Sensor Gasket for Simultaneous Load and Corrosion Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inspection methods for critical fastener locations on aircraft and other structures require frequent disassembly, leading to high costs, operational downtime, and potential collateral damage, while also compromising the quality of protective coatings and insulation, which can result in safety hazards due to corrosion and material degradation.
Innovation Solution
A sensor system, such as an eddy current sensor, is clamped between structural components to monitor load and additional properties like corrosion or material loss, using different frequencies to distinguish between the sensor's response to the clamping load and other material properties, and is embedded within a gasket to prevent moisture ingress and maintain structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If inspection methods require frequent disassembly to detect damage, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors are installed during initial manufacturing or maintenance events to monitor critical locations continuously throughout the component's service life, eliminating the need for future disassembly inspections. The sensors are placed beforehand at critical fastener locations, joints, and interfaces where damage is most likely to occur.
Solution Approach 2:
Physical disassembly inspections are replaced with electronic sensing systems that continuously monitor structural integrity. Sensors detect changes in electrical properties, impedance, or other parameters that indicate damage, corrosion, or cracking without requiring mechanical access to the inspected locations.
2Measurement precision
If protective coatings and insulation are removed for inspection, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to corrosion risk
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors are installed during initial manufacturing or maintenance events to monitor critical locations continuously throughout the component's service life, eliminating the need for future disassembly inspections. The sensors are placed beforehand at critical fastener locations, joints, and interfaces where damage is most likely to occur.
Solution Approach 2:
Physical disassembly inspections are replaced with electronic sensing systems that continuously monitor structural integrity. Sensors detect changes in electrical properties, impedance, or other parameters that indicate damage, corrosion, or cracking without requiring mechanical access to the inspected locations.
3Loss of time
If inspections are performed infrequently to reduce costs, then loss of time is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors provide continuous monitoring of critical structural locations throughout operation, constantly detecting changes in structural integrity. This continuous surveillance replaces periodic inspections, maintaining high measurement precision without requiring time-consuming repeated disassembly events.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors are installed during initial manufacturing or maintenance events to monitor critical locations continuously throughout the component's service life, eliminating the need for future disassembly inspections. The sensors are placed beforehand at critical fastener locations, joints, and interfaces where damage is most likely to occur.
4Measurement precision
If disassembly is performed to inspect critical locations, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to reassembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors are installed during initial manufacturing or maintenance events to monitor critical locations continuously throughout the component's service life, eliminating the need for future disassembly inspections. The sensors are placed beforehand at critical fastener locations, joints, and interfaces where damage is most likely to occur.
Solution Approach 2:
Physical disassembly inspections are replaced with electronic sensing systems that continuously monitor structural integrity. Sensors detect changes in electrical properties, impedance, or other parameters that indicate damage, corrosion, or cracking without requiring mechanical access to the inspected locations.
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 enables simultaneous load and structural health monitoring, reducing the need for frequent disassembly, improving inspection accuracy, and preventing corrosion by providing real-time data on material conditions, thus enhancing safety and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor may be an eddy current based sensor such as the MWM® or MWM-Array sensors available from JENTEK Sensors, Inc.
Implementation Method 2
If an eddy current sensor is used, one or more 'higher' frequency sensor excitations may be used to determine the properties of the foil and distance to the foil
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for measuring load and an additional property using a sensor gasket embedded between two components. The sensor gasket may include a sensor layer and a conductive layer. A gap between the sensor layer and conductive layer may be filled with a load sensitive material. The thickness of the load sensitive material varies with the load applied to the two components between which the sensor gasket sits. The sensor operates in a first mode to obtain a sensor measurement that depends on the distance between the sensor layer and conductive layer. The sensor measurement then used to estimate the applied load. The sensor operates in a second mode to estimate a property of one or both of the components. The property of interest may be cracking, material loss due to corrosion, temperature, or another property of the component.