New Instrumentation Using a Heat Resistant FBG Sensor Installed by Laser Cladding

Since 2007, JAEA has been developing laser based technologies of structural health monitoring. We proposed that the FBG sensor made by femtosecond laser processing will be the best candidate. To make the best use of the heat resistant characteristic, the FBG sensor was embedded in metal mold by laser cladding. A groove was processed to the surface of a SUS metal plate. We used a QCW laser to weld a filler wire on the plate. A series of weld beads perfectly formed a sealing clad on the groove. Though the FBG sensor was buried tightly, no degradation on the reflection spectrum was detected after the processing. The FBG sensor could detect the vibration of the plate caused by impact shocks and audio vibration. The reflection peak of the FBG sensor under laser cladding condition was shifted to be 6 nm. We demonstrated that the corresponded temperature derive from the reflection peak shift reached 600 °C in heat shock experiments. The installation procedure of a FBG sensor using a portable laser cladding machine was described.