VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has succeeded in 3-D printing a metal shaft using an overall process management chain of sensor technology, wireless data transfer, and condition monitoring.
The digital revolution in manufacturing technology lies in additive manufacturing, the 3-D printing of items based on digital models, the company states. This enables the tailoring of parts and rapid manufacture on demand. VTT's proof of concept demo showed that sensors or smart identifications can be added to 3-D-printed metal parts during manufacture to track the performance and condition of machines or devices or to verify the authenticity of the parts.
"We performed a successful smart component demo, in which we explored potential technologies,” said Research Team Leader Pasi Puukko. “During the manufacturing phase, we embedded an accelerometer and the necessary wiring into a 3-D-printed metal shaft for a friction bearing. In addition, electronics allowing wireless communication were installed on the bearing. We were able to demonstrate the reliability of the shaft’s measurement technology and data transfer on a bearing test bench. The rapid collection and use of accurate data markedly increase when data is directly transferred from the component to the cloud wirelessly. This will enable us to take the next big step toward artificial intelligence.”
The method provides the designer with a high degree of freedom, reports the company. For example, a device with a wear-measuring sensor provides up-to-date information, allowing the necessary maintenance to begin automatically, without breaks in production.
