JIT's frame provides the structural foundation for the vehicle, supporting the thrusters, enclosures, buoyancy, recovery hardware, and external systems. The current configuration uses an inverted frame to keep the thrusters submerged, improve stability, and provide secure mounting locations for the vehicle's internal and external components.
JIT's frame was inverted as a key design change to improve underwater stability and thruster performance. The inverted configuration keeps the thrusters submerged as deeply as possible during operation, reducing the potential for cavitation. It also places the center of thrust below the vehicle's center of mass and buoyancy. This allows the thrusters to effectively pull the vehicle downward, contributing to a naturally stable configuration.
New mounts for the electronics enclosure and buoyancy foam were designed and 3D-printed to accommodate the revised frame configuration. An additional, larger enclosure was purchased from ROVMaker to provide increased internal volume for additional electronics and future system expansion. The battery was relocated into the original electronics enclosure, creating space within the frame for the emergency-stop (E-stop) circuit.
Lift and tow points were fabricated from 316 stainless steel and bolted directly to the frame, providing dedicated attachment points for handling and recovery operations. Following an incident in which a faceplate was pulled from the vehicle during testing, threaded rods and new faceplate mounting rings fabricated from 316 stainless steel were added to reinforce the enclosure mounting system and improve structural retention.
Additional external systems are mounted directly to the frame and threaded rods to maintain accessibility while minimizing interference with the vehicle's internal equipment. These components include the light panel, emergency-stop switch, and sonar system. Custom 3D-printed mounts provide secure attachment points and allow the external components to be positioned and adjusted as needed.
