Development and evaluation of a fast fabrication process-based 3D printed strain gauge sensors

The prevailing use of sensing technologies has facilitated advanced research on the fabrication of sensors for various applications. As the demand for sensor technology continues to rise, there is also an increased need for fabrication methods that are inexpensive and fit for use. Most conventional fabrication methods are not adaptive to rapid design and material change. Strain gauge sensors play a vital role in monitoring subtle mechanical deformations in rigid bodies. Additive manufacturing techniques can be utilized to easily prototype sensors that fit the application's specific geometric and material needs. Also, modifications of design in terms of both shape and substrate can be implemented and tested using rapid prototyping. Within this study, the performance of 3D-printed meandering-line strain gauge sensors is investigated. A design of experiments (DoE) was developed, wherein the parameters of line width, thickness, and shape were varied and their impact on performance is analyzed.