Influence of the sintering parameters on the functionality of sensors produced by powder filled pastes

Sensors are needed to gain information about a system's status. Hereby e.g. strain changes can be measured. Powder metallurgical sensor coatings offer the advantage to apply the sensor directly onto a substrate without additional process steps. The sensor is functionalized during the sintering. Therefore, the functional printing method can be integrated into the manufacturing chain. Here powder filled pastes are applied to stainless steel sheets or to PM parts. Depending on the quantity to be measured - overload, strain or temperature - different materials are evaluated, e.g. thermocouple standard types (as type T: Cu-CuNi) are investigated. To accomplish electrical insulation of the sensor, an enamel interlayer is used. The functionality of the different sensors is tested, depending on the sintering conditions, i.e. temperature, dwell time and atmosphere. The powder metallurgical produced sensors are checked with adequate testing methods, e.g. a three-point-bending test.