Inherent Process Monitoring for Piezoceramic Transducer Integration

A new technology enables the integration of piezoceramic fibres as functional elements into micro-structured aluminium sheets by forming processes. Scope of the paper is the development of a novel method for monitoring the condition of piezoceramic fibres during the joining by forming process. For this purpose, the piezoceramic fibres are utilized as material inherent sensor during forming tests. Test samples are fabricated and electrically characterized by impedance spectroscopy. Furthermore, numerical results of the stress state of the piezoceramic/metal composites are presented. Depending on the results a novel process-control is outlined that aims on preload-monitoring of the piezoceramics with the surrounding metal structure.