productronica 2023

Fraunhofer IFAM and MAHLE Engine Systems developed printed temperature sensors that can be integrated into bearings. To produce a thermocouple the printed circuit was separated into two individual tracks that intersect. The tracks are printed in Cu and CuNi respectively. The intersection of these two materials creates a T-Type thermocouple junction. With the success of polymer overlays and the proliferation of Aerosol Jet printing this new sensor technology has now become ready for transfer from academia into industry. The development of sensors that can be integrated into the bearings overlay can provide a key insight into real operating environments, which at present is only available through numerical simulations.