Fiber optic sensors are used in aircraft structural health monitoring as they possess numerous advantages for real-time monitoring like immunity to electromagnetic interferences, low weight, small size, and high bandwidth. The latter allows multiple sensors to be used simultaneously within the same system.
It is anticipated that air traffic will grow significantly in the forthcoming years. Most modern airplanes make use of composite materials instead of conventional aluminum alloys, therefore durability and safety issues arise due to the complexity of composite materials. The different materials that compose them react differently to different environmental changes, which results in unpredictable behavior. The systems that enable the opportunity to monitor the aircraft in real-time are essential for safety and reliability improvement and reduction of maintenance costs. Fiber optic aircraft monitoring is a promising way of improving efficiency and operation costs.
FBG sensors have already found a wide range of applications. Fiber Bragg grating sensors are used in the monitoring of composite structures during on-ground aircraft testing; some airplanes are already equipped with FBG sensors that provide real-time data during a flight. The data provided by the sensors is valuable for local damage detection, and fiber optic aircraft monitoring has proven to be beneficial to the field. The integration of FBG sensors into the composite materials would enable the monitoring of the material during its whole life cycle.
Among multiple types of sensors optical sensors, namely FBG sensors, are of particular interest for aircraft monitoring due to their high sensitivity and durability. The multiplexing capability of FBG sensors reduces the weight of the wiring. Moreover, fiber Bragg grating sensors are significantly less expensive than other sensors.
However, the technology is not fully developed yet and more effort is still needed to bring it to a mature level. Among the challenges of fiber optic aircraft monitoring is the development of methods to monitor structural parameters over large structures.
Optromix, Inc. is a U.S. manufacturer of innovative fiber optic products for the global market, based in Cambridge, MA. Our team always strives to provide the most technologically advanced fiber optic solutions for our clients. If you would like to buy FBG sensors, please contact us at info@optromix.com