How to Monitor Composite Health with MicroWire Sensing Technology

Explore how MicroWire Sensing Technology enables non-destructive composite health monitoring across development, manufacturing, and production environments.

Embedding MicroWire technology into composites enables precise measurement of key parameters, such as layer temperature, during the layup process. This makes it possible to determine whether defects such as delamination or cracking occur during or after layer bonding. The technology helps reduce material costs while maintaining composite quality for manufacturers. In addition, smart composites enable real-time structural health monitoring, lowering the risk of failure and shifting maintenance from reactive to predictive, which reduces overall costs.

• Why new sensing technology matters - Vladimír Marhefka
• How MicroWire sensing works - Dr. Pavol Lipovský
• How to embed MicroWire into composites - Jaroslav Kessler
• Demonstration of Composites Monitoring using Demokit - Dr. Ladislav Galdun

Case Studies:

• Smart glass fiber rebar - Integrating MicroWires into glass-fibre-reinforced polymer rebars enables smart reinforcement systems that can sense changes in mechanical load, displacement, and temperature. This real-time structural health data is highly valuable for civil engineering and critical infrastructure monitoring.
• Self-monitoring prosthesis - Integrating non-contact sensors such as glass-coated MicroWires into prosthetic devices enables real-time functional monitoring and personalized ergonomic adjustment. This approach also preserves structural integrity, since the miniature sensors do not create physical weak points.
• Composite Welding - Monitoring of the integrity of the laser-welded patch. Monitoring the integrity of a laser-welded patch is possible through the proper integration of MicroWires into a carbon-fibre specimen. The embedded MicroWire shows sensitivity to applied stress, making it suitable for evaluating structural integrity.
• TEVV testing in cryogenic and radiation conditions by the National Physical Laboratory in London for use in defence and space applications. As part of the NATO DIANA accelerator, we have verified the resilience of our MicroWire sensors. Working with the National Physical Laboratory, we confirmed that the technology operates reliably at cryogenic temperatures in liquid nitrogen and helium, as well as in high-dose gamma and neutron radiation environments.