Fiber Bragg Gratings Embedded in 3D Printed Prototypes

In this study, we incorporated fiber optic sensors in 3D printed prototype parts. Fiber optic Bragg gratings embedded in polylactic acid were configured to measure strain and/or temperature. Residual non-uniform stresses in the 3D printed parts induced spectral distortions in the FBGs such as peak broadening and wavelength hopping. Local isolation of the FBG in a used quartz capillary tube minimized the spectral distortion and peak wavelengths were readily identifiable with commercial interrogation software. The seamless integration of robust optical fiber sensing techniques and additive manufacturing processes is readily feasible, via proper implementation and interrogation schemes, for a wide array applications to include structural health monitoring and real-time component diagnostics.