Fiber-optic sensors offer efficiency and safety

HBM now offers optical fibers based on the Bragg grating technology under the brand name OptiMet by HBM®

Strain gauges (SG) have proven themselves over decades in mechanical stress analysis. HBM also offers fiber-optic SG based on Bragg grating technology as an alternative to standard electric SG.

As the strain is measured with light in these optical SG, an electric signal is not necessary. This results in specific advantages for the user, such as the insensitivity to electromagnetic interference, high voltage, potential differences and humidity. In addition, applications in potentially explosive atmospheres are also possible.

As the fiber acts both as sensor and the transmission medium for the signal, the installation outlay is reduced considerably in comparison to standard SG. The fact that 13 Bragg gratings with which parallel measurements can be implemented are installed as standard on a single fiber is also a contributory factor.

A further advantage of fiber-optic SG is the high alternating load stability, which is particularly noticeable during measurements on different lightweight materials. For example, in applications on highly stressed glass-fiber materials, the maximum possible number of problem-free load cycles is at least 20 times higher than with standard SG.

HBM now offers a system of fiber-optic components, under the product name OptiMet by HBM® which, in addition to the actual optical sensor gratings, also includes a comprehensive product range with all necessary components required for the applications.

The OptiMet system comprises mono-mode optical fibers with integrated functional gratings, fibers without gratings, interrogators that evaluate the signals from the optical SG and the newly developed adhesive X120, which comes with a special mixing nozzle and applicator. The user therefore has all components available in this new system for successful applications with optical SG.