Composite SHM Circuit Integration Without External Cabling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems for aeronautical structures face challenges in integrating piezoelectric transducers without increasing weight, due to issues with electrical cabling through composite materials, which complicates maintenance and adds mass to the structure.
Innovation Solution
A composite part with a rigid outer surface integrating an electronic instrumentation circuit, where piezoelectric transducers and coils are printed directly onto insulating layers, allowing for compact, lightweight, and cost-effective integration, with coils and control circuits connected via printed tracks, reducing the need for external cabling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional electrical cabling is used to connect piezoelectric transducers in composite structures, then the transducers can be integrated into the structure, but the weight of the structure increases significantly due to cables, cable attachments, and connection hardware
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical connection function from traditional bulky cable assemblies and integrates it directly into the composite structure through printed circuit traces embedded within the composite material layers, eliminating the need for separate cable attachments and connection hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the electrical connection function with the structural composite material by embedding printed circuit traces directly within the composite layers, combining structural support and electrical connectivity into a single integrated component
2Ease of manufacture
If electrical cables are passed through carbon plies of composite structures, then transducers can be connected, but failure sources are created in the structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrical connection pathway with the composite material itself by embedding printed circuit traces within the composite layers, eliminating the need to drill holes or create pathways through carbon plies, thus preserving structural integrity while enabling transducer connections
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional cabling methods are used for transducers, then electrical connections can be established, but excess thickness is added to the material due to cable dimensions and conduits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges electrical connections within the existing composite material thickness by embedding printed circuit traces between the plies, eliminating the need for separate cable conduits and attachments that would increase the overall thickness of the material
4Reliability
If diagnostic systems are integrated with traditional cabling, then fault detection capability is provided, but maintenance time and cost increase due to de-cabling and re-cabling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the diagnostic system's electrical connections with the composite structure itself through embedded printed circuits, creating permanent integrated connections that eliminate the need for repeated de-cabling and re-cabling operations during maintenance, thus reducing maintenance time and cost while preserving fault detection capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach minimizes weight and manufacturing costs, while maintaining the functionality of SHM systems, allowing for efficient fault detection and characterization without the constraints of traditional cabling, thus optimizing maintenance and reducing the impact on the structure's fluid flow.
Implementation Method 1
an electronic control circuit, connected to a second coil positioned facing the first coil
Implementation Method 2
By exciting the transducer with a predefined electrical signal, the transducer transforms this electric signal into a guided mechanical wave
Implementation Method 3
Upon receiving the reflected wave, the transducer transforms the wave into an electrical signal
Data Source
AI summary
A composite part (sandwich or monolithic), including a rigid outer surface, to which is integrated an electronic instrumentation circuit, the electronic instrumentation circuit including a piezoelectric transducer, connected to a coil, an electronic control circuit, connected to a coil positioned facing the coil. The coil is printed on an insulating layer, printed directly on the rigid outer surface, the coil is printed on an insulating layer, covering the coil and the transducer, conducting tracks are printed on an insulating layer printed on at least one portion of the coil to be connected to it, the electronic control circuit being attached to the rigid outer surface and being connected to the tracks.