We install fibre-optic sensors on and inside structural components to measure how they deform under real loads. The data helps you design lighter components, avoid failures and follow their condition over time.
A fibre network running through the structure
Know when a component is getting close to its limit.
Size components from the loads they actually see, rather than from generous safety margins.
Compare a prototype with its calculations from the first tests.
Follow how a structure ages and plan maintenance at the right time.
Our systems were developed for ocean racing. They adapt to any component that bends, vibrates or carries a load, and the principle stays the same from one industry to the next.
Cargo ships and ocean racing
Bench tests and fatigue
Track and bench testing
One principle
A fibre, a few sensors, a structure under load.
Wind and offshore
Track and rolling stock
Machines and test rigs
Your structure? If it works under load, we can probably measure it. The first step is a feasibility study.
Discuss your projectA glass fibre as thin as a hair is bonded to the component or embedded in the material. It carries several sensors.
A reader sends light down the fibre. When the component deforms, each sensor's response shifts.
We turn these signals into loads, strains and alerts, live or after the test.
Ocean racing is unforgiving: impacts, vibration, salt water, extreme loads. That is where our experience comes from.
Ocean racing on one side, advanced measurement on the other. Together, they lead to systems that meet strict technical requirements and hold up in the field.
Fibre optics & advanced instrumentation
Stephan specialises in fibre-optic measurement, onboard instrumentation and the integration of sensors into composite structures. His work includes several America's Cup projects, an environment known for its technical demands.
Offshore sailor & project management
Aina has spent several years in ocean racing and high-performance projects. She has first-hand experience of the loads that structures carry at sea, and of how crews and operations work on board. That gives the team a clear view of what performance crews actually need.
Send us a few lines about the component and what you want to find out. We will get back to you.
A Bragg grating is a short section written into the core of an optical fibre. It reflects one precise wavelength. When the structure deforms, the fibre stretches with it and that wavelength shifts by about 1.2 picometres per microstrain (µε). Each sensor has its own wavelength, so dozens of measurement points can share a single fibre.
| Sensor | λ at rest | Measured λ | Δλ | Strain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FBG 1 | 1,528.000 nm | 1,529.053 nm | +1,053 pm | +878 µε |
| FBG 2 | 1,534.000 nm | 1,534.819 nm | +819 pm | +683 µε |
| FBG 3 | 1,540.000 nm | 1,540.585 nm | +585 pm | +488 µε |
| FBG 4 | 1,546.000 nm | 1,546.351 nm | +351 pm | +293 µε |
| FBG 5 | 1,552.000 nm | 1,552.117 nm | +117 pm | +97 µε |
Illustrative values. Sensitivity 1.2 pm/µε, temperature compensation not shown.
Local, multi-point measurement, static and dynamic.
After calibration, strains are converted into actual loads.
Reconstruction of bending and twist in a mast, foil or wing.
Reference sensors separate thermal effects from mechanical ones.
Natural frequencies, impacts and vibration in real use.
Comparison with finite element models and long-term tracking.
A few tenths of a millimetre, with no effect on the structure.
Many sensors on one fibre, very little wiring.
No electromagnetic disturbance, and suitable for long distances.
It can be embedded in the laminate during manufacture. Strain gauges and dedicated electronics are added where needed.
Analysis of requirements and loads. Sensor selection, placement, routing, risks and interfaces.
FBG sensors, strain gauges, load and temperature measurement. Encapsulation and protection.
Calibration, bench tests then field tests, with traceable measurement chains.
Optical interrogators, multi-channel electronics, CAN and RS-485 networks, logging, signal processing and follow-up.
A technical question? Write to us.
