, located in the pilot cabin atop the portside structure, while the power plant is located on the starboard side. Crew access tunnels are found port and starboard in the catamaran-like hull, with exterior stairways are found on both sides as well. Once the yacht build is complete, Horizon can take advantage of the barge's submersion feature to launch the yacht until the yacht floats free for sea trial, maintenance and shipping.
Hydraulic Steering Trailer
For smooth yacht transportation, Horizon uses a hydraulic steering trailer to deliver the FRP components to shipyards. The trailer reaches a 6km/hr speed when carrying 80 tons, the equivalent of a 136-foot hull, and is easy to operate thorough a small remote controller. For security measures, a warning light is turned on during transportation to alert of any issues, and the trailer is equipped with several non-skid patterns on the surface to avoid product movement when the trailer is underway. Since 2007, Horizon's trailer has successfully delivered 2000 tons
