3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Waterproof Housing, Frames, and Buoyancy Methods.
a_shorething
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3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by a_shorething »

I'm wondering if a 3D printed part using the standard layer home 3d Printer can withstand any kind of pressure like you'd see in a ROV build up to say, 100ft (33m)? Has this ever been tried?

I see lots of PVC hulls and I see some clear lexan tubes, but I'd love to try a 3D printed ROV. Anyone hear of anything like this being done? Does anyone on here have access to a pressure test rig to see if it can be done?
fryslan76
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by fryslan76 »

A lot depends on the structual design of the parts. Also depending on how it is printed the surface may not be completly waterproof. But I must admit that I do not have actual tested it.
a_shorething
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by a_shorething »

What the heck. I'll be the first to try it then.

I'm working on a housing for my camera dome that I *think* will work, at least up to the 100' depth I'm hoping to go to.

Does anyone know where I can find a set of plans for a pressure vessel that will help me test this at that pressure? I think that would be about 4 atmospheres or 60psi.
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Oldsirhippy
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by Oldsirhippy »

These guys sell 3D printed parts, but it looks like they are not parts that are under pressure. i.e. they are external and pressure is equally distributed all around them.
http://interspec.org/index.php/componen ... Itemid=608

From what I have seen of 3D printed parts there is a lot of air in between the layers, so would be interested in how you get on with your trials.
a_shorething
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by a_shorething »

Thanks for the link. Yes, I can definitely see the value in external parts like nozzles and even thruster blades being 3D printed. Fairings, fins, brackets for motors. I could do all of that. Now that you mention it though, I'd have to be concerned about voids in the production and keep them to a minimum or else put vent holes in every part so it could equalize at depth.

With a home 3D printer you have different options to select things like layer height (1mm or less is possible) exterior wall thickness, number of perimeters, as well as the % of infill. 100% would basically be a solid piece of plastic, while 30-40% is a good strong part that is lightweight and may actually be structurally stronger depending on the internal bracing or support structure you choose.

For prototypes I've been using 30% infill but in practice I'd probably try much more dense and because of the pressure issue 100% might be necessary.

I'm really looking forward to trying to print as much as possible of my ROV on the 3D printer and the first test will be whether I can get the camera housing built well enough and also strong enough to handle the task at hand. It would be awesome if I could because it would open up a whole new avenue for the home rov builder. (click on a link and get a set of plans or a set of custom printed plastic parts sent to your house to add your own parts to and you have an ROV...)
ScottishTom
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by ScottishTom »

Think it will depend on the type of printer as well, I know a lot of fused deposition modellers use a honey come structure, with the actual faces of the part that is being modelled only being 0.1-0.5mm thick, although other printers like the old school 3D inject printers use powders and a resin to stick it together, i dont think they would hold up once they get wet.

33m is only abut 3 bar of pressure though? Would be interesting to see what the outcome is as I'm also planning on getting a fair amount of mine 3D printed, I know the printers i have access to are the honey comb structure printed in ABS. Would be interesting to see if you could change some settings on the printers to get them to print fully solid parts.

Tom
a_shorething
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by a_shorething »

The internal structure is adjustable on most slicing programs (the two most popular being Slic3r and Skeinforge).

The honeycomb and rectilinear are common ones, but you also have an option for 'fill density'. For things that have to withstand pressure I'd go with 100% infill which is essentially a solid piece of plastic.
rovdude
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by rovdude »

It depends on the material, your 3D printer, the actual design, and the CAD program you design your parts in. Most 3D printers (including the one I am using at school to make a magnetic coupler) use ABS plastic, and the one I use at least makes the layers pretty solid. I use a program called SolidWorks, which requires a yearly subscription. And the structure/design of the pieces, if they have cavities or hollow spots, should have some sort of supports, honeycomb, ect inside. Otherwise 3D printed parts should definately hold up to quite a depth.
Cfy7
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by Cfy7 »

a_shorething wrote:What the heck. I'll be the first to try it then.

I'm working on a housing for my camera dome that I *think* will work, at least up to the 100' depth I'm hoping to go to.

Does anyone know where I can find a set of plans for a pressure vessel that will help me test this at that pressure? I think that would be about 4 atmospheres or 60psi.


Have you had any luck with your project? I've got a 3d printer on the way and have been working on designing some parts for my ROV.
a_shorething
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Re: 3D Printed parts: Can they handle the pressure?

Post by a_shorething »

Cfy7 wrote:
a_shorething wrote:What the heck. I'll be the first to try it then.

I'm working on a housing for my camera dome that I *think* will work, at least up to the 100' depth I'm hoping to go to.

Does anyone know where I can find a set of plans for a pressure vessel that will help me test this at that pressure? I think that would be about 4 atmospheres or 60psi.


Have you had any luck with your project? I've got a 3d printer on the way and have been working on designing some parts for my ROV.
So far so good. I've got thruster props made on the 3D printer and I'm working on some other stuff like brackets and nozzles.

I had a to take a break around the holidays when the project fund dried up, but it should be replenished by this weekend, then I'll get the motor controllers I've been wanting to get so I can test some more.-- Still working on the magnetic coupler design, once I get that worked out I'll finish the hull and finalize the design.
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