Development of Tail and Nose Cone for Underwater Vertical Profiler Using Fused Deposition Modelling Technology

Abstract

Unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) research is currently a prominent and quite well-known topic for researchers from various engineering disciplines. A wide number of applications for 3D printing technologies have been explored, including robotics, automotive components, food, healthcare, space, marine, etc. This paper introduces the implementation of additive manufacturing technology (3D printing) into marine applications. The use of various 3D printing processes to create complex, cost-effective profiles have recently gained popularity to test the durability of newly designed products. The subsequent sections will explain the development of 3D printed nose and tail cones for the Underwater vehicles which will be used for underwater exploration. The development process is divided into the design of nose and tail cones using Solidworks, a 3D design software, flow analysis for the estimation and reduction of drag, operational depth of 3D printed parts using FEA software ANSYS, and prototyping using fused deposition modelling technology. The developed tail and nose cone were implemented into the vertical profiler and tested at the NITK swimming pool and successfully profiled the vertical column of the pool.