Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2025
09:03
A Silicon-tipped Fiber-optic Sensing Platform with High Resolution and Fast Response
Published on: January 7, 2019
7.2K
Strip-Type Embeddable Shape Sensor Based on Fiber Optics for In Situ Composite Consolidation Monitoring.
Shu Minakuchi1, Shoma Niwa2, Nobuo Takeda2
1Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 9, 2022
Summary
A novel fiber optic shape sensor monitors deformation during composite manufacturing. This technology enables in situ measurement of consolidation, crucial for understanding material flow and improving composite quality.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Manufacturing carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites involves resin flow before solidification, leading to issues like disrupted fiber orientation and non-uniform thickness.
- The consolidation process is critical for CFRP structure quality, yet current technologies lack in situ deformation measurement capabilities.
- Understanding and controlling consolidation is essential for producing high-performance composite materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a novel strip-type embeddable shape sensor for in situ monitoring of deformation during CFRP composite consolidation.
- To investigate the relaxation of consolidation deformation caused by fiber-resin suspension flow.
- To provide a tool for elucidating consolidation mechanisms and validating manufacturing simulations.
Main Methods:
- A strip-type shape sensor utilizing embedded optical fibers on upper and lower surfaces was designed.
- Finite element analysis (FEA) was employed to assess the sensor's basic performance.
- Experimental validation was conducted before applying the sensor to composite gap/lap monitoring scenarios.
Main Results:
- The proposed fiber optic shape sensor successfully monitored out-of-plane bending deformation in composite materials during consolidation.
- For the first time, the study measured the relaxation of consolidation deformation attributed to the flow of the fiber-resin suspension.
- The sensor demonstrated capability for in situ measurement, providing new insights into the consolidation process.
Conclusions:
- The developed fiber optic shape sensor is a viable tool for in situ monitoring of consolidation deformation in CFRP manufacturing.
- The ability to measure deformation in real-time advances the understanding of consolidation mechanisms and material flow dynamics.
- This technology offers significant potential for improving composite quality control and validating computational models in composite manufacturing.
