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Economic production of load-bearing sheet metal parts with printed strain gages by combining forming and screen printing

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Abstract

This paper demonstrates the feasibilty of combining forming and screen printing for the production of load-bearing sheet metal parts, which are able to measure strains. Therefore, two layers were printed on sheet metals prior to the forming process: a nonconductive layer as insulation and strain gages based on conductive silver ink or conductive carbon ink. Subsequent to the screen printing process, the sheets were formed in U-O-bending experiments in order to produce tube sections with electrical functionality. During the forming process, the printed strain gages were subjected to mechanical loads caused by the deformation of the material and surface stresses due to tool contact. After the forming experiments, the printed tube sections were tested in a tension and compression testing machine to prove their functionality. Although the printed strain gages were not as accurate as conventional metallic strain gages, they are significantly cheaper and sufficiently accurate for many applications with low to medium precision requirements.

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Acknowledgments

Parts of the present and still ongoing research in this field are funded by the German federal state of Hesse (project “LOEWE-Zentrum AdRIA: Adaptronik – Research, Innovation, Application”, grant number III L 4 - 518/14.004 (2008)). This financial support is gratefully acknowledged.

Further, the authors would like to thank E. Dörsam, head of the Institute of Printing Science and Technology, and A. Lyaschenko, scientific staff of the Institute of Printing Science and Technology, for kindly providing the screen printing machine, the technical advice and the support during the printing experiments as a part of the project “LOEWE-Zentrum AdRIA: Adaptronik – Research, Innovation, Application”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technische Universität Darmstadt, Institute for Production Engineering and Forming Machines, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    P. Groche, M. Ibis, A. Stöckigt & C. Gerlitzky

  2. Technische Universität Darmstadt, Institute of Electromechanical Design, 64283, Darmstadt, Germany

    C. Hatzfeld

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  1. P. Groche
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  2. M. Ibis
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  3. C. Hatzfeld
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  4. A. Stöckigt
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  5. C. Gerlitzky
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Correspondence to P. Groche.

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Groche, P., Ibis, M., Hatzfeld, C. et al. Economic production of load-bearing sheet metal parts with printed strain gages by combining forming and screen printing. Int J Mater Form 8, 269–282 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12289-014-1165-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12289-014-1165-z

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