A fellow WaterPixel user asked me if it would be possible to make a hard dome port cap for a new port. They were not comfortable with the provided neoprene cover and wanted something that would provide more protection in and out of the water. I considered it for a bit and came up with the following design for a "universal" dome port cap. It's a parametric model so a port cap can be generated from just a couple of dimensions, providing it's for a conventional dome port style. I prototyped it for a Nauticam 140mm dome port and made another version of the users 6-inch dome. I printed this in a very tough TPU with a 68-shore hardness. It's flexible but quite rigid. I used an open face grid design to avoid the typical resistance that makes removing port caps harder than necessary. A pair of clips hold the cap in place, with bungees for a more secure connection.

What do folks think of this design? I've not tested it in the water yet but will soon.

Nauticam 140mm and 6-inch dome: (the smaller part in the photos is incomplete...)

First let me say that I applaud all of your efforts to provide free models and inexpensive parts to the community. In this case my feedback is that I personally wouldn't want to use a cap that leaves open the possibility of objects poking through and scratching the dome or the cap material being bent into the dome (and again potentially scratching it if something like sand is in there).

44 minutes ago, Isaac Szabo said:

First let me say that I applaud all of your efforts to provide free models and inexpensive parts to the community. In this case my feedback is that I personally wouldn't want to use a cap that leaves open the possibility of objects poking through and scratching the dome or the cap material being bent into the dome (and again potentially scratching it if something like sand is in there).

I can see that possibility but i think its low probability. I could make the mesh tighter however. I will try that maybe 5mm or less cells.

This is intended to replace a neoprene cover, not an OEM provided locking hard cap. In that context, this cap is quite stiff and will protect better than neoprene which actually does touch the glass and scratches domes with salt and sand all the time. This will flush well in a dunk tank even better than a hard cap and definitely neoprene.

30% hex pattern about 5mm cells:

This 68shore TPU is pretty cool:

Flexible, but supporting 19lbs / 8.6kg without deforming. The cap is under 60grams.

Edited 13 hours ago13 hr by Dave_Hicks

Oooo I'd like one of those for my Sea&Sea 12mm, it needs the bump protection. You have a parametric model?

18 minutes ago, Grantmac said:

Oooo I'd like one of those for my Sea&Sea 12mm, it needs the bump protection. You have a parametric model?

Yes, it's a parametric Fusion360 model.

Inputs are simple:

• Outer diameter of the port shade (which must be 100% vertical on the OD)

• Height of the tallest shade leaf to the flat underside of the port body

• dimensions need to be accurate to 1mm, round up

The dome port needs to be a simple "mushroom" shape dome for this to work. BTW, the open grid is a property assigned in the slicer software, so it can be solid, tight, loose, whatever you like. It's just a modifier that applies a honeycomb infill with no top/bottom layers, creating the hex pattern.

If you provide your port model and dimensions, I will generate a model for it and include that when I upload the design to Makerworld. I probably won't share the Fusion360 file though.

118mm OD

45mm height

It's a wet lens but these dimensions should work

15 minutes ago, Grantmac said:

118mm OD

45mm height

It's a wet lens but these dimensions should work

Is this the boundary you measured?