David Savastano, Editor01.22.18
Flexible and printed electronics manufacturers made some interesting headway toward commercialization during 2017, with promising products either reaching the market or getting close.
GE and Optomec – Strain Sensors for Turbine Blades
Maintaining turbine blades used in industrial gas turbines is an expensive process. General Electric (GE) now uses Optomec’s Aerosol Jet technology to print passive strain sensors made of a ceramic material directly onto the turbine blades. These sensors are used to detect fatigue and creep in the metal that could lead to costly, dangerous failures. Prior to its work with Optomec, GE would take out the blades every 7,500 hours; since Optomec started producing these sensors, GE has only had to replace one blade.
“We developed a printed strain sensor for ATVs that detected torque on the drive shaft,” said Mike O'Reilly, director, Aerosol Jet Product Management for Optomec. “It
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