Localized Surface Strain Measurement for Load Detection Using Diamond like Carbon Coating on a Linear Guide

Linear Guides are highly loaded standard machine parts. Being able to measure the load on them is interesting for predictive maintenance and process optimization. One possibility of doing this is measuring the resulting strain at different parts. In this study localized strain measurement with a large amount of sensors on the outer surface of the linear guide was enabled by a Diamond like Carbon (DLC) layer, whereas the actual sensor areas were established by a novel versatile contacting device. Measured strain distribution on the front and side faces is presented and compared with Finite-Element-Method (FEM) based predictions. Suitability of sensor locations for load measurement is discussed, and a method for retrieving the load from the sensor data based on a load distribution model is nresented.