abstract
This paper introduces a novel approach to torque and angular speed measurement in aerospace systems by embedding Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) directly into an additively manufactured polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) motor support structure. Traditional electronic sensors, while effective, are prone to electromagnetic interference and mechanical complexity, critical challenges in aerospace environments. To address this, the proposed method leverages the support structure itself as the sensing mechanism, drastically simplifying integration. The structural integrity and strain performance were validated through Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations and experimental tests. A one-dimensional Kalman filter was implemented to address PETG's viscoelastic behavior, reducing torque estimation error from +/- 0.00284 Nm to +/- 0.00093 Nm. Angular speed measurements achieved a correlation of R2 = 0.9999 when compared to a reference tachometer. This work demonstrates that high-accuracy, compact, and robust FBG-based sensor systems can serve as scalable, lightweight alternatives for aerospace torque and RPM monitoring in the context of digitalization and predictive maintenance.
keywords
OPTICAL-FIBER SENSORS
subject category
Engineering; Instruments & Instrumentation
authors
Saturno, G; Cunha, J; Biazi-Neto, V; Moreira, RAS; Nedoma, J; Ioannou, A; Kalli, K; Martinek, R; Marques, C
our authors
Carlos Marques
Assistant Professor
Gustavo Bruggmann Saturno
Research Fellowship
Vitorino Biazi Neto
PhD StudentProjects
Associated Laboratory CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (LA/P/0006/2020)
acknowledgements
This work was developed within the scope of the projects CI-CECO (LA/P/0006/2020, UIDB/50011/2020, and UIDP/50011/2020) financed by national funds through the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation/MCTES (FCT I.P.) . This work is also funded by national funds through FCT I.P. under the project/support UID/00481-Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA) . The research was also cofunded by the financial support of the European Union under the REFRESH-Research Excellence For REgion Sustainability and High-tech Industries (project No. CZ.10.03.01/00/22-003/0000048) via the Operational Programme Just Transition. This work was also supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic and conducted by the VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, under grant No. SP2025/039 and SP2025/021.