Smart parts: embedded sensors for use in additive manufactured parts
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorStephen Charles Cox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A smart part comprising: a body, manufactured by a three dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing (AM) process, having high-stress and low-stress sections, wherein when the smart part is in operational use the high-stress section is subjected to higher stress than the low-stress section; a resistive strain gauge embedded within the body during the AM process at the high-stress section, wherein the strain gauge is configured to produce a variable output; and a temperature sensor embedded within the body during the AM process at the low-stress section, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to produce a variable output based on temperature.
Claims18
A smart part comprising:
- a body, manufactured by a three dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing (AM) process, having interior high-stress and low-stress sections, wherein when the smart part is in operational use the interior low-stress section experiences the lowest amount of physical force exerted on the body;
- a first conductive ink trace embedded within the body, wherein the first conductive ink trace comprises a necked-down section that is located at the interior high-stress section, wherein the first conductive ink trace is configured to produce a variable output representative of a strain experienced by the body at the high-stress section;
- and
- a second conductive ink trace embedded within the body and located at the interior low-stress section, wherein the second conductive ink trace is configured to produce a variable output based on a temperature of the body at the low-stress section.
A non-destructive method for testing a three-dimensional (3D), additively manufactured (AM) smart part comprising:
- manufacturing a smart part body by a three dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing (AM) process;
- printing conductive ink onto an interior high-stress section of the body during the AM process to create a resistive strain gauge embedded within the body;
- printing conductive ink onto an interior low-stress section of the body during the AM process to create a temperature sensor embedded within the body, wherein when the smart part is in operational use the high-stress section is subjected to higher stress than the low-stress section and the interior low-stress section experiences the lowest amount of physical force exerted on the body;
- receiving outputs from the strain gauge and the temperature sensor at a monitoring device while the smart part is in operational use;
- and
- calculating with the monitoring device a real-time, temperature-compensated stress experienced by the smart part based on the outputs from the strain gauge and the temperature sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.