Homebuilt ROVs Forum

This is another project I have been playing around with again too. I tried making a few Kort nozzles back in the day out of PVC and while none of them gave me more thrust I did have a little luck with one that actually dropped the amps draw during one test. This is going to be designed around the Mairfair 750 GPH bigle pump thruster that I normal test although it could be easily changed to fit other pumps I think. ... and this my first design I'm about to print out. If it works out I might incorporate the mount right into the nozzle design too.

Off to the printer it goes.......

-Steve

Good luck Steve!

Here it is in the process of being printed.... ...and after about 2.5 hours here is the finished product. It's a little rough as I printed it on a fast setting and low infill just to see if it actually fits.

Unfortunately my dimensions where a little too tight and it was weak with the low infill so I broke the support arms trying to force it on to the pump. I changed a few things and printed another one but it was late by the time it finished so I didn't get to try the fit on that one yet. Hopefully tonight I'll have a little time to try it.

-Steve

Looks the biz Steve, hopefully it works a good as it looks.
I've never played with 3d printing, how strong is the material you use?

I really don't know how to classify the strength of most of these 3D printing materials, there so many to choose from these days. I'd say the main to materials though are ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PLA (Polylactic Acid) ABS is probably stronger, well it's much less brittle away. These were just printed in PLA which is probably good enough for testing but I'll probably redo them in ABS or PETG (I've been hearing good things about this stuff) once I figure out if they are worth running or not.

-Steve

Seriously looks awesome! You didn't take long to get the hang of the 3D printing. It's a sickness though!

Can't wait to see it in action.

Interesting stuff Steve.
Good plan to try it fast and cheap first to get it right.
I feel like a dinosaur now, still using lathes and milling machines.

Dinosaur no way a lathe and a mill are still my essential tools to have, the 3d printer just compliments them. I'd like to say I got the hang of the 3D printing but I haven't learned that much it's all the printer and software. I just load up the stl use the stock setting still and that thing just spits out perfect stuff every time. One of these days I'll have to actually learn what I'm doing though.

-Steve

Steve and dino.

The 3D printer still just boggles my mind. The idea of having an idea, sitting down at a computer and designing it and then clicking a button and watching it appear before my eyes still seems like some kind of magic to me (and I built my 3D printer myself!).

We're living in the future gentlemen!

It is after all just a tool though with it's own limitations and drawbacks.

I still don't think anyone has answered the question of whether it can be used for anything but prototyping for an ROV. The fact that it builds in layers means that the design inherently is going to have voids and will be built from laminated layers. How these respond to the pressure of being underwater remains to be seen.

Looking at Ole's progress and now Steve's I think we're going to find out pretty soon whether this is going to be a viable solution or not though.

I'm with you... I'm still amazed every time I hit print, I sit there and watch this thing do its work and I it is mind boggling. Seeing these things a few years ago I though it was science fiction and the thought never crossed my mind I would actually own one. I all ready want another one because I have some many projects in my mind I could keep a few of them running 24/7 I bet.

The pressure question does need to be figured out, I think even at 100% infill there is still probably some voids. I'm going to have to print something out and drop it in the old pressure chamber. (of course it's going to have to wait until spring becuase I can only do those tests outside. )

-Steve