Micro-Scale Additive Manufacturing of Strain Gauges on Non-planar Surface of Jet Engine Blades: Extended Objectives

该项目是滑铁卢大学和GE航空公司合作项目的延伸，其目的是将增材制造（AM）应用于喷气发动机叶片非平面表面应变片的制造。考虑到Micro-Scale Aerosol-Jet AM提供的机会，以及在关键航空航天部件中健康监测、负载检测和有效应变和振动测量的重要性，该项目的第一阶段提出了14项技术，其中7项可能会申请专利保护。在这个扩展的CRD项目中，将进行一些剩余的挑战，包括彻底的故障分析，打印工艺优化以及低温（ag基）和高温印刷仪表（Pd-Cr基）的温度补偿方法。为高温印刷压力表开发合适的焊丝焊接程序，为创建绝缘层开发新的溶胶-凝胶方法，以及开发可承受高达1200°C的印刷压力表的新墨水是其他目标。此外，GE团队还将对恶劣和高温环境下的喷气发动机叶片的低温和高温应变片进行全面的静态、动态和振动测试。喷气发动机叶片应变片气溶胶喷射增材制造的效益是巨大的。与可安装在表面的市售应变传感器相比，印刷传感器将小型化。气溶胶喷射增材应变计也有望提供高分辨率的测量，因为它们的微尺寸和高打印分辨率将允许每个表面积的传感器密度更大，因此最有可能提供连续测量。这项技术的成果，如果成功，将是普遍的，并将产生深刻而广泛的影响。许多行业将受益于更多的按需小型化印刷应变片，最直接的例子是航空航天以外的汽车行业，因为它们集成了被动传感器。

This project is an extension to a collaborative project between the University of Waterloo and GE Aviation in which the aim has been to deploy additive manufacturing (AM) to the fabrication of strain gauges on the non-planar surface of jet engine blades. Given the opportunities provided by Micro-Scale Aerosol-Jet AM and also the importance of health monitoring, load detection, and effective strain and vibration measurements in critical aerospace parts, the first phase of the project was proposed resulting in 14 technology disclosures to GE from which 7 might be filed for patent protection. In this extended CRD project, several remaining challenges including a thorough failure analysis, printing process optimization along with temperature compensation methods for low temperature (Ag-based) and high temperature printed gauges (Pd-Cr based) will be conducted. Development of a proper wire soldering procedure for high temperature printed gauges, a new sol-gel method for the creation of insulation layer, and development of a new ink to print gauges that can stand up to 1200°C are other objectives. In addition, thorough static, dynamic and vibration tests on low and high temperature strain gauges on jet engine blades in harsh and high temperature environments will be conducted by the GE team. The benefit of aerosol-jet AM of strain gauges for jet engine blades is tremendous. The printed sensors will be miniaturized compared to commercially available strain sensors that can be mounted on the surface. It is also expected that aerosol-jet AM strain gauges will provide high resolution measurements because their micro-size and high printing resolution will allow a larger sensor density per surface area, thus most likely providing continuous measurement.The outcome of this technology, if successful, will be pervasive and will have a deep and broad impact. Many industries will benefit from more on-demand miniaturized printed strain gauges, with the most immediate example beyond aerospace being the automotive industry, for their integrated passive sensors.