The aim of this project is to develop new types of wireless, battery-free, sensors for integration with composite structures. The sensors will be permanently installed on or inside the structure to monitor non-visible damage through the life of the structure. This technology will allow more accurate and more frequent in-situ monitoring to detect potential failures/defects earlier, enabling predictive maintenance, reducing unscheduled downtime and ultimately lowering operating costs.

The project will focus on integrating both ultrasonic and strain/overload sensors into a range of different composite structures including a wind turbine blade, a composite aerospace component and composite repairs. At least three demonstrators will be built based on different representative composite structures to show the potential of this technology to customers and progress towards development contracts. Throughout the project Inductosense will work with a number of industrial partners across different industries who will help to define the end user requirements and samples where possible. These companies also offer potential routes to market.

The project builds on the development of sensors for corrosion monitoring originally conceived at the University of Bristol and commercialised by Inductosense and extensive research on non-destructive testing of composites undertaken at the University of Bristol. There are a number of innovative concepts that will be developed under this project, the key ones being: (1) the design of the ultrasonic, battery-free, wireless sensors utilising guided waves, (2) the design of wireless battery-free sensors to measure strain and overload, (3) the integration of the ultra-thin sensors with the composite structure, (4) the analysis of the signals to identify defects with the required level of sensitivity.