Design Space Optimization for Sensor-Integration in Standardized Machine Elements

In industrial digitization, data-driven analysis like condition monitoring and predictive maintenance relies on extensive measurement data. However, there’s often a lack of data on machine or system states. Sensor-integrating machine elements (SiME) can address this gap due to their widespread use, standardization, and in-situ measurement capability. Yet, integrating sensors typically compromises mechanical function. To ensure broad usability and retrofitting, maintaining mechanical functions to a defined degree is crucial. General procedures for systematically finding optimal design space solutions are lacking. In prior work, a procedure was developed for multi-axial force sensor integration into M20 bolts. This contribution demonstrates the procedure’s applicability to (1) M12 bolts for uni-axial force measurements using strain gauges, and (2) jaw couplings for torque measurement using capacitive sensors. Results indicate the procedure’s efficacy in both cases, yielding viable design space parameters. However, constructing an optimization function for jaw couplings in the final step was not feasible, as both mechanical and sensory function fulfillment indices pointed in the same direction.