Hi, we manufactured a pretty big ROV that is almost 1.5m long and 0.5m wide. We used PE1000 material for the Frame and the bottom panel is holding a total weight of around 40kg and is attached to 2 side panels which are almost 350mm in height. All panels used were 12mm thick.
I wanted to ask suggestions for a convenient material for an ROV this big. The material that is used in Blu ROV seems more strong and less flexible than the material we used. Our Bottom panel started bending from the center and we had to use Aluminum support tubes under the panel to make it more rigid.
The BLU ROV used HDPE frames, is there a more specific name for the material used, or a datasheet or something? We don’t want to use an Aluminum frame because of the high density and stick to plastic having a density similar to water. Also, instead of using just frames, we are using long panels like the one attached in the Picture below.
If someone has an idea of specific materials that are not too expensive to order here in Turkey, it would be really helpful. Thank you.
Attached above is the Side Panel. There is a bottom panel that holds the electronics, battery and a pretty big sonar and it is attached to 2 Side Panels, one on each side. The Bottom Panel is pretty much a rectangle. The Thrusters and Lights and an Imaging Sonar are attached to the Side Panel. There is another rectangular panel above the bottom panel which holds the Buoyancy and is also placed in between the 2 side panels.
Thank you guys, I will check this out.
Rather than aluminum, I used carbon fiber tubing. It comes in different sizes, but the material is stronger than Aluminum, fares better in Marine conditions, and is lighter. The downside is that to drill it requires either dulling a drill bit and resharpening it, or using an abrasive stone type bit. Cutting it is also best accomplished with an abrasive cutting disc. Wear a tyvek suit and a respirator to avoid breathing the dust from cutting and drilling. Pay attention to the outside and/or inside diameter to match couplers for piecing together the frame components. You may need to 3D print couplers.
This is also really helful Joe, Thank you. We will try to implement this in our future designs.