Design Rules for 3D Printing-Assisted Pressure Sensor Manufacturing: Achieving Broad Pressure Range Linearity

Abstract

Recent advancements in 3D printing technology have expanded its application to manufacturing pressure sensors. By harnessing the cost-effectiveness, streamlined processes, and design flexibility of 3D printing, sensor fabrication can be customized to meet specific performance needs. Thus far, 3D printing in pressure sensor development has been primarily limited to creating molds for transferring patterns onto flexible substrates, restricting both material selection and sensor performance. To fully unlock the potential of 3D printing in advanced pressure sensor fabrication, it is crucial to establish effective design rules focused on enhancing the figure of merit performance. This study introduces a universal design strategy aimed at maintaining high sensitivity across a wide pressure range—a challenging feat, as sensitivity significantly decreases at higher pressures. Our approach centers on engineering the deformability of 3D-printed structures, achieving a linear increase in contact area between sensor patterns and electrodes without reaching saturation. Sensors designed with high elongation and low stiffness exhibit consistent sensitivity of 162.5 kPa⁻¹ across a broad pressure range (0.05–300 kPa). Mechanistic investigations through finite element analysis confirm that engineered deformability is key to achieving this enhanced linear response, offering robust sensing capabilities for demanding applications such as deep-sea and space exploration.