Hybrid additive manufacturing of a piezopolymer-based inertial sensor

Abstract

In the last few years, additive manufacturing has been investigated as a promising production methodology in the field of electro-mechanical devices thanks to the high process flexibility, the improved product customizability and the tridimensionality of the fabricated mechanical structures. Electro-mechanical devices are characterized by a dual nature, which combine mechanically moveable parts with electric components. For this reason, their production is particularly advantageous when different additive manufacturing technologies are employed in synergy. In this context, the present work aims at producing and experimentally verify the first functional accelerometer capable of piezoelectric signal readout fully fabricated through additive manufacturing techniques. A smart combination of 3D printing and inkjet materials deposition is here proposed: stereolithography of a photocurable resin is chosen to fabricate the structural components of the accelerometer, while inkjet printing is employed to pattern a P(VDF-TrFE) piezoelectric layer and the corresponding silver electrodes exploited for acceleration readout. The results achieved demonstrate that the proposed hybrid additive manufacturing technology is a very promising route for electro-mechanical sensors fabrication at the mesoscale. • The first fully additively manufactured piezoelectric accelerometer is described. • A hybrid production route that combines 3D printing and inkjet deposition is used. • Stereolithography is used to fabricated the structural part of the accelerometer. • Inkjet deposition is used to pattern a piezoelectric sensing gauge on the sensor. • The finished sensor shows capability to sense accelerations in the 0–10 g range.