Various braking devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the braking device includes a support element, a block of friction material supported by the support element, at least one piezoceramic sensor supported by the support element and interposed between the block of friction material (and the support element, and a protective element located at the piezoceramic sensor and embedding the latter. The protective element can have one or more layers of resin-based material applied to protect the piezoceramic sensor and direct a predetermined part of the external compression force onto an area of the support element surrounding the piezoceramic sensor. In some embodiments, a signal transduction device is provided and includes at least one piezoceramic sensor supported on a support element and has an integral protective coating having properties of mechanical and temperature resistance.

Various braking devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the braking device includes a support element, a block of friction material supported by the support element, at least one piezoceramic sensor supported by the support element and interposed between the block of friction material (and the support element, and a protective element located at the piezoceramic sensor and embedding the latter. The protective element can have one or more layers of resin-based material applied to protect the piezoceramic sensor and direct a predetermined part of the external compression force onto an area of the support element surrounding the piezoceramic sensor. In some embodiments, a signal transduction device is provided and includes at least one piezoceramic sensor supported on a support element and has an integral protective coating having properties of mechanical and temperature resistance.

A thermal barrier coating is provided. The thermal barrier coating is configured to remain adherent to a substrate under high strains, thus allowing the use of non-contacting strain measurement systems, using digital image correlation for example. The thermal barrier coating may include a first layer of a partially metallic material configured to adhere to a metallic substrate, and a second layer of a partially ceramic material configured to adhere to the first layer. A successful configuration has a top layer thickness that is approximately two-thirds of the first layer thickness.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for establishing residual stresses in objects, in particular in coated objects, and to a method and an apparatus for coating objects. The method comprises: impinging a surface (8) of the object (5) with laser light and generating a hole or a pattern of holes and/or locally heated points in the object (5); establishing the surface deformations by an optical deforming measuring method after the object (5) is impinged by laser light; establishing the residual stresses present in the object (5) from the measured surface deformations, wherein the generation of the hole pattern is carried out by an optical scanning apparatus which comprises an optical deflection and/or modulation arrangement for controllable deflection and/or modulation of the laser light, and/or a focusing arrangement for controllable focusing of the laser light.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for establishing residual stresses in objects, in particular in coated objects, and to a method and an apparatus for coating objects. The method comprises: impinging a surface (8) of the object (5) with laser light and generating a hole or a pattern of holes and/or locally heated points in the object (5); establishing the surface deformations by an optical deforming measuring method after the object (5) is impinged by laser light; establishing the residual stresses present in the object (5) from the measured surface deformations, wherein the generation of the hole pattern is carried out by an optical scanning apparatus which comprises an optical deflection and/or modulation arrangement for controllable deflection and/or modulation of the laser light, and/or a focusing arrangement for controllable focusing of the laser light.

Bending angle sensors, and methods for manufacturing such bending angle sensors, are provided herein to reduce cost and time to manufacture. Exemplary sensors can include a fabric or other material layer disposed on a surface of a first material layer that contains a sensing element. By using a fabric or other material layer that has stiffness greater than the first material layer, the neutral shear axis of the first material layer can be shifted away from the central longitudinal axis of the first material layer. By shifting the neutral shear axis to one side of the first material layer, the sensor can be manufactured with larger less expensive sensing elements. Alternatively, or additionally, the sensing element can be embedded within the membrane with less precision by eliminating the requirement that the sensing element must be disposed on one side of the central longitudinal axis of the first material layer.

A structural component has a plurality of material layers, which are stacked and bonded together in a thickness direction, wherein at least one of the material layers is formed by a fibre composite material, and wherein an outermost material layer in relation to the thickness direction is formed at least in sections by a sensor device, having at least one sensor unit with an electroactive polymer arranged between electrically conductive electrodes. Moreover, a system and a method for the detection of damage and an aircraft are described.

Embodiments of the invention include a fracture ring sensor and a method of using the same to detect out of tolerance forces. Aspects of the invention include a product having a defined an out of tolerance force, a fracture ring sensor, and a mounting assembly coupling the fracture ring sensor to the product. The fracture ring sensor is patterned with a conductive trace and is manufactured to break when subjected to a predetermined amount of force. The predetermined amount of force is substantially equal to a percentage of the out of tolerance force of the product.

Embodiments of the invention include a fracture ring sensor and a method of using the same to detect out of tolerance forces. Aspects of the invention include a product having a defined an out of tolerance force, a fracture ring sensor, and a mounting assembly coupling the fracture ring sensor to the product. The fracture ring sensor is patterned with a conductive trace and is manufactured to break when subjected to a predetermined amount of force. The predetermined amount of force is substantially equal to a percentage of the out of tolerance force of the product.

Various braking devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the braking device includes a support element, a block of friction material supported by the support element, at least one piezoceramic sensor supported by the support element and interposed between the block of friction material (and the support element, and a protective element located at the piezoceramic sensor and embedding the latter. The protective element can have one or more layers of resin-based material applied to protect the piezoceramic sensor and direct a predetermined part of the external compression force onto an area of the support element surrounding the piezoceramic sensor. In some embodiments, a signal transduction device is provided and includes at least one piezoceramic sensor supported on a support element and has an integral protective coating having properties of mechanical and temperature resistance.