Fraunhofer Lighthouse Project Go Beyond 4.0
Fraunhofer Lighthouse Project Go Beyond 4.0

Smart Wing

Trend:

Increasing demand for carbon fiber and glass fiber reinforced plastics, structural health monitoring 

Challenge:

Integration of Smart Systems in composite materials for lightweight construction

Aim:

Differentiation and increased efficiency of production by using printing and laser techniques to reduce the required safety margins using the example of printed stress and temperature sensors and signal lines of a wing 

Results Smart Wing

Using a wing element of a commercial aircraft, the integration of temperature, capacitive and impact sensors as well as UHF antennas and LEDs in fiber-reinforced plastics is demonstrated.

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Printed Conductor Paths Integrated in Fiber Reinforced Polymers

 

Application of digitally printed conductors on textile fabrics and integration in fiber-reinforced polymers via vacuum infusion  

  • Characteristics of the printed conductors: reproducible resistance ±2%, no changes in resistance during bending
  • No impairment of the mechanical properties of the components with integrated printed conductors   

 


Printed Deformation Sensor Integrated in Fiber-Reinforced Polymers

 

Development of a printed, passive deformation sensor/antenna for impact detection

  •  The deformation sensor/antenna is integrated into the glass fiber-reinforced polymer and can be read out wirelessly

 


Printed Heaters Integrated in Fiber-Reinforced Polymers

 

Development of printed heaters integrated into fiber-reinforced polymers

    ■ The heaters are able to melt a 2 mm ice layer of -15 °C in 6 minutes

    ■ Heating power of 2.3 W (9V, 250mA ~ 0,1 W/cm²)

 


Integration of solid-state LEDs, electrically contacted by printed conductors

 

Development of technologies to integrate standard LEDs in fiber-reinforced plastics

    ■ No heat accumulation after 8 hours running time at 0.03 W (60 % of max. LED Power, 3V, 10mA)

    ■ No damage of the LEDs during component processing

 


Integration of Piezo Sensors in Fiber-Reinforced Polymers

 

Development of technologies for the integration and polarization of piezo sensors (PZT) in fiber-reinforced polymers  

    ■ The impact can be detected over a distance of 30 cm from the PZT sensors (at 0.5 Ns)

    ■ The transit time differences of the compression pressure waves allow the localization of the impact  

 

 


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