Overview
Following the start of the 2023 Fall semester, the KSU AUV team wanted to create something new. The previous 22-23 AUV, Manta, performed excellently. The AUV team took note of weak points and limitations which led to discussions over a new AUV. Thus, instead of using a previous AUV, the team is beginning from scratch for an entirely new concept.
This documentation follows the creation and development of the 2024 KSU AUV. Thus, this documentation is constantly changing and updating. Refer back to the page regularly for updated information.
Drawing Board
Starting from scratch can definitely pose a challenge, but the KSU AUV team is determined to demonstrate their inventiveness this year. The Empoleon concept emerged first as the main idea for the new AUV, but later evolves into the Gyarados Concept in this development phase.
Early Design
The design is rendered through SolidWorks in order to get a clear idea of what the AUV will look like. Our mechanical team is working on solidifying dimensions and any other discrete variables. Once a render is completed, the mechanical team may begin working on a 3d printed render. 2023 Secretary, Sean Schoenherr, has also provided some notes over the early phase of the Empoleon Concept.
Figure 1: General View
Figure 2: Side View
After careful consideration and small adjustments, a refined render is created to better represent the early stage. This version, shown in Figure 3, is rendered clearer so that the mechanical team has an easier time working with it.
Figure 3: Refined Render
Quickly after the initial renders, the mechanical team began to model some of the aluminum parts that will house the AUV. The parts are designed to be rigid while avoiding heavy weights. Some of the rendered parts are shown below as Figure 4 through 6.
Figure 4: Base plate Model
Figure 5: Base Plate Modeling
Figure 6: Elbow Modeling
Upcoming
After careful consideration, the AUV names were scrapped and left empty for the time being. The team has a clearer idea of what the sub will look like and has begun to create a physical model. The next section will cover the development and testing of the physical model as well as the AI training the AUV will learn with.
Upcoming Topics:- Electrical: PCB Boards
- Mechanical: Joint meeting with Electrical over cable management. Where and what cables
- Software: Documentation, Server messages, AI training (Unity)