Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (rov) Frame for CNC Machining

This is a design I created for a under remotely operated vehicle. it is made of cheap, 0.32inch aluminum sheets, and for a 2ftx2ft size they range In cost from 15-40 dollars. the one we went with was 20 dollars and shipping was a additional 20, so in total we spent about $100 on metals, but to just build the frame it would cost around $40-60. All parts of this build, the CNC ones and the 3d printed parts were all designed in Autodesk Fusion 360, and to CNC the parts we exported them with the Shapr plug-in. this is just a guide, NOT a plan. enjoy building! P.S the download files for the model are under manufacture parts. NOTE: ALL BUILD FILES ARE UNDER THE MANUFACTURE PARTS STEP..

Materials needed:

0.32 inch aluminum metal sheet 3 sheets (2ftx2ft)

1 inch pvc pipe 20ft

3d printer filament

8mm bolts and nuts

Tools needed:

CNC machine

3d printer

wrench

pvc pipe cutter

as you may have already noticed, this is just the frame for a ROV. To build a working ROV, you need a lot of expensive equipment (or cheap if you have the right supplies to make the parts). here are the basic things you will need to design to make the rov: (there are a lot of great instructables to make all of these parts)

1) a pressure vessel, which is where all the onboard electronics will be stored, as well as the camera. my pressure vessel is rated to 1000ft, but if this is just for fun or something not too serious, you can make one out of a pvc pipe and a CNC machined acrylic piece, so you can see out of one side. if you have one, a handheld vacuum pump is a great way to test if a pressure vessel is sealed.

2)a power supply. if you are using onboard batteries, or a tether cable that runs power signal and information from the control station to the rov. Just make sure your power is SAFE! as if there are any mishaps, it can very quickly become deadly. (WHATEVER YOU DO IS WHATEVER YOU DO THIS INSTRUCTABLES TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS AND BUILDING A ROV IS AT YOUR OWN RISK.)

3)(optional) a claw. a claw is very useful for just about anything underwater. there are plenty of great free 3d models you can print. for the claw on my teams rov, we use a linear actuator that we waterproofed.

4) a control system. you need a way to control your rov, whether that be a wireless transmission or a reliable tether, you need to be able to receive and send information to and from your ROV.

5) strong waterproof motors. without these, your ROV will not move.

6)(optional) a buoyancy engine. this is great for ROV's operating in deeper depths or open water,but adding one to your rov is not a bad idea. one easy way to make one is with a large syringe, that pushes and pulls water in and out of the ROV.

Above is a picture of our rov from last year(we got second place, and only lost by a very small amount of points)

CNC your parts, I recommend using a 8mm bit.

3d print pvc pipe holders

cut the pvc pipe down to length. you want the pieces to be slightly longer than the ROV's width, so your holders can grasp it well and securely.

put the rov together! the pre made holes on the model are 0.31 inhered (about 8mm), so make your design accordingly.

Test your rov in a small pool or horse trough, so you can ensue that all systems are good, and safe. practice your predive safety checks and procedure, so everything runs smoothly.

This frame can not be used in any competitions of any kind, but can be used for non commercial private use. if this is used in any competitions, the person/team using the frame can not compete under the rules of this instructable. these include, but are not limited to, The MATE ROV competition.