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Designing the underwater glider

A project log for OSUG: Open-Source Underwater Glider

A versatile autonomous environmental drone using a buoyancy engine

alexwalexw 04/02/2017 at 15:300 Comments

**The model is viewable on the Onshape online platform here (requires webGL)**

As I had a rough idea of how the internals of the glider would be placed, I produced a few sketches to see how practical the layout would be. From these initial sketches, I used Solidworks to turn these sketches into CAD models, ready for printing. To ensure that all of the printed components would fit together, without the need for post processing, I produced a virtual assembly of the glider within Solidworks.

One of the early sketches of the glider

A few different views of the buoyancy engine

A top view of the glider


I knew whilst designing the CAD models that I would be 3D printing the glider, therefore I was able to optimise the design of the components for printing (limited overhangs, larger design features, hollowing out, etc). I will now start printing the components on a 3D printer (a mini Kossel) and update the builds logs once printing has finished. I will also upload all the STL files over the next few days so that others can print the underwater glider.

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