Micro-scale Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) of High-Temperature Strain Sensors on Non-Planar Surfaces of Jet Engine Components

该项目旨在加强滑铁卢大学(UW)和通用电气航空公司之间的合作项目，在该项目中，采用被称为3D打印的微型添加剂制造(AM)技术，在喷气发动机部件的非平面表面制造高温应变计。鉴于微型喷雾AM提供的机会以及健康监测、载荷检测以及关键航空部件的有效应变和振动测量的重要性，该项目的这一新阶段被提议利用GE航空和UW之前的合作伙伴关系开发的专利技术，最终将该技术推向更高的技术准备水平6。为此，提出了几个目标，以开发能够通过喷雾打印钯铬(Pd-Cr)和氧化铝墨水实现无缺陷长轨3D打印的综合配方，以满足喷气发动机的要求。此外，还将开发一种具有低温烧结性能的Pd-Cr油墨，以最大限度地减少高温对部件的副作用。这将得到一种先进的铅附着程序的支持，该程序将基于降低烧结温度和数值模拟而开发。此外，通用电气团队将在恶劣和高温环境中对喷气发动机叶片上的3D打印量规进行彻底的振动测试。气溶胶喷射式AM应变计在喷气发动机测试中的优势是巨大的。与商用应变传感器相比，3D打印传感器将被小型化，从而提供了一个平台，以最大限度地减少传感器对流动路径和部件响应的负面影响，因为与商用传感器相比，3D打印传感器的尺寸和厚度相对较小。这项技术的成果将无处不在，并将对许多行业(例如航空航天、汽车和能源)产生深远而广泛的影响，这些行业将受益于更多按需小型化3D打印应变计。

This project aims to strengthen a collaborative project between the University of Waterloo (UW) and GE Aviation, in which micro-scale additive manufacturing (AM), known as 3D printing, is deployed to fabricate high-temperature strain gauges on the non-planar surface of jet engine components. Given the opportunities provided by micro-scale aerosol-jet AM and the importance of health monitoring, load detection, and effective strain and vibration measurements in critical aerospace parts, this new phase of the project is proposed to capitalize on the patented technology developed through the previous partnership between GE Aviation and UW to eventually push the technology to a higher Technology Readiness Level of 6. To this end, several objectives are proposed to develop comprehensive recipes for enabling 3D printing of defect-free long tracks via aerosol jet printing of Palladium-Chromium (Pd-Cr) and Alumina inks to meet jet engine requirements. In addition, a Pd-Cr ink with a low-temperature sintering property will be developed to minimize the side effect of high temperature on components. This will be supported by an advanced lead attachment procedure that will be developed based on the reduction of sintering temperature and numerical simulation. In addition, thorough vibration tests on 3D printed gauges on jet engine blades will be conducted in harsh and high-temperature environments by the GE team. The benefit of aerosol-jet AM of strain gauges for jet engine instrumentation is tremendous. The 3D printed sensors will be miniaturized compared to commercially available strain sensors thus offering a platform to minimize a negative impact of sensors on the flow path and part response due to their relatively small size and thickness compared to commercially available sensors. The outcome of this technology will be pervasive and will have a deep and broad impact on many industries (e.g., aerospace, automotive and energy) that will benefit from more on-demand miniaturized 3D printed strain gauges.