GE Research has been awarded a project through NextFlex, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) Manufacturing Institute, to develop and demonstrate embedded sensors in structural composite materials that enable improvements in their manufacture and monitoring of parts and components from factory to field.
As part of this project, a multidisciplinary team of composites manufacturing, sensor, electronics, and materials science experts from industry and academia will develop a sensor to embed in wind blade composite structures to more deeply study the resin-infusion process that is key to forming these structures. By collecting sensor data during the manufacturing process, the team is aiming to discover new methods to reduce cycle time, material usage and overall costs. The project is being led by Dr. Nancy Stoffel, a Principal Engineer with GE Research. Stoffel says a key challenge is developing a robust sensor that does not alter or compromise the integrity of a given structure and component.