By Visualizing the Deformation with Mechanoluminescent Particles, Additive Manufacturing Offers a Practical Alternative to Stress and Strain Simulation

The use of stress–strain analysis in structural design or mechanical components is critical for avoiding or investigating structural failures. In the case of complicated designs, mathematical full-field stress modeling produces imprecise predictions. Experimental analysis can be used as a replacement for mathematical modeling, but with the use of currently available strain gauges, it is cumbersome and impossible in the case of moving parts. Mechanoluminescent materials transform mechanical energy into visible light and can be used as a replacement for strain gauges to monitor strain/stress. Three-dimensional printing technology has made major advances in terms of additive manufacturing. In this article, we describe a method to produce an ML 3D print. The fabricated samples are precise and versatile and satisfy the need for easy and non-destructible spatial stress analysis. A 3D printed photopolymer sample with SrAl2O4: Eu, Dy particle addition only to the final layers was tested, and the number of layers was optimized. It was determined that the optimal number of layers for easy detection is in the range of 10 to 20 layers. It opens the possibility for the real-time evaluation of complex uneven forces on complex parts, thus having a good potential for commercialization.