Motor Assembly Update: Week 4

A small packet of epoxy came included in the Sea Perch kit. This epoxy was supposed to be used to attach the metal caps that held the propellers to the metal rods that were spun by the motors. This epoxy, however, was would dissolve when in contact with chlorine, which was unacceptable due to our plans to test the submarine in a pool. We purchased marine glue that would hold up better than the epoxy in nonstandard conditions. This glue was applied to the pieces, and the propellers were tested in water. The glue wan unable to withstand the stress caused by the water resistance, and the pieces separated from each other.
To solve this problem and get the pieces attached once and for all, we decided to use solder to hold the propeller sleeves onto the motor shafts. We placed the sleeves one at a time into a vice, melted solder into them, and plunged the motor shafts into liquid solder, allowing it to cool and form a strong bond. All three propellers were then attached and tested in water. They held up to the resistance and were able to operate without fail.

Brian Bucci
Dan Stenger
Tim Kaack
Justin Goebel
James Esser

Electrical and Control System Update: Week 3

The correct instructions for how to put the control box together were received this week and the control box was assembled.  The two control sticks control the forward and backward motion of the sea perch.  The two buttons sticking out of the front of the box control the up and down motion, one spinning the motor forward and one spinning it backward.  The little box in the middle is the fuse that we thought we needed to find.  The black box is the Ethernet port. Upon completing the control box, it was found that there was a problem with the soldering, so a volt meter was used to find where the break was in the circuit.  We found that the problem was the soldering of the ground wire, so that was a very simple fix.  After that, the board was tested and moved the motors according to the plan.

Tim Kaack

Justin Goebel

Structure and Fabrication Update: Week 3

Following the completion of the chassis of the SeaPerch, the motors were fully constructed. First, the motor wires were soldered to the motor leads. The motor wires were from a CAT5 cable so to access them the cable needed to be stripped and then the individual wires needed to be stripped. Then, the motors were covered in electrical tape to prevent water from entering the motor and then encased in the film canisters. There were holes cut into both the top and bottom of the film canisters to allow the motor shaft to come out of the top while the wires came out the back. Once the motor was in the film canister, wax was squeezed into the extra spaces, waterproofing the motor.
The mesh bottom was then attached to the bottom of the chassis by using the small black zip-ties in the kit. The excess was trimmed off to eliminate drag. The motors were then mounted to the chassis, as shown in the picture below, using zip-ties and holes drilled into the side support beams.

After the motors were secured the CAT5 cable used to house the motor wires was waterproofed at the area where the wires were exposed. This was done using the butyl rubber tape which was then covered with electrical tape to fully waterproof the area. In order to make sure the cable would not run into one of the motors during usage, the cable was mounted to the side of the chassis in two places to completely ensure it would not move about during submersible usage.
The SeaPerch is now currently ready for the Philadelphia Science Fair where we will be showcasing our submersible.

Daniel Stenger
Brian Bucci
James Esser

Structure and Fabrication Update: Week 2

While having access to a saw in lab, the PVC pipes used to create the frame for the SeaPerch were cut. Thenecessary lengths included: two 2 1/2", two 4", two 4 1/2", four 1 1/2", and four 5". These pieces of PVC were then assembled using "Elbow" and "T" joints and foam tubing, as per the given directions. Then, holes were drilled in the corners of each of the joints using a 1/4" drill bit in a handheld drill. These holes will allow the PVC chassis to fill with water allowing it to sink into the river while the foam will give a buoyant force. Adding the battery will act as ballast allowing the motors to have full control over the positioning of the SeaPerch while submersed. The completed chassis is depicted in the photographs below, showing three different angles.

Future goals for the upcoming week are to complete the motors, attach them to the chassis, and finish the rest of the fabrication in order to be ready for the Accepted Students' Day Showcase that will be occurring on Saturday, April 21st.

-Daniel Stenger

-Brian Bucci

-James Esser

Electrical and Control System Update: Week 2

The SeaPerch probe comes with a basic control system that needs assembly. Week two was spent in focus on the control system: assembling pieces, taking inventory of the pieces, and planning the initial build of the control box. The kit gave specific instructions on how to build the control box, but the instructions were for a previous model, and no new instructions have been found. A lot of time was spent deciding how to best lay out the components of the control box. The kit also lacked an important fuse that is absolutely necessary for safety and function. The team will have to purchase this piece, or find it on campus. The goal coming into next week is to find updated instructions on construction of the control box and to move forward with assembly.

Timothy Kaack and Justin Goebel

Justin Goebel

jg923@drexel.edu

Materials Engineering

Control Systems and Sensors

Team Members

Timothy Kaack
tmk73@drexel.edu
Electrical Engineering
Head of Electrical Design

Team Members

Brian Bucci
bwb42@drexel.edu
Engineering Undecided
Navigation and Stability Designer

Team Members

Daniel Stenger

dys32@drexel.edu

Undecided Engineering

Head of Overall Design and Fabrication