Research on transmission performance of a surface acoustic wave sensing system used in manufacturing environment monitoring

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors show great promise in monitoring fast-rotating or moving machinery in manufacturing environments, and have several advantages in the measurement of temperature, torque, pressure, and strain because of their passive and wireless capability. However, very few studies have systematically attempted to evaluate the characteristics of SAW sensors in a metal environment and rotating structures, both of which are common in machine tools. Simulation of the influence of the metal using CST software and a series of experiments with an SAW temperature sensor in real environments were designed to investigate the factors that affect transmission performance, including antenna angles, orientations, rotation speeds, and a metallic plate, along with the interrogator antenna–SAW sensor antenna separation distance. Our experimental measurements show that the sensor’s optimal placement in manufacturing environments should take into account all these factors in order to maintain system measurement and data transmission capability. As the first attempt to systematically investigate the transmission characteristics of the SAW sensor used in manufacturing environment, this study aims to guide users of SAW sensor applications and encourage more research in the field of wireless passive SAW sensors in monitoring applications.