EP4327065A1

EP4327065A1 - Method for embedding a monitoring system in a device

Info

Publication number: EP4327065A1
Application number: EP22724101.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Antonio AIROLDI; Paolo BETTINI; Sebastiano DI MAURO; Daniela RIGAMONTI; Mohammad Medhi DADRAS
Original assignee: Politecnico di Milano
Current assignee: Politecnico di Milano
Priority date: 2021-04-23
Filing date: 2022-04-22
Publication date: 2024-02-28
Also published as: EP4327064B1; EP4327064A1; WO2022223765A1; WO2022223766A1; EP4327064C0

Abstract

It is disclosed a method for embedding a monitoring system in a device comprising a body of a metallic material. The monitoring system comprises an optical fiber with a number of sensors for sensing data indicative of an operating status of the device. The method comprises the steps of: providing the body with a groove on an external surface thereof, the groove being configured to house a length of the optical fiber; laying the length of the optical fiber in the groove, and fixing the optical fiber in the groove by using at least one patch of a composite material above the optical fiber.

Description

METHOD FOR EMBEDDING A MONITORING SYSTEM IN A DEVICE

Technical field

The present invention relates to a method for embedding a monitoring system in a structural fitting device suitable for connecting structural elements, the monitoring system comprising an optical fiber with a number of sensors for monitoring operational data. Examples of monitoring systems are structural health monitoring (SHM) systems or usage monitoring systems (UMS), and the structural fitting device of the present invention may be used in an engineered structure, such as a bridge, or in a vehicle, such as, for example, an aircraft. The present invention also relates to a structural fitting device comprising the monitoring system and to a method for manufacturing the structural fitting device comprising the monitoring system. Backqound art

Structural health monitoring (SHM) provides for designing a so-called “smart structure” inside which a system of sensors allows the direct or indirect measurement of certain physical quantities, e. g. strains, associated with the application of loads on the structure under investigation, or the modification of the structure itself. It allows the effective maintenance, safety, reliability and management of structures as the sensor systems integrated therein make it possible to acquire measurements in real-time and continuously, so that certain information on the health of the structure is instantly available. Smart structures are used for different purposes: health monitoring, load monitoring, process monitoring. The first concerns the monitoring of damage in structures, the second the monitoring of operational conditions of structures, and the third the monitoring of structures during production and curing. The factors that differentiate these three uses are the density, locations and integration methods of the sensors that are used. For example, building a monitoring system for monitoring damage in a carbon composite structure can greatly improve the maintenance of the structure, but requires a large number of sensors, which increases the complexity and cost of the structure.

Focusing on load monitoring systems, or also usage monitoring system (UMS), they allow the operational conditions of a component to be monitored, making possible a reconstruction of the load conditions and of the strain fields experienced by the structure, e.g., an aircraft, during its operational life.

It is known to embed optical fibers within materials and devices, where, for instance, the optical fibers are used for data communication or for providing sensors. Some technologies that have been used to insert optical fibers in materials and devices are described in the following paragraphs.

US 7,373,029 B2 discloses a method for fabricating an optical fiber impulse sensor having an optical fiber and a molded portion molded around the perimeter of the optical fiber. The method forms, in the molded portion, an optical fiber insertion hole and an optical fiber insertion slit for inserting the optical fiber into the optical fiber insertion hole. The method inserts the optical fiber from the slit into the optical fiber insertion hole.

US 2003/0142920 A1 discloses a system and method for fabricating an array of multiple optical fibers. The method comprises providing a substrate having a plurality of guides formed therein each penetrating through the substrate, the substrate having one or more via holes in fluid communication with the plurality of guides. The plurality of optical fibers is disposed with respective guides, each of the optical fibers being placed with a corresponding one of the guides. An adhesive is injected into the one or more via holes, the adhesive fixing the optical fibers in the respective guides of the substrate. US 6,195,495 B2 discloses an optical transmitting member-holding structure for holding an optical transmitting member at a given location, said holding structure comprising a holding substrate, an optical transmitting member placed on the holding substrate, a fixing substrate covering the optical transmitting member on the holding substrate, and a joining layer joining the holding substrate and the fixing substrate and fixing the optical transmitting member at said given location, said joining layer comprising an eutectic solder layer.

US 4,488,773 discloses an array of optical fibers precisely positioned in spaced apart channels in a head when a metal, such as tin-lead solder, is used to fix the fibers in the channel. A glass fiber is first ion plated with about 1 x 10⁶ m of a metal such as nickel which is wetted by the solder. The fiber is then placed loosely in a channel in a metal holder and solder is infiltrated to surround and adhere to the fiber. Strain on the glass fiber where it exits its holder channel is alleviated when the polymer jacket is also ion plated with metal and is bonded to the holder by solder.

Summary of the invention

Structural fitting devices are used in a number of applications to connect structural elements. An example of a structural fitting device is the rearward support of a flap track mounted on an aircraft wing. In this case, equipping the structural fitting device with a UMS is useful when test flights are performed on the aircraft, as operational loads may be acquired in a precise way.

The inventors noticed that an optical fiber provided with sensors may be embedded in a structural fitting device used to connect structural elements in order provide a UMS and measure the deformation of the fitting device to check its structural integrity; this would allow evaluating the loads transferred between two structural elements connected by the considered fitting device. Also, the inventors noticed that in principle the optical fiber may be placed inside a channel which is dug into the structural fitting devices, and holes may be made to introduce the glue which is necessary to fix the optical fiber in the channel (in the following, this will be referred to as “channel and holes embedding strategy”). The holes must be precisely made at the positions of the sensors inscribed in the optical fiber to guarantee proper measurements. In principle, the structural fitting device may be realized with an additive manufacturing technique by printing it directly with the channel and holes mentioned above. However, the operation of making the holes exactly at the locations of the sensors may show some critical aspects. Moreover, the glue has to properly adapt to the internal surface of the channel and to perfectly bond the sensors to the structural fitting device. This puts some constraints on the materials that are used.

In view of the above, the Applicant has tackled the problem of providing a method for embedding a monitoring system in a structural fitting device, the monitoring system comprising an optical fiber with a number of sensors for effectively measuring data indicative of an operating status of the structural fitting device (e.g., deformations). In particular, the Applicant has tackled the problem of providing a method for embedding the monitoring system in the structural fitting device in an alternative manner with respect to the channel and holes embedding strategy mentioned above.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for embedding a monitoring system in a device comprising a body of a metallic material, the monitoring system comprising an optical fiber with a number of sensors for sensing data indicative of an operating status of the device, the method comprising the steps of: providing the body with a groove on an external surface thereof, the groove being configured to house a length of the optical fiber; laying the length of the optical fiber in the groove, and fixing the optical fiber in the groove by using at least one patch of a composite material above the length of the optical fiber. Preferably, the groove is a V-shaped grove.

Preferably, the method further comprises positioning a bundle of unidirectional reinforcement fibers pre-impregnated with uncured polymer resin over the length of the optical fiber in the groove. Preferably, the method further comprises positioning an adhesive film in the groove before laying the length of the optical fiber therein.

Preferably, the patch of a composite material is made of a number of layers of fibers pre-impregnated with an uncured polymer resin. Preferably, the fibers are fabric glass or carbon fibers. Preferably, the uncured polymer resin is an epoxy or phenolic resin.

Preferably, the method further comprises applying over the patch of a composite material a peel ply layer and an elastomeric pad.

Preferably, the method further comprises polymerizing the patch of a composite material by applying an autoclave polymerization process involving the use of a vacuum bag.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a structural fitting device comprising a body of a metallic material and a monitoring system, the monitoring system comprising an optical fiber with a number of sensors for sensing data indicative of an operating status of the device, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing the body with an internal cavity and a groove on an external surface of the body, the internal cavity being configured to house a length of the optical fiber and the groove being configured to house a further length of the optical fiber; b) providing the optical fiber comprising the number of sensors; c) inserting the optical fiber into the internal cavity; and d) laying the further length of the optical fiber in the groove and fixing the further length of the optical fiber in the groove by using at least one patch of a composite material above the further length of the optical fiber.

Preferably, the method further comprises providing the body by applying an additive manufacturing technique.

Preferably, the body is made of any one of the following materials: aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, steel, nickel-titanium alloy.

According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a structural fitting device comprising a body of a metallic material and a monitoring system, the monitoring system comprising an optical fiber with a number of sensors for sensing data indicative of an operating status of the device, the body comprising an internal cavity configured to house a length of the optical fiber and, on an external surface thereof, a groove for housing a further length of the optical fiber, wherein the device further comprises a patch of a composite material fixing the further length of the optical fiber in the groove. Preferably, the sensors are fiber bragg grating sensors inscribed in the optical fiber.

Preferably, the sensors comprise one or more sensors mechanically fixed to the body by means of the patch of the composite material, and at least one further sensor loosely inserted in the internal cavity. Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages will become more apparent by reading the following detailed description of embodiments given as examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 schematically shows an exemplary device with a monitoring system embedded therein;

- Figure 2 is another schematic view of the exemplary device of Figure

1 ;

- Figure 3 is a cross section view of the exemplary device of Figures 1 and 2; - Figure 4 is a flowchart of the method for embedding the monitoring system in the device according to the present invention;

- Figure 5a shows a graph representing the force applied to the exemplary device during a test;

- Figure 5b shows a graph with deformation measurements taken by the sensors of the monitoring system when the force shown in Figure 5a is applied; and

- Figure 6 is a structural fitting device used in the aerospace industry embedding of a monitoring system according to the present invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention In the present description and claims, unless otherwise specified, all the numbers and values should be intended as preceded by the term “about”. Also, all ranges include any combination of the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein after. According to the present invention, the disclosed method provides for embedding a monitoring system in a structural fitting device comprising a body of a metallic material. The monitoring system comprises an optical fiber with a number of sensors for sensing data indicative of an operating status of the structural fitting device. According to the present invention, the structural fitting device comprises an internal cavity configured to house a first portion of the monitoring system comprising a length of the optical fiber. Moreover, the body of the structural fitting device further comprises a groove on an external surface thereof, for housing a second portion of the monitoring system. The second portion of the monitoring system housed in the groove comprises a further length of the optical fiber which is fixed in the groove by means of a patch of a composite material.

The metallic material may be one of: aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, steel, nickel-titanium alloy. The body of the structural fitting device is preferably made by means of an additive manufacturing (AM) process, for example, by means of one of LMD (Laser Metal Deposition), SLM (Selective Laser Melting) or EBM (Electron Beam Melting) technologies.

In the present description, the method of the present invention will be described with reference to an exemplary device which only schematically represents a structural fitting device. The device that will be described herein after is for illustrative purposes only.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the exemplary device which will be used in the following description, which is indicated by reference number 1. The specific shape ad dimensions of the device schematically shown in Figure 1 are not relevant for the present description. Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the structural fitting device 1 of Figure 1. Figure 1 also shows a reference Cartesian coordinate system with axes X, Y, Z. In the present description, a “length” of an object is defined as the dimension of the object along the X axis, the “width” of an object is defined as the dimension of the object along the Y axis while the “height” or “depth” of an object is defined as the dimension of the object along the Z axis.

The structural fitting device 1 comprises a body 11 of a metallic material. The body 11 comprises a first portion 11a and a second portion 11b. The first portion 11a is in the form of an elongated slab of rectangular cross section. The first portion 11a is connected with the second portion 11b at an inner edge of the slab. The fist portion 11a has two opposite faces. One of the two faces (which will be indicated by reference numeral 111) includes a recessed portion 12 (or, slot) of a given width comprising a groove 112 of a smaller width and extending for a length L, which in this case is the length of the slot 12. The grove 112 has an end located at an outer edge 113 of the first portion 11 a (namely, at the edge opposite to the inner edge mentioned above where the first portion 11a joins the second portion 11 b of the body 11 ). The other end of the groove 112 is located at a position P on face 111 of the first portion 11a.

Further, the first portion 11a comprises a first portion of an internal cavity 13. The first portion of the internal cavity is preferably a first channel 13a. One end of the first channel 13a is connected to the groove 112 at position P. The other end of the first channel 13a is located at the interface between the first portion 11 a and the second portion 11 b of the body 11.

The second portion 11b of the body 11 comprises a second portion of the internal cavity 13. The second portion of the internal cavity 13 comprises a second channel 13b and a slot 13c. The second channel 13b is connected at one end to the first channel 13a and at the other end to the slot 13c.

Each of the first channel 13a and the second channel 13b may have a circular cross section with a diameter equal to about 1 mm or 2 mm. The device 1 further comprises a monitoring system comprising an optical fiber with a number of sensors inscribed in it. The sensors are preferably FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensors. In the device 1 schematically represented in Figure 2, the monitoring system comprises an optical fiber 2 with four sensors inscribed in it, a first sensor 21, a second sensor 22, a third sensor 23 and a fourth sensor 24. In Figures 1 and 2 the positions of the sensors are represented by dots.

The sensors comprise one or more deformation (or, strain) sensors suitable for measuring the deformation and hence the load imparted on the body 11, and at least one sensor suitable for measuring the temperature. In particular, in the exemplary device schematically represented in Figure 2, the first, second and third sensors 21 , 22, 23 are deformation (or, strain) sensors. The first, second and third sensors 21, 22, 23 are positioned in the groove 112 and they are mechanically attached to the body 11 by means of a composite patch, as it will be described hereinafter. The fourth sensor 24 is preferably housed in the internal cavity 13. In particular, in the exemplary device schematically shown in Figures 1-3, the fourth sensor 24 is loosely inserted inside the internal cavity 13 (i.e. , applied without being mechanically attached to any portion of the body 11), In this way, the fourth sensor 24 may provide room temperature measurements that may be used for making the data provided by the first, second and third sensors less sensitive to temperature. Indeed, as known, temperature sensitivity affects the data provided by typical deformation sensors inscribed in an optical fiber.

The length of the sensors can be, for example, 1 mm. The sensors may be obtained through the DTG (Draw Tower Grating) manufacturing process and may have a coating made of ORMOCER®. The spacing between the sensors, in the longitudinal direction, may be from a few to tens millimeters.

The optical fiber 2 is preferably housed in the groove 112 and in the internal cavity 13 of the body 11. In particular, the optical fiber is housed in the grove 112, inside the first channel 13a of the first portion 11 a of the body 11, and inside the second channel 13b and the slot 13c of the second portion 11 b of the body 11.

In particular, the second portion of the internal cavity 13 is configured to house an end portion of the monitoring system, namely a length of the optical fiber comprising an end portion thereof. The end portion of the optical fiber housed in the internal cavity 13 may be configured to be connected, by means of, e.g., a connector, to an acquisition system configured to acquire monitoring signals coming from the number of sensors. The connector may be housed in the slot 13c of the second portion 11 b of the body 11.

Figure 3 schematically shows a sectional view of the first portion 11a of the body 11 according to plane A-A shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 schematically shows in detail the cross section of the recessed portion and the groove 112. The recessed portion 12 has a rectangular cross section. According to the present invention, the groove 112 extends within the thickness of the slab from the base of the recessed portion 12 and has a triangular cross section; in other words, the groove 112 has a profile in the form of a “V”. It will also be indicated as a “V-groove” or “V- shaped groove”. The depth of the V-groove, whit respect to the base of the recessed portion 12, may be in the range between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm and the width of the V-groove may be in the range between 1 mm and 2 mm.

According to the present invention, a method is provided for embedding the monitoring system in the device. Figure 4 is a flowchart of the steps of the method according to the present invention.

Step 401 of the method comprises providing the body of the device. As already mentioned above, the body of the device is of a metallic material. Moreover, it may be provided by applying an additive manufacturing technology.

At step 402, the monitoring system is put in place. In the exemplary device schematically shown in Figures 1-3, the optical fiber 2 of the monitoring system is made to pass through the slot 13c, the second channel 13b and the first channel 13a until it exits the first channel 13a at the position where the first channel 13a joins the V-groove 112. An end portion of the optical fiber 2 is placed in the slot 13c. The length of this end portion of the optical fiber2 may be about 30 cm so that it may be connected to a connector, as already mentioned above. The connector may be housed in the slot 13c. The slot 13c may be sealed to protect, during the polymerization process, the end portion of the optical fiber 2 and the connector possibly attached to the end portion of the optical fiber 2.

An adhesive film, for instance the 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Structural Adhesive Film AF 163-2K, with a thickness of, e.g., 0.1 mm, is preferably placed in the recessed portion 12 of the first portion 11a of the body 11. To position the sensors, signs may be performed of the first portion 11a of the body 11 beside the V-groove 112 at the locations of the sensors. Then, the optical fiber 2 is placed in the V-groove 112. To maintain the optical fiber 2 in position, a bundle of unidirectional reinforcement fibers (e.g., glass) pre-impregnated with uncured polymer resin is positioned over the optical fiber for the entire length of the V-groove. The polymer resin may be, e.g., an epoxy or phenolic resin. In particular, preferably, the bundle of unidirectional reinforcement fibers completely fills the V- groove 112. The end portion of the optical fiber 2 that exits the V-groove 112 at the outer edge 113 of the first portion 11 a of the body 11 is preferably inserted in a tube 3 (e.g., a Teflon tube) to protect this end portion of the optical fiber 2 during the following polymerization process.

At step 403, a composite patch is applied in the recessed portion 12 over the optical fiber 2 and the bundle of unidirectional reinforcement fibers. Preferably, the length and width of the composite patch applied in the recessed portion 12 correspond to, respectively, the length and width of the recessed portion 12. The composite patch is preferably made of a number of layers (for instance, three layers) of fibers (e.g., fabric glass or carbon) pre-impregnated with an uncured polymer resin, which may be, e.g., an epoxy or phenolic resin.

Step 403 also provides for preferably applying over the composite patch a peel ply layer.

Step 403 further preferably provides for applying an elastomeric pad to improve compaction, and breather/bleeder layers according to a standard vacuum bag technology.

Step 404 comprises a known autoclave polymerization process which involves the use of a vacuum bag. This process comprises introducing the product into the autoclave and applying the temperature and pressure cycle for the polymerization of both the bundle of unidirectional reinforcement fibers and the layers applied in the recessed portion 12 and in the V-groove 112. Temperature and pressure levels are applied according to the curing cycle prescribed by the supplier of composite material (typically 3-5 bars and 120 - 180 °C). Figures 5a and 5b illustrate the results of a test carried out by the inventors on a device which has been manufactured on the basis of the scheme represented in Figures 1-3. The device has been manufactured as having a length of about 88 mm, a width of about 25 mm and a height (at the second portion 11b) of about 18 mm. The material of the device is titanium alloy, and it has been manufactured using an LMD technique.

In particular, Figure 5a shows the applied force (in Newton) as a function of time (in seconds). Figure 5b shows a graph containing the plots of the deformation (in microstrain, me) as a function of time (in seconds) taken during the test by the sensors in the monitoring system embedded in the device according to the method of the present invention. The device comprises an optical fiber with four sensors positioned as schematically represented in Figure 2. The first, second and third sensors 21 , 22, 23 are mechanically attached to the body on the device as they are located in the V-groove 112 and covered by the composite patch as described above. The fourth sensor 24 is loosely inserted in the internal cavity 13 of the body 11. The spacing between the sensors is 12 mm between the first sensors 21 and the second sensor 22 and between the second sensor 22 and the third sensor 23, while it may be 24 mm between the third sensor 23 and the fourth sensor 24. The Bragg wavelengths are 1530.0 nm, 1531.8 nm, 1533.6 nm, 1535.4 nm.

The device is placed on two cylinders that are fixed, and at a relative distance of 50 mm; another cylinder is placed above the device and can move vertically. This cylinder is applied where the second sensor 22 is located, such that this sensor is the one placed in the region of maximum bending moment. Consequently, the first sensor 21 and the third sensor 23, thanks to their symmetrical positions, are supposed to exhibit the same behavior, while the second sensor 22 should acquire the highest value of strain. The fourth sensor 24 should instead show a flat behavior of displacement since it is not fixed to the component and should thus read no strain. The test is performed so that the optical fiber is in tension. Three load cycles have been considered with a load limit of about 1000 N, as shown in Figure 5a.

The curves of Figure 5b show the measured deformation as a function of time. Each curve is associated with the reference number of the relative sensor. As expected, the first and third sensors 21, 23 show similar trends, while the fourth sensor 24 correctly shows a substantially flat behavior.

Figure 6 schematically shows a structural fitting device 5 used in the aerospace industry. In particular, the structural fitting device schematically shown in Figure 6 is a rearward flap track support for an aircraft wing. The flap track is the element that guides the extraction/retraction of the flaps, and it is normally covered by a fairing for aerodynamic reasons. The device must be connected to the primary wing structure so to transmit the loads acting on the flap surfaces; this means that the loads experienced by the structural fitting device during the lifetime of the aircraft can be very high, especially during landing and take-off maneuvers.

The structural fitting device 5 has two pairs of flanges, a first pair of flanges 51 , 52 for the connection with the actuator, which allows the movement of the flap, and a second pair of flanges 53, 53 for the connection with the track. Each flange comprises a respective hole for the connection to the wing structure by means of a pin.

The structural fitting device 5 may be provided with a monitoring system by embedding it in the structural fitting device according to the method of the present invention. The monitoring system may be configured to measure the loads imparted on the structural fitting device, in particular loads acting on the flanges.

In particular, the method of the present invention, as applied to the structural fitting device schematically shown in Figure 6, comprises providing the structural fitting device 5 with slots where the monitoring system may be applied. In the structural fitting device 5, each flange 51 , 52, 53, 54 comprises a respective elongated slot for housing a respective portion of a monitoring system, namely a respective length of an optical fiber with sensors inscribed in it, as described above. In particular, the device 5 comprises a first slot 55 in flange 53, and a second slot 56 in flange 51. Corresponding slots may be similarly provided in the other flanges. The skilled person will appreciate that each slot in the structural fitting device 5 shown in Figure 6 has been designed to surround the hole comprised in the respective flange as the loads acting on the flanges pass though the pins and hence can be considered as applied in the middle points of the pins. According to the present invention, each slot comprises a V-groove with the same shape and dimensions of V-groove 112 in the exemplary device considered above, as shown in Fig. 3. Then, a length of the optical fiber is positioned in each slot, in particular, in each V-groove of the respective slot, and fixed in it by means of a composite patch as described above.

Advantageously, the method of the present invention allows embedding a monitoring system comprising an optical fiber with sensors inscribed in it in a structural fitting device of a metallic material in order to provide the structural fitting device with an UMS. In this manner, the structural fitting device is not merely a structural element but also a load cell. This will allow increasing the security of the device as its operating conditions may be checked in real time to prevent fractures. Moreover, this will allow reducing the maintenance costs. The method according to the present invention provides for housing the optical fiber in a V-groove on the surface of the device and covering the optical fiber with a composite patch. This embedding strategy, as compared with the channels and holes embedding strategy, is less critic with respect to the correct positioning of the sensors. Indeed, there is no need to provide holes for the insertion of the glue to fix the sensors. Moreover, no specific criticalities are detected concerning the materials used, since the composite patch allows to guarantee the strain transfer between the metallic component and the sensors, as demonstrated by the results of the test that have been shown in Figure 5b.

Claims

1. A method for embedding a monitoring system in a device (1) comprising a body (11 ) of a metallic material, said monitoring system comprising an optical fiber (2) with a number of sensors (21 , 22, 23, 24) for sensing data indicative of an operating status of said device, the method comprising the steps of: providing said body (11) with a groove (112) on an external surface thereof, the groove (112) being configured to house a length of said optical fiber (2); laying said length of said optical fiber (2) in said groove (112), and fixing the optical fiber (2) in said groove (112) by using at least one patch of a composite material above said length of said optical fiber (2).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said groove (112) is a V- shaped grove.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising positioning a bundle of unidirectional reinforcement fibers pre-impregnated with uncured polymer resin over said length of the optical fiber (2) in said groove (112).

4. The method according to any of claim 1 to 3, further comprising positioning an adhesive film in the groove (112) before laying said length of the optical fiber (2) therein.

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said patch of a composite material is made of a number of layers of fibers pre-impregnated with an uncured polymer resin.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said fibers are fabric glass or carbon fibers.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said uncured polymer resin is an epoxy or phenolic resin.

8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising applying over the patch of a composite material a peel ply layer and an elastomeric pad.

9. The method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising polymerizing said patch of a composite material by applying an autoclave polymerization process involving the use of a vacuum bag.

10. A method for manufacturing a structural fitting device (1) comprising a body (11) of a metallic material and a monitoring system, said monitoring system comprising an optical fiber (2) with a number of sensors (21, 22, 23, 24) for sensing data indicative of an operating status of said device, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing said body (11 ) with an internal cavity (13) and a groove (112) on an external surface of said body (11 ), the internal cavity (13) being configured to house a length of said optical fiber (2) and the groove (112) being configured to house a further length of said optical fiber (2); b) providing said optical fiber (2) comprising said number of sensors (21, 22, 23, 24); c) inserting said optical fiber (2) into said internal cavity (13); and d) laying said further length of said optical fiber (2) in said groove

(112) and fixing said further length of said optical fiber (2) in said groove (112) by using at least one patch of a composite material above said further length of said optical fiber (2).

11. The method for manufacturing a structural fitting device (1 ) according to claim 10, further comprising providing said body (11) by applying an additive manufacturing technique.

12. The method for manufacturing a structural fitting device (1 ) according to claim 10 or 11 , wherein said body (11 ) is made of any one of the following materials: aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, steel, nickel- titanium alloy.

13. A structural fitting device (1) comprising a body (11) of a metallic material and a monitoring system, the monitoring system comprising an optical fiber (2) with a number of sensors (21, 22, 23, 24) for sensing data indicative of an operating status of said device, the body (11) comprising an internal cavity (13) configured to house a length of said optical fiber (2) and, on an external surface thereof, a groove (112) for housing a further length of said optical fiber (2), wherein said device (1) further comprises a patch of a composite material fixing said further length of said optical fiber (2) in said groove (112).

14. The structural fitting device (1) according to claim 13, wherein the sensors (21 , 22, 23, 24) are fiber bragg grating sensors inscribed in said optical fiber.

15. The structural fitting device (1) according to claim 14, wherein the sensors (21, 22, 23, 24) comprise one or more sensors (21, 22, 23) mechanically fixed to said body (11) by means of said patch of said composite material, and at least one further sensor (24) loosely inserted in said internal cavity (13).