Title | Automatic Fender Torque | 6th generation Automatic Fender | The power Fender |
|---|---|---|---|
Key features: | Lifts up-to 12x34” center hole fenders. All 6th gen Automatic Fender functionality in the 6th generation enclosure. Taking per-orders, shipments start December this year (2022).
| All 5th gen Automatic Fender functionality in ½ the enclosure size. Taking per-orders, shipments start December this year (2022). | Value product (lowest cost). |
Electrical connectivity to the boat | Not required | Not required | Required |
Estimated installation time | ~30 min, only 3 clamps; no drilling | ~30 min, only 3 clamps; no drilling | ~60 min |
Center hole fenders supported | All fenders up-to 12x34” | All fenders up-to 8.5x20”. | All fenders up-to 8.5x20” |
Automation and Application support | Yes | Yes | No |
Major advantages | Supports up to 12x34” fenders,
½ size enclosure vs 5th generation and better sealing | ½ size enclosure vs 5th generation and better sealing |
Detailed Product Comparison
All our products:
-
Deploy fenders from the Cockpit with a single push of a button.
-
Beautiful, made of very strong and durable Polycarbonate/ASA material.
-
Store Fenders horizontally under the railing, almost invisibly.
-
Very simple operation.
-
Supports tethering/rafting.
-
Supports different size center (through) hole fenders.
Automatic Fender Torque:
Lifts all fenders up to 12x34”.
3 X the torque compared to all other Automatic and power Fender products. Improved pulley and power consumption.
All other features similar to the Automatic Fender 6:
-
Small, similar in size to the 6th generation Automatic Fender.
-
Improved waterprof sealing (IP67) .
-
Automatic
-
Very simple installation, takes about 30 minutes.
-
No electrical connection to the boat, built in Solar and Bluetooth.
-
Only connect 3 clamps!
-
Memorizes line length for your rub rail and docking site.
-
Controlled from any location on the boat.
-
Android and iOS application (Smartphones and Tablets).
Automatic Fender 6:
Significantly smaller case than the 5th generation Automatic Fender.
Improved waterprof sealing (IP67).
All other features and pricing like the Automatic Fender 5:
-
Automatic
-
Lifts all fenders up to 8x20”.
-
Very simple installation, takes about 30 minutes.
-
No electrical connection to the boat, built in Solar and Bluetooth.
-
Only connect 3 clamps!
-
Memorizes line length for your rub rail and docking site.
-
Controlled from any location on the boat.
-
Android and iOS application (Smartphones and Tablets).
This is our value (lowest cost) product.
Lifts up to 8.5x20” fenders .
About 60 minutes installation.
Requires electrical connection to the boat, a switch installation and 3 clamps.
Line length set by the operator per each docking site.
Dashboard switch control.
No application.
No automation.
The Automatic Fender™ Design
Our objective was to build a beautiful, very strong and durable product, which is very simple to install and operate. This required an innovative design:
Withstanding the line tension while docking
The line's tension while docking may be very significant. Withstanding that tension without building a very large and expensive product was one of the biggest design challenges. To handle the line tension/force we tested thick docking line implementations, a spring addition, a rubber strip addition and quite a few additional creative options. Testing showed that the best solution is deflecting that force by using a strong, Nylon line. Nylon is a good shock absorber. The longer the line, the better it absorbs.
When manually deploying the fender, the total line length from the fender to the cleat or stanchion is about 4 feet. The Automatic Fender’s Nylon line is 18 feet long and provides a good shock absorbing effect! It runs from the stanchion or cleat to the center hole fender and back to the Automatic Fender; the remaining line is being stored in a pulley inside the Automatic Fender.
Adding a shock absorbing line reduces the stress on the Automatic Fender, the boat’s cleat or stanchion, and on the center hole fender.
Product longevity
To achieve the best longevity and maximum strength a 50% Polycarbonate and 50% ASA, high-pressure, custom-made injected enclosure was developed. All bolts and nuts are stainless steel. All electronic parts are CRC Urethane conformal coated and are stored in a sealed enclosure. The solar cells are PET coated!
Easy installation without electrical connection to the boat
To reduce overall cost (product plus installation cost), the Automatic Fender can be installed easily by the boat owner. The product is self-contained using a Lithium Ion battery and Bluetooth connectivity. No electrical connection to the boat is required. The battery is kept charged by two solar cells:
-
On sunny days, while being exposed to the sun, the top cover solar cell is the main energy source.
-
On cloudy days or while under a covered area, the large solar cell in the front of the Automatic Fender charges the batteries using diffused light.
Theft deterrent
Each Automatic Fender has a microprocessor and a unique identification number. The identification number is stored in the company’s server with the user’s unique username and password. Each Automatic Fender can be operated only by its assigned user!
Ease of operation
Username and password can be stored locally on your phone or tablet. The Automatic Fender application can be downloaded to multiple smartphones and tables. To allow seamless transition between different phones and tablets, all parameters and status of each Automatic Fender are saved on our server. We do not have access to and we do not store any personal information. We have access and store only information directly related to the Automatic Fenders.
Battery power management
While not being exposed directly to the sun, the large Lithium Ion battery can maintain power for about 9 months! That was achieved by:
-
Detailed power management of the Automatic Fenders Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The PCB is divided into several power sections and each section is enabled only while used. That way, very minimal power is consumed while the Automatic Fender is stored or not being in use.
-
Power management of the Bluetooth communication component: when the battery is fully charged and having strong irradiance the Bluetooth will “advertise” frequently and get connected seamlessly. When the boat is in storage or when the battery level is critically low the Bluetooth component is being moved to low power consumption mode (conserving power and connecting slightly slower).
Battery longevity
A significant effort was made to eliminate battery degradation over time, the Automatic Fender’s battery will last for over 15 years!
The Automatic Fender battery management compared to Notebook computer and Cellphone batteries:
-
The #1 reason Cellphone and Notebook computer batteries degrade over time is battery cycles. Battery cycles are defined as charging and then draining the batteries below 50% of their full capacity. In Cellphones and Notebook computers battery cycles happen in daily basis. We designed the Automatic Fender with a very large battery that will not drain more than 10% during normal or even intensive use. Therefore, the Automatic Fender batteries are not subject to the #1 battery degradation cause
-
Fast charge is considered the #2 battery degradation cause. Cellphones and Notebook computer batteries require fast charge, as the user needs the ability to charge in a short period of time. The Automatic Fender battery is being charged slowly, over time, using 2 solar cells. The Automatic Fender it is not subject to the 2nd most prominent cause for battery degradation.
-
Battery temperature at full charge is the #3 reason for battery degradation over time. Fully charged batteries will degrade if kept in a warm environment. In the Automatic Fender we implemented a sophisticated algorithm that takes into account ambient temperature and irradiance levels, to determine battery maximum charge. When the ambient temperature and solar irradiance are high the Automatic Fender batteries will not be brought to full charge. That way the Automatic Fender charging algorithm eliminates the degradation caused by high ambient temperatures.
-
Battery “memory” is considered as the #4 most prominent cause for battery degradation. Battery “memory” happens when batteries which are not fully discharged “remember” their residual charge. In that case batteries will not allow full charge even if they are connected to a charger for an extended period. In the Automatic Fenders we only use Lithium Ion batteries. Lithium Ion batteries are not subject to the battery “memory” effect.
The Automatic Fender was tested while being underwater!
Testing
The Automatic Fender is continuously being tested in two environmental Chambers:
-
The first Chamber running temperature cycles -25 degrees Celsius (- 13 degrees Fahrenheit) to +75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit)
-
The second Chamber constantly at + 75 degrees Celsius which is the most extreme temperature
Both Chambers are at about 95% humidity and contain salt!
Automatic Fender cost drivers:
For the highest strength and durability, the product enclosure is made of high pressure, custom injected, Polycarbonate/ABS. These parts are the most expensive component in the overall product cost. All bolts and nuts are stainless steel, which provides the best longevity. The line is made out of strong Nylon and is 18’ long!
To allow a very easy installation with no electrical connection to the boat, two solar cells and a large Lithium Ion battery were added. Allowing electrical connectivity to the boat could have reduced the product cost but would have increased the overall cost (product plus installation cost). Therefore, a self-contained design, with no electrical connection to the boat was chosen.
The batteries used are Lithium Ion, which have many advantages (described in the Q&A section) but are higher in cost. The Automatic Fender is designed and manufactured in the USA.
The Automatic Fender functionality is continuously tested on the company’s cruiser and running lift / deploy cycles in the lab. A Few Automatic Fenders ran more than 200,000 lift / deploy cycles without a single failure!
The Automatic Fender will give critical health alerts about the system from remote, with an Onstar like monitoring system if necessary!
Front View
Each Automatic Fender™ is self contained, no wiring or drilling, just clamp it on and go!!
Mechanical assembly
Boat Innovation Lab Tour