Fabrication of polymers and composites containing embedded sensors

Abstract

Freefonn fabrication is a family oftechniques for preparing solid objects from a three-dimensional computer-based design. The best known method is stereolithography. To date, freeform fabrication has been mainly applied to making prototypes and molds. Similar techniques can be applied to make functional parts of a range materials, including metals and ceramics as well as polymers. In collaboration with Advanced Ceramics Research Corp. of Tucson, Arizona, we have been developing a reactive extrusion method where a part is built up by extrusion of a material stream through a fine needle. A curing reaction at the deposition site allows solid components to be formed. This approach can be readily modified to deposit several materials in the same part and hence to fabricate intelligent materials containing embedded sensors and actuators. This paper describes the application of this method to an epoxy part containing an optical fiber sensor and the response ofembedded polyvinylidenefluoride piezoelectric films. O-8194-2165-O/96/$6.OO Downloaded From: http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 06/15/2016 Terms of Use: http://spiedigitallibrary.org/ss/TermsOfUse.aspx

Additive manufacturing of non-assembly mechanisms

“…SL has been also used to embed different components during the fabrication of mechanisms. Initially used to embed sensors [62], the SL technique has proved to be a suitable procedure to embed other types of components. Procedure recommendations were stablished after successfully embedding screwdrivers, electric motors, gears, nuts, and screws [63].…”

Embedded Fiber Optic Sensors for Integral Armor

“…Any unoccupied volume at the distil end of the optical fiber will reduce the fluorescent radiation intensity. The issue of adhesion has been recently studied in detail (Green et al 1996;Levin and Nilsson 1996;Denham et al 1996). However, by using a low surface energy polymer that is compatible with the composite matrix better adhesion to the optical fiber can be obtained.…”