Holistic conceptual design of sensor modules for machine elements

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Eckhard A. Kirchner
• Subject Area: Engineering Design, Machine Elements, Product Development
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 506565721

The aim of the present application is to provide holistic methodological support for the conceptual design of highly integrated sensor modules. Holistic implies the consideration of up to four sub-principles in addition to the actual sensor principle: signal conversion, processing and transmission as well as energy supply and the equal consideration of the product life cycle phases production and use of the sensor module. The influences of production and use are limited to the identification of critical disturbance variables which affect the basic function of the sensor module for signal acquisition, processing and transmission in the system. The design environment of the sensor module in the machine element is to be analyzed and the impact on the functionality of the sensor module is to be anticipated and evaluated.The objective can be decomposed into four research questions, which are addressed in assigned work packages. The elaboration of models and methods of product development is in the foreground, the specific knowledge about the sub-functions of the sensor module is taken from the literature.RQ 1: How can the different solution principles for the sub-functions conversion, processing and transmission of the sensor data as well as for the energy supply of the sensor module be described with analogous models as for the sensory sub-function in order to support their selection and evaluation in the synthesis? (WP 1 "Subfunctions")RQ 2: Can a framework be found to summarize the methods for selecting the individual solution principles for the sub-functions of a sensor module in a methodology for the conceptual design of integrable sensor modules? (WP 2 "Methodology")RQ 3: How can the analysis of disturbance effects be methodically supported in a multidisciplinary form in order to increase the robustness of the sensor module in its operational environment? (WP 3 "Robustness")RQ 4: Which concepts are suitable for making the specific information and the empirical knowledge about the individual sub-functions and their interactions with each other accessible to the user in an assistance system? (WP 4 "Assistance concept")The theoretical approach is intended to provide methodological support for the concept process for sensor-integrating machine elements through exchange with the projects of SPP 2305 "Sensor-integrating machine elements". The investigation of computer-aided tools for the implementation of the findings is limited to the functional verification. The project aims at the conception of the sensor module in order to achieve a functional added value for digitization by incremental additions to the sensor module and its operating strategy.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants