Implementation of an LVDT sensor to measure the viscoelastic deformation of parts created with additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing has experienced rapid growth due to significantly reduced manufacturing times. Besides, it is versatility, and its costs are low, among other aspects. Fused Deposition Modeling [FDM] is widely used in various sectors including healthcare, construction and aerospace. The most used materials are polymers. These exhibit viscoelastic behavior. In the present work, an LVDT [Linear Variable Differential Transformer] sensor was implemented to measure the viscoelastic deformation of parts manufactured with additive manufacturing. For this purpose, an electronic circuit with its hardware was developed. The LVDT sensor was characterized and calibrated, an interface was developed, and finally, a functional test was carried out. The minimum measurement that the system can perform is hundreds of a millimeter. A comparison was made between the LVDT readings and a dial indicator. The maximum difference between the readings was 0.46 %. The graphical interface allows viewing and saving the readings generated during the tests.