Project Summary
This project included the design, analysis, testing, and production of five electronics pressure vessels, rated for full ocean depth (10,000psi), and used to house all electronics to support sub-sea acoustic recording. The pressure vessels are 7ft long, 14in in diameter, and weigh about 1000lbs. I designed the pressure vessel using titanium for strength and corrosion resistance, and performed a trade study comparing the design of a single machined billet vs. using weld-on flanges. This study involved significant weld analysis and design, both in the titanium weld process itself, and in the structural analysis of the welds. I designed the pressure vessel using the ASME boiler and pressure vessel code and calculated the maximum stresses experienced by the structure using hand calculations and FEA in ANSYS. I also conducted buckling analysis in ANSYS. I designed a dual o-ring seal on the flanges to ensure the vessel was water-tight, and also conducted contact analysis of the bolted on end caps in FEA. I managed all material procurement and fabrication, as well as assembly of the vessels, and had all parts inspected using a CMM to ensure all features were in tolerance. After fabrication, I conducted pressure testing of the vessel at representative load cycling to verify it's structural integrity. I also designed the internal electronics frame, that used some 3D printed parts, to resist shock loading of the electronics, and conducted shock and vibration testing of the structure to validate the design.
Implemented Skills
CAD (PTC Creo)
structural analysis using hand calculations and FEA in ANSYS
buckling analysis in ANSYS
weldment design and analysis
drawing generation following GD&T standards
material selection for sub-sea environments
3D printing
pressure testing
shock and vibration testing
o-ring seal design and analysis
bolted joint analysis
design for manufacturing and assembly