InPhoTech is collaborating with researchers at the University of Twente on SPANS, an ESA-supported project investigating how metal-coated optical fibres can be embedded in 3D-printed metal components for future space applications.
InPhoTech is taking its work on intelligent structures into the space sector through SPANS – Space-grade Artificial Nervous System: Integrating Optical Fibres in Metallic Additive Manufacturing.
The project is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and involves cooperation between InPhoTech and researchers at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. It investigates how metal-coated optical fibres can be introduced into components manufactured using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF).
Optical fibres can act as sensors along their length, providing distributed information about temperature, strain and other mechanical responses. If the sensing element can be integrated within a metal part, the finished component could monitor changes in its own condition rather than relying solely on sensors attached to its surface.
SPANS will investigate the technical feasibility of this approach for demanding space-related applications. The work builds on InPhoTech’s established experience in metal-coated optical fibres, distributed measurements and the integration of sensing elements into manufactured structures.
The longer-term ambition is to support the development of components with an integrated sensing network – an “artificial nervous system” capable of providing valuable data for structural health monitoring.
SPANS is a research and technology development initiative. Its proposed capabilities are being investigated and should not be understood as a claim of flight qualification or operational deployment in space.
Further reading
SPANS is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA).