Measurement arrangement for measuring process and structure parameters of a fiber composite material along a measuring path

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10955371-B2
Application number	US-201816204146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2018
Priority date	Dec 4, 2017
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A measurement arrangement for measuring process and structure parameters of a fiber composite material along a measuring path includes a fiber material, a matrix material which surrounds the fiber material at least in regions, and an electrical sensor element that includes at least two signal transmission lines twisted together and aligned along the measuring path in and/or at the fiber material such that the signal transmission lines are surrounded at least in portions by the matrix material, wherein the electrical sensor element is configured to measure the process and structure parameters on the basis of the behavior of electromagnetic signals that are fed into the signal transmission lines.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A measurement arrangement for measuring process and structure parameters of a fiber composite material along a measuring path, comprising:
a fiber material;
a matrix material which surrounds the fiber material at least in regions; and
an electrical sensor element that comprises at least three signal transmission lines that are twisted together and aligned along the measuring path in and/or at the fiber material such that the signal transmission lines are surrounded at least in portions by the matrix material, wherein the electrical sensor element is configured to measure the process and structure parameters on a basis of behavior of electromagnetic signals that are fed into the signal transmission lines;
wherein at least one of the at least three signal transmission lines is configured as a redundant signal transmission line, whereby the redundant signal transmission line is configured to take measurements in case another of the at least three signal transmission lines fails.

2. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a matrix material introduction system, which is configured to impregnate the fiber material with the matrix material, wherein the signal transmission lines are aligned such that the signal transmission lines are surrounded at least in portions by the matrix material when the matrix material is introduced.

3. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the signal transmission lines rest against the fiber material.

4. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a molding tool, on which the fiber material rests, wherein the signal transmission lines are arranged between the molding tool and the fiber material.

5. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a flow aid, on which the fiber material rests, wherein the signal transmission lines are arranged between the flow aid and the fiber material.

6. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum construction, which seals the measurement arrangement, wherein the signal transmission lines are arranged between the vacuum construction and the fiber material.

7. The measurement arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the signal transmission lines are arranged between the vacuum construction and a flow aid resting on the fiber material.

8. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the signal transmission lines are integrated into the fiber material.

9. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical sensor element is configured to measure the process and structure parameters in spatially resolved fashion along the signal transmission lines.

10. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the signal transmission lines are aligned along a propagation direction of the matrix material.

11. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the signal transmission lines are aligned along a substantially straight line.

12. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the signal transmission lines are aligned in meandering fashion.

13. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the process and structure parameters are selected from the group consisting of a degree of curing of the matrix material, a flow-front position of the matrix material, defects of the fiber material or the matrix material and damage to the fiber material or the matrix material.

14. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the signal transmission lines are insulated single wires.

15. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of electrical sensor elements are provided.

16. The measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising an analysis device that is configured to control the electrical sensor element, wherein the analysis device is configured to measure the process and structure parameters with the electrical sensor element by way of time-domain reflectometry or time-domain transmissometry.

17. A method of using the measurement arrangement according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
providing the measurement arrangement according to claim 1 for measuring process and structure parameters of a fiber composite material along a measuring path; and
using the measurement arrangement to measure process and structure parameters along a measuring path during production of a fiber composite component and/or in a produced fiber composite component.

18. A fiber composite component comprising:
a fiber material;
a matrix material, which surrounds the fiber material at least in regions; and
an electrical sensor element that comprises at least three signal transmission lines that are twisted together and aligned in and/or at the fiber material such that the signal transmission lines are surrounded at least in portions by the matrix material;
wherein at least one of the at least three signal transmission lines is configured as a redundant signal transmission line, whereby the redundant signal transmission line is configured to take measurements in case another of the at least three signal transmission lines fails.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Weimer Christian
• Buchmann Christopher
• Becker Henning
• Hesse Richard
• Meyer-Giesow Andreas

Classifications

• G01M5/0083 Primary

  by measuring variation of impedance, e.g. resistance, capacitance, induction · CPC title

• G01N27/20

  Investigating the presence of flaws · CPC title

• G01N27/028 Primary

  Circuits therefor (measuring impedance per se G01R27/02) · CPC title