# Scratch Built 3d Printed BlueROV **URL:** \ **Category:** DIY ROVs\ **Tags:** 3d-printed\ **Created:** [January 30, 2021, 9:14am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989 "2021-01-30T09:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aquatic\_Robotics](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/aquatic_robotics/32/6561_2.png) [@Aquatic\_Robotics](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Aquatic_Robotics)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2021, 9:14am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/1 "2021-01-30T09:14:40Z")
Hello All. Us Scot’s are renowned for knowing the true value of money and after purchasing 3 x BlueROV’s for my work in the North Sea oil & gas sector, I decided that it was about time that I built a ROV of my own. I’m luck enough to own 2 x 3d printers so, thanks to the freely available CAD and STL files I have taken the plunge and I am well on the way to building a scratch built BlueROV. The first items that I printed were the electronics tray and mount for the servo/camera. I purchased all of the components individually that are required for the electronics housing and I have a fully working setup for the grand total of £211 GBP. Instead of using a set of Fathom -X boards to handle the ethernet comms, I cut up a pair of ethernet over mains electricity adapters and thanks to a guide showing a suitable setup for the OpenROV, I was able to establish surface - subsea comms over a 100m long ethernet cable effortlessly. I will continue to use this post to document my progress and I will be happy to assist anyone else that may be thinking of going it alone and building a system from scratch. For anyone that is concerned about using 3d printed parts at depth - don’t be! We have been using 3d printed parts subsea regularly at depths of up to -150m for years with no failures to date. All parts are printed in PLA+ with 100% infill. Electronics Tray [![Electronics-Tray](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/bluerobotics/original/2X/1/1d67a658ec3766c32c5e2570af0164bc7c5a4c42.jpeg)](https://ibb.co/L6VSzf7) Rear Frame Part [![Rear-Frame-Part2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/bluerobotics/original/2X/a/af7a7efcb988f923ae4252c6c91e980b667905da.jpeg)](https://ibb.co/dfFnvxn) [![Rear-Frame-Part1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/bluerobotics/original/2X/5/50a91514ecdcc722aaf79c5501d9b43054e37a49.jpeg)](https://ibb.co/hVVT9W4) ---
**Author:** ![maximosipov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@maximosipov](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/maximosipov)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 10:32pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/2 "2021-01-31T22:32:23Z")
Hi! Just out of curiosity - what wall thickness you use? Have you tried different materials? I’m considering switching from PLA to CarbonX / CarbonP (PETG with carbon fibers) for durability and water resistance, do you have any opinion on it? ---
**Author:** ![Teggles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/91b2a8/32.png) [@Teggles](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Teggles)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 7:06pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/3 "2021-02-06T19:06:48Z")
Welcome to the forum. We have been using PLA for about 3 years now. 40% fill but with an epoxy coating. Works fine! ---
**Author:** ![maximosipov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@maximosipov](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/maximosipov)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/4 "2021-02-06T19:20:47Z")
Interesting. Thank you Terry! ---
**Author:** ![Aquatic\_Robotics](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/aquatic_robotics/32/6561_2.png) [@Aquatic\_Robotics](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Aquatic_Robotics)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2021, 11:38pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/5 "2021-02-10T23:38:24Z")
Some further progress. ![20210210_111011](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/bluerobotics/original/2X/4/400607ae309825eb67a0e39e07a89b938cfcab36.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Teggles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/91b2a8/32.png) [@Teggles](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Teggles)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 9:42am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/6 "2021-02-14T09:42:11Z")
Looking good 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2021, 5:23pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/7 "2021-04-08T17:23:53Z")
Very Nice! Do you have some links to the stl files? ---
**Author:** ![IKEDA](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/ikeda/32/5837_2.png) [@IKEDA](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/IKEDA)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2021, 10:32am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/8 "2021-04-09T10:32:10Z")
Sorry if my English is incorrect. I make 3D printed ROVs. We are experimenting with carbon polycarbonate 100% infill to a depth of 207 m. The result is good. ---
**Author:** ![Aquatic\_Robotics](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/aquatic_robotics/32/6561_2.png) [@Aquatic\_Robotics](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Aquatic_Robotics)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/9 "2021-04-09T16:40:34Z")
Hi. All of the stl files are available on the Blue Robotics site. You need to go to the technical details section for each item that you need to print. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 1:12pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/10 "2021-04-13T13:12:14Z")
Thanks, now I feel really stupid 😀 still can’t find the files. Only the one om grabcad. Dit you use that one? ---
**Author:** ![ChristopherLyon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/christopherlyon/32/4688_2.png) [@ChristopherLyon](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/ChristopherLyon)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2021, 12:47pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/11 "2021-04-14T12:47:42Z")
Do you notice any sort of compression in the plastic after a dive? If so at what depth? I an very interested in the printing for subsea idea. ---
**Author:** ![AMIEngineers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@AMIEngineers](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/AMIEngineers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 1:41pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/12 "2021-04-19T13:41:14Z")
Have the stl files been removed from the website? I cannot seem to find them. When I look under the Technical Details, all I see is the revision history. ---
**Author:** ![AMIEngineers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@AMIEngineers](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/AMIEngineers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 1:44pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/13 "2021-04-19T13:44:05Z")
I’m specifically referring to the fairing. There isn’t any information under the technical details. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 6:03am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/scratch-built-3d-printed-bluerov/8989/14 "2021-04-23T06:03:01Z")
Got them. It’s a little work around, but the cad files are available on grabcad. Then just pick the part you want in freecad and convert to stl.