Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] In my search for a simple, cheap pressure hull ...

[Phil Nuytten <72020.572@compuserve.com>]

Hi, Guys:
        Got back from the Antibes/Juan-les-Pins underwater Film festival
about an hour ago (2 hours to London and 10 hrs from London - Arghhhh!) 
and just went thru' about a swillion E's . . . (G) . . .Vance mentioned
that we built an E glass version of the DeepWorker : This is a prototype to
be smooshed in the test chamber. It is straight hand-laid glass with some
critical areas stiffened with 3" aluminum tubing 'hoops'. The idea is to
make a near identical copy of the DeepWorker - same functionality, etc.,
but shallower version and very low cost ( relative to DW) and possibly also
available in kit form. The problem for Certifying agencies is the variation
in hand-lay up, hull to hull. Serial certification is, therefore, pretty
much out of the question. We propose to overcome the inconsistency
objection by putting an overly generous safety factor on crush depth  to
rated depth, and a high pressure test ratio. We would then plan to
individually test each hull in the pressure chamber. We can do all sorts of
neat stuff with some of the newer  composites but that will defeat the
concept of very basic, very simple, very cheap. 
        Although we have the prototype hull built, it will be awhile before
strain-gauging and full smooshification . . .simply because of priorities .
. . we are behind in sub deliveries (a little bit) and I absolutely MUST
get the swimming tests done on the Exosuit, make final design changes,
etc., so the shallow DW ( probably 2 models - 100 meters and 200 meters)
will have to wait.
Phil Nuytten