Abstract
A miniaturized strain gauge with a thickness of 5 µm is molded into a silicone O-ring. This is a first step toward embedding sensors in gaskets for structural health monitoring. The signal of the integrated sensor exhibits a linear correlation with the contact pressure of the O-ring. This affords the opportunity to monitor the gasket condition during installation. Thus, damages caused by faulty assembly can be detected instantly, and early failures, with their associated consequences, can be prevented. Through the embedded strain gauge, the contact pressure applied to the gasket can be directly measured. Excessive pressure and incorrect positioning of the gasket can cause structural damage to the material of the gasket, which can lead to an early outage. A platinum strain gauge is fabricated on a thin polyimide layer and is contacted through gold connections. The measured resistance pressure response exhibits hysteresis for the first few strain cycles, followed by a linear behavior. The short-term impact of the embedded sensor on the stability of the gasket is investigated. Pull-tests with O-rings and test specimens have indicated that the integration of the miniaturized sensors has no negative impact on the stability in the short term.
Highlights
Rubber and silicone gaskets are usually small yet crucial components in many technical systems.A gasket is usually a low-cost product and comprises only a small part of the overall cost of the total system
The embedded strain gauge is elongated under the gasket contact pressure, which leads to a measurable increase in resistance
A nearly linear behavior between the output signal and the force was observed, hysteresis was observed during the first few cycles of contact-force application
Summary
Rubber and silicone gaskets are usually small yet crucial components in many technical systems. Gaskets must be periodically replaced to avoid failures, especially in security-critical applications This schedule-based rather than needs-based approach leads to extra effort and expense. The study assumes that prevention of air leaks could save up to 12.8 billion kWh a year in the European Union (in 2001) This corresponds to 16% of the total energy consumption in this field [3]. As an example for a self-monitoring gasket, this study presents the design and performance of an embedded strain gauge for O-ring monitoring. Through this technology, the deformation of a gasket can be measured, and the contact pressure determined. The integration of a strain gauge could provide a promising basis to embed additional sensors in silicone and rubber materials, including temperature sensors and sensors to measure dielectric permittivity
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