System and method for fabricating a strain sensing device directly on a structure
View Patent ↗Various deficiencies in the prior art are addressed by systems, methods, architectures, mechanisms and/or apparatus configured for fabricating a strain sensing device directly on a structure by printing a material on the structure, the material exhibiting a piezo-resistive effect, and sintering a strain sensing pattern from the material such that the strain sensing pattern becomes electrically conductive.
1. A method for fabricating a strain sensing device directly on a structure, the method comprising:
printing a material on the structure, the material exhibiting a piezo-resistive effect;
sintering a strain sensing pattern from the material such that the strain sensing pattern becomes electrically conductive; and
attaching a pin connector to the electrically conductive strain sensing pattern.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising printing an insulating layer on the structure.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising drying the printed material on the structure.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a functional structure comprising one of a support beam and a wing of a vehicle.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a curved structure.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising mapping the curvature of the structure, wherein the printing and sintering steps are configured to conform to a map of the curvature of the structure.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises one of graphene, silver, and copper.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing the material on the structure utilizes additive manufacturing.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein sintering comprises one of thermal and laser sintering.
10. A strain sensing device manufactured directly on a structure by the method recited in claim 1 .
11. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , further comprising an insulating layer formed on the structure.
12. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , further comprising a pin connector connected to the electrically conductive strain sensing pattern.
13. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , wherein the structure is a functional structure comprising one of a support beam and a wing of a vehicle.
14. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , wherein the material comprises one of graphene, silver, and copper.
15. The strain sensing device of claim 10 , wherein sintering comprises one of thermal and laser sintering.
16. A method for fabricating a strain sensing device directly on a structure, the method comprising:
printing a first material on the structure, the first material exhibiting a piezo-resistive effect;
sintering a first strain sensing pattern from the first material such that the first strain sensing pattern becomes electrically conductive;
printing an insulating layer on the first material;
printing a second material on the insulating layer, the second material exhibiting a piezo-resistive effect; and
sintering a second strain sensing pattern from the second material such that the second strain sensing pattern become electrically conductive.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising printing an insulating layer between the structure and first material.
18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising drying the printed first and second materials.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising attaching a pin connector to the electrically conductive first and second strain sensing patterns.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second materials each comprise one of graphene, silver, and copper.
21. The method of claim 16 , wherein sintering comprises one of thermal and laser sintering.
22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second materials are the same.
23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second strain sensing patterns are the same.