Concentric Crack Sensor Circuit for Small Crack Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in detecting small cracks in devices, such as aircraft components, which can lead to failures and safety risks due to thermal and mechanical stress, impacts, or manufacturing defects.
Innovation Solution
A crack detection system with a crack detection sensor featuring concentrically disposed sectors and contacts, utilizing an analog-to-digital converter to measure resistance changes via a current source and switch to detect cracks by measuring voltage differences across sectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional crack detection methods are used, then detection capability is limited, but device complexity and cost increase when attempting to improve detection sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is divided into multiple concentric sectors (e.g., 8 sectors) arranged around a central hole, with each sector independently measuring resistance. This segmentation allows the system to detect cracks in specific regions while maintaining overall system simplicity through modular measurement of each sector's resistance change.
Solution Approach 2:
A notched bridge structure is introduced as an intermediary element between sectors. The notch creates a controlled resistance path that serves as a reference for comparing sector resistances, enabling crack detection through differential measurement while compensating for contact resistance variations without requiring complex external calibration systems.
2Measurement precision
If contact resistance is measured directly, then measurement error increases, but additional measurement steps and complexity are required to compensate
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system continuously monitors resistance across all sectors simultaneously through the notched bridge configuration. By maintaining continuous measurement of all sector resistances relative to the notched bridge reference, the system achieves automatic compensation for contact resistance without requiring intermittent calibration steps or additional measurement cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The notched bridge structure provides self-compensation for contact resistance effects. The differential measurement approach using the notched bridge as reference automatically eliminates contact resistance errors from the measurement results, allowing the system to correct its own measurement errors without external intervention or complex compensation algorithms.
3Measurement precision
If environmental factors are not compensated, then measurement accuracy decreases, but compensation mechanisms increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The notched bridge structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a reference resistance element, provides a path for differential measurement, and compensates for both contact resistance and environmental variations. This multi-functionality achieves environmental compensation without requiring separate temperature sensors, humidity sensors, or complex calibration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system measures resistance changes in sectors relative to the notched bridge reference, detecting deviations from baseline resistance values. By monitoring parameter changes (resistance variations) rather than absolute values, the system automatically compensates for environmental effects that would uniformly affect all measurements, maintaining accuracy without complex environmental sensing.
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
The system effectively detects and measures the size of cracks by compensating for contact resistances and environmental factors, ensuring early detection and prevention of failures.
Implementation Method 1
a crack detection circuit configured to measure resistances of the one or more sectors of the plurality of sectors via two or more of the plurality of contacts to detect a crack in the one or more sectors of the plurality of sectors
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure include a crack detection system having a crack detection sensor including a plurality of sectors disposed concentrically around a hole within the crack detection sensor, a plurality of contacts configured to electrically connect to one or more sectors of the plurality of sectors, and a crack detection circuit configured to measure resistances of the one or more sectors of the plurality of sectors via two or more of the plurality of contacts to detect a crack in the one or more sectors of the plurality of sectors.