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

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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.