Mechanical Wind Sensor Based on Additive Manufacturing Technology

In this article, a mechanical wind sensor based on additive manufacturing technology is demonstrated for the first time. The sensor is composed of a cylindrical sensing structure vertically placed in the center of a cross-shape cantilever. Four strain gauges are attached to the surface of the beams to monitor the wind-induced cantilever deformation, which can reveal the speed and direction of airflow. Unlike traditional mechanical sensors, the proposed wind sensor is fabricated by additive manufacturing. With this new manufacturing method, the wind sensor can not only be flexibly designed to avoid mechanical wear but also utilize corrosion-resistant organic materials for improved reliability. The designed wind sensor is implemented using a commercially available three-dimensional (3-D) printer and installed in a wind tunnel for the experiment. The test results show that the proposed 3-D printed mechanical wind sensor can achieve a measurement speed range up to 30 m/s, with a maximum error of 0.87 m/s, while the maximum errors for wind direction measurement are +/- 8 degrees, over the full range of 360 degrees. The proposal of this 3-D printed wind sensor provides a new paradigm for developing small-size, low-cost, and high-reliability wind sensors.