Disposable sensors are film-based sensors that can be used for low-volume production, vacuum infusion or special applications and in R&D projects. They don’t need a fixed installation and can be used in places that permanent sensor can be used such as curved areas, bag-side and are implantable in the laminates. Naturally they are much cheaper than permanent sensors so they are also ideal as an entry step to this technology.
The disposable cure sensor is flexible and is complementary to the permanent cure sensor especially when used at development, research or even during production at special locations. It doesn’t need to drill the tool offering the potential of studying various locations in the cavity. It can readily be used with carbon-fibre composites without any special protection. Due to its larger sensing area it can monitor the complete room temperature cure of a resin.
In thick laminates during development they can be placed also through the composite thickness to check peak exotherms and the cure evolution.
In Vacuum Infusion the flexible sensors can be placed at the vacuum bag side (over the peel-ply to be peeled off afterwards) or at the trimming areas.
In RTM they can be placed in the various locations in the cavity to check the cure progress.
In Filament Winding, they can be used even at production level placed at the trimming area as the part is winded and through the use of special slip rings can provide during curing in the oven valuable information and can decrease significantly the curing time.
With prepregrs in or out of the autoclaves, they can be used to provide valuable information such as minimum viscosity, degree of cure evolution through thickness during process development but can be also used during normal production to ensure the high quality products and performance.
In microwave curing, the small sensors can be used to minimise the effect of local heating through wave concentration.
The disposable resin arrival sensor is flexible and may be used extensively during process development, research or even during production at special locations. It doesn’t need tool drilling, offering the potential of studying the resin flow at various locations in the cavity. It can readily be used with carbon-fibre composites without any special protection.
In thick laminates during development they can be placed also through the composite thickness to check through thickness flow and peak exotherms.
In Vacuum Infusion the flexible sensors can be placed at the vacuum bag side (over the peel-ply to be peeled off afterwards) or at the trimming areas to enhance automation.
In RTM, they can be placed in the various locations in the cavity to track the resin arrival time.
These sensors are ideal for calculating the permeability tensor to be used in flow simulations.
