Automated Production for Wind Turbines

Split-shaft wind turbines decouple the turbines shaft from generators shaft, enabling several modifications in drivetrain. One of significant achievements a split-shaft drivetrain is reduction size excitation circuit. The grid-side converter eliminated, and rotor-side can safely reduce its to fraction full-size excitation. Therefore, this low-power-rated operates at low voltage handles regular operations well. However, fault conditions may expose weaknesses push it limits. This paper investigates effects reduced-size on ride-through capabilities required all turbines. Four different protection circuits, including active crowbar, crowbar along resistorinductor circuit (C-RL), series dynamic resistor (SDR), new-bridge current limiter (NBFCL), are employed, their investigated compared. Wind turbine controllers also utilized impact faults power electronic converters. effective method store excess energy rotor. proposed low-voltage strategies simulated MATLAB Simulink (2022b) validate results demonstrate effectiveness functionality.

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System and method for manufacturing large scale composite structures like wind turbine blades that ensures precise placement and bonding of internal components like spar caps during assembly. It uses pins, studs, cams and actuators to provide high precision positioning of spar caps within the mold throughout the layup process. The pins extend through the mold and composite layers to engage the spar caps. Cam actuators measure spar cap midpoints. This provides accurate spar cap placement without relying on mold closing forces or user skill. The pins also prevent spar cap movement during mold closing. This ensures proper spar cap positioning and bonding for optimal blade strength and tolerance compliance.

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Cutting plies for wind turbine blades to reduce wrinkling and voids at blade edges. The plies are cut with angled cuts that shorten some fibers at the edges. This creates a chamfered edge instead of a sharp termination. The cutting is done using specialized tools that make angled cuts along lines parallel to the fiber direction. After cutting, the shortened fibers are mixed with uncut fibers to avoid voids. The modified plies are then stacked to make the blade laminate. The chamfered edges prevent wrinkles and voids at the blade terminations.

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A device and method to facilitate assembling of wind turbines in a more efficient and weather-independent way, whether onshore or offshore. The device is a tall structure with an enclosed space to assemble the tower and nacelle separately. A hoisting device lifts the tower into the space, supports it below, then disconnects and lifts the nacelle onto the tower. A rotor blade manipulator brings blades from storage. This allows independent assembly steps not affected by weather. The tower and nacelle are then lifted out as a complete turbine. The device can be a fixed onshore building or a floating vessel.

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Abstract: One essential component of contemporary renewable energy solutions is wind systems. To maximize performance and reduce downtime, these systems must be efficiently controlled monitored in real time. With an emphasis on control architectures, fault diagnostics, grid synchronization, SCADA integration, this paper investigates the use PLCs automation technologies The suggested framework extremely relevant for deployment industrial farms since it improves turbine efficiency, guarantees safe operation, facilitates grid-friendly power delivery.

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Method to manufacture thick preform building elements for wind turbine blades that avoids issues like binder diffusion during curing. The method involves laying out fiber mats in sections with overlapping edges on a mold. A separate component is placed on the mold first. As each fiber mat is laid, the edge contacts the subcomponent. Binder is applied to the edge beforehand. Pressure is applied to the edge to secure the mat. This prevents binder diffusion into the core of thick preforms. The components are then cured.

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This paper details the development of a full turbine model and ensuing aero-servo-elastic analysis International Energy Agencys 15MW Reference Wind Turbine. provides means to obtain realistic performance data, which normal tangential blade loads are extracted applied simplified drivetrain developed expressly quantify shaft eccentricities caused by aerodynamic loading, thus determining impact loading on generator structure. During this process, method determine main bearing stiffness values is presented, for IEA-15MW-RWT obtained. It was found that wind speeds in region cut-out induce as high 56%, has significant contribution eccentricities, increasing deflection at area much 106% windspeeds, necessitating its inclusion. subsequent structure optimisation, scenarios examined were increase necessary mass rotor 40%, meet reduced airgap clearance.

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Automated manufacturing method for wind turbine towers using additive printing to build the tower layer by layer, with integrated reinforcement. The method involves using a movable frame assembly with platforms that are raised vertically. As the platforms move, reinforcement bars are dispensed automatically from a separate assembly under tension. Then, cementitious material is printed onto the platforms to embed the bars. This allows continuous reinforcement as the tower grows. The printed layers are repeated to build the tower. The additive printing assembly has multiple printer heads for outer/inner walls and filler material.

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Wind turbine component design for towers and blades that allows prefabrication, easier transportation, and faster assembly compared to traditional towers. The component has a wall element with a corrugated structural element attached to it. The corrugated shape reduces weight and allows compression during transportation. The component segments can be prefabricated and connected together at the tower or blade site. This allows preassembly of larger sections offsite, simplifies transportation, and speeds up installation compared to traditional tower assembly. The corrugated shape also provides strength and stiffness.

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Fiber reinforcement fabric for wind turbine components like blades and spar caps that allows easier and more efficient impregnation of resin during manufacturing. The fabric has tapered edges where the thickness gradually reduces towards the edge. This eliminates dry spots and air pockets by providing a smooth transition of resin fill as the fabric conforms to the tapered mold shapes. The fabric also enables easier layup of tapered fiber layers for components like spar caps by stitching together layers with terminated edges instead of manually arranging terminated plies.

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Abstract. Hollow forging and air hardening ductile (AHD) steels are a novel manufacturing process steel grade for the wind energy sector. Together they enable new rotor shaft design possibilities turbines. combines high material strength of solid forged with direct inner contour similar to casting. To compare an AHD hollow state-of-the-art cast shaft, case study is carried out, focusing on power density, costs (manufacturing) global warming potential (GWP). ensure comparability between two predesigns main bearing unit (MBU, bearings, housings) generated via structural integrity assessment calculation lifetime according ISO 76 / 281. The resulting has 37 % less mass than corresponding 16.5 lower MBU mass. For be comparable casting regarding costs, surcharges need greatly reduced. Due shortened heat treatment use green steel, GWP

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Additive manufacturing (3D printing) technique for reinforcing large-scale structures like wind turbine towers using coiled polymer reinforcement members instead of conventional steel rings. The method involves printing the tower structure layers, unwinding continuous rolls of pultruded polymer reinforcement material into coils, placing the coils on the printed layers, and then printing more layers on top. This allows reinforcing the structure with lightweight, corrosion-resistant polymer instead of heavy steel rings. The coiled polymer members are wound and secured using fixtures to maintain shape during printing.

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The geometric structure design of three-layer hollow fan blades is extremely complex, which not only directly related to the blade quality and manufacturing cost but also has a significant impact on engine performance. Based algorithms combined with rules process constraints, an intelligent method for proposed: A new cross-section curve based non-equidistant offset presented enable rapid wall plate structure. An innovative parametric corrugation in cross-sections driven by constraints such as diffusion bonding angle thresholds put forward. spanwise rib smoothing optimization realized minimum energy change term. densification carried out improve accuracy wireframe achieve solid modeling blades. Finally, proposed methods are seamlessly integrated into NX software (version 12), system developed, enables automated complex under aerodynamic shape large number constraints.

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Digital 3D measurement of bondline thickness during wind turbine blade assembly using a 3D laser scanner to accurately determine the gaps between blade components where bonding paste is applied. This involves scanning the blade shell, shear webs, and mold flanges before and after paste application, aligning the scans, and measuring the bondline thickness. Retroreflective targets are used for registration and volume extension accelerates scanning large parts. This provides high precision component positioning to avoid quality issues from incorrect paste thickness.

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A lifting device for rotating and moving preform building elements used in wind turbine blade manufacturing. The lifting device is a yoke with pivoting attachment points that can rotate a building element between top and bottom attachment positions. This allows the preform to be flipped over without manual rotation, reducing damage. The yoke has multiple pivoting attachment devices mounted on a beam that can all be pivoted simultaneously by an actuator. The beam can be clamped onto the building element using a bracket that pivots underneath to secure it. This enables rotating and moving multiple preforms at once. The yoke can also have adjustable counterweights to keep the center of gravity constant during rotation.

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Method to manufacture wind turbine blades faster by tailoring the cure time of the resin during infusion based on process parameters. The method involves using two hardeners, one faster than the other, to create a resin mixture. The hardener speed is adjusted by varying the relative proportions of the fast and slow hardeners during infusion. This allows optimizing the cure time and open time of the resin as it infuses the blade layup. By speeding up the hardener as infusion progresses, the cure time and open time can be reduced compared to using just a single hardener. This enables faster infusion cycles with less risk of defects.

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Manufacturing wind turbine rotor blades with segmented upper molds that can be assembled around the lower mold without needing excessive overhead clearance. The rotor blade molds consist of a lower mold and a segmented upper mold. The segmented upper mold has a root end section and multiple airfoil sections. The root end section is placed next to an airfoil section, then slid into position at the root. The airfoil sections are then positioned. This allows the upper mold to be assembled around the lower mold without needing the entire height of the blade length. The segmented upper mold sections can be handled sideways for assembly/disassembly.

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A cost-effective and rapid method for forming large-diameter, thick-walled tubular structures like wind turbine towers using thinner material. The method involves winding thin strips of material around a curved base and joining them together in spirals. This allows forming thick-walled tubes without the need for expensive rolling and welding of thick steel plates. The spirally wound layers provide structural strength similar to solid-walled tubes while being faster and cheaper to manufacture.

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Method to manufacture large wind turbine blades with improved curing uniformity to reduce defects. The method involves impregnating the reinforcement preform with a curing promoter before placing it in the mold. This allows the promoter concentration to vary spatially in the preform, with lower amounts near the edges and higher in the center. This helps prevent overcure and shrinkage differences when curing thicker areas versus the edges. The promoter can be a curing accelerator like a transition metal salt.

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A method to manufacture wind turbine blades that improves alignment and bonding of shear webs between the inner shell surfaces. The method involves attaching the shear web to one shell half, then bringing the other half together while guiding the shear web over pairs of angled guide members on the inner surface of the second shell half. This prevents rotation and twisting during bonding. The guide members form a funnel shape that aligns the shear web as it's inserted into the other shell half. The guide members are removable spacers during assembly that are later removed. The guide members can be extruded or injection molded parts with hollow bodies and angled surfaces.

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A method to manufacture preforms for wind turbine blades that reduces wrinkles and improves quality compared to conventional methods. The preform layers are arranged in a stack with some layers made of a fabric treated with binding agent. The fabric has an alternating pattern of sections with untreated fiber and sections with fiber treated with binding agent. This allows the fabric to conform better to curved surfaces during heating and avoid wrinkling compared to using untreated fabric. The preform is then formed by heating the stack, transferred to the blade mold, and infused with resin.

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The presented manuscript is devoted to the consideration of design features elements power equipment, in particular rotor and its elements: spider varieties, rim poles rotor. analysis requirements for parameters depending on swing moment was carried out. situation failure turbine regulator directly during load shedding considered. operational characteristics hydraulic unit, which affect reliability operation, were also outlines materials used manufacture equipment. Such modern production technologies these as stamping laser cutting are considered detail. peculiarities assembly unit a whole outlined, well assembly, pressing wedging charged focused tension reduction.

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The blades of wind turbines constitute key components for converting energy into electrical energy, and modifications to blade airfoil geometry can effectively enhance aerodynamic performance turbine. trailing edge flap enables load control on the through adjustments its motion geometric parameters, thereby overcoming limitations inherent in conventional pitch systems. However, current research primarily emphasizes isolated parametric effects performance, with limited exploration interactions between multiple design variables. This study adopts a numerical simulation approach based FFA-W3-241 DTU 10 MW. Geometric deformations are achieved by manipulating influence is analyzed using computational fluid dynamics methods. Investigations conducted lengths deflection angles characteristics. results show existence an optimal length angle combination. Specifically, when 0.1c 10, lift-to-drag ratio demonstrates significant improvement under defined operational conditions. These findings offer practical guidance optimizing turbine designs.

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Automated fiber placement assembly for forming composite components with improved fiber cutting capabilities during the fabrication process. The assembly has a movable cutter head that can change shape to allow customized fiber cutting profiles for complex component geometries. Multiple independent cutter heads can be used to simultaneously cut fibers in different shapes. This enables better fiber management around overhangs and other features compared to fixed cutter shapes.

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A method and system to accurately place internal components like spar caps during wind turbine blade manufacturing. It uses retractable/extendable pins in the mold surface that can pierce through the layup segments. The pins have drivers to move them between retracted and extended positions. This provides precise geometric references for component placement during molding. The pins also prevent component movement during resin infusion. The pins can have rotational motion to reduce wrinkling during piercing. This improves blade quality and repeatability by ensuring proper component placement without impacting the structure.

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Using data analytics to improve composite manufacturing by optimizing process parameters like temperature, pressure, and cure time based on historical observations and machine learning. The method involves classifying localized inconsistencies on composite structures, identifying potential causes from process parameters, and modifying the geometry, layup, or parameters to address the causes. It leverages historical data from prior composites to optimize parameters for current composites.

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System for manufacturing large scale composite structures like wind turbine blades using molds that provide precise placement and assembly of internal components like spar caps. The molds have apertures for pins to extend into the molded layers. The pins engage the internal components during layup to hold them in place. After layup, the pins can extend beyond the molded section to be trimmed. This prevents internal component misalignment during mold closure. Additional features like studs, cams, and actuators enable further component positioning and measurement.

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A method for assembling wind turbine components to reduce assembly time and costs by allowing personnel to remain in the tower during lifts instead of evacuating and repositioning. The method involves lowering the component to overlap the mounting interface vertically with a threshold separation. If the separation exceeds the threshold, an indicator alerts. This ensures the component can be connected without needing to evacuate and reposition personnel between lifts. The indicator uses a transmitter/receiver to verify separation during overlapping.

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Molding method for wind turbine blade shells that eliminates the need for clamps on the molds during rotation and joining of the shell halves. The method involves using fastening elements attached to the mold flange to secure the shell during rotation. A measurement arrangement tracks displacement of the shell flange relative to the mold flange during rotation to monitor shell-mold alignment. This allows accurate joining of the shell halves without clamps.

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A modular mold for producing wind turbine blades that allows easy adaptation of blade length without needing to cut and replace the mold. The mold has a modular design with interchangeable tip sections that can be swapped to match updated blade geometries. The mold has a main body shell element and multiple exchangeable tip shell elements that can be fixed to the support. This allows changing the tip sections to match blade length changes without needing to modify the entire mold. The tip sections connect using flanges with aligned bolt holes for easy assembly. The modular tip sections can be different lengths to cover a range of blade tip geometries.

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A method to produce aerodynamic components like wings or blades with ribbed surfaces for improved performance without adding cost. The method involves forming the ribs on the component surface itself instead of applying a preprinted film. A blank film is placed on the component, then a pressure plate with complementary ribs is positioned on top. The assembly is formed in an autoclave to cure the film onto the component while shaping it with the plate to create the ribbed surface. This eliminates the need for expensive preprinted films while still allowing complex ribbed geometries.

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Vacuum pressure impregnation process for making insulation systems for coils in high voltage electric machines like wind turbine generators. The process involves a unique vacuum and pressure cycling sequence to impregnate the coils with resin at higher voltages beyond 22 kV. The steps include: placing the coil in a vacuum chamber, flooding with low viscosity resin, vacuum cycling, positive pressure cycling, and finally removing the coil. This allows thorough resin impregnation at high voltages without preheating the coil.

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Electric motor rotor assembly method that simplifies and speeds up rotor assembly compared to conventional methods. The method involves crimping the rotor collar onto the shaft and pressing it against the end cap in a single operation. This eliminates the need for threading or annular slots. The collar has features like serrations, lips, or ramped bases that allow it to deform and penetrate the end cap during crimping. The collar deformation clamps the windings between the end caps. This allows quicker, simpler, and more precise rotor assembly compared to threading or annular slots.

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Automated robotic system for creating customized leading-edge protectors (LEPs) on wind turbine blades without the need for prefabricated shells. The system uses a robotic arm guided by a computer to deposit liquid polymer directly onto the blade in layers. The arm has multiple degrees of freedom to maneuver and dispense the polymer onto the blade surface. This allows building up the LEP layer by layer, following the blade shape, to provide a seamless, tailored LEP. The polymer is cured on the blade. The robotic deposition avoids gaps, overlaps, and air pockets compared to applying preformed shells.

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Method of manufacturing embedding elements for wind turbine blades that provides stronger root connections and reduces waste compared to known methods. The embedding elements are made by compacting fiber material between movable cores in a mold and then curing. The cores have convex lateral surfaces that compress and shape the fiber. This avoids machining the entire surface and reduces waste. The embedded elements are used in the blade root to secure the blade to the hub. The elements are alternately placed between fasteners in the root region, allowing access to the fasteners. This provides better retention and transfer of loads compared to just using bushings. The embedded elements follow the root circumference and engage the fasteners. The fiber material between the elements is cured to fix them in place.

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Preventing erroneous coupling of end plates in rotor manufacturing to prevent assembly errors. The method involves detecting the specific end plate type (standard vs non-standard) before welding it to the rotor core. If a non-standard end plate is detected, welding is suspended to prevent incorrect coupling. This ensures the proper end plates are used at each end of the rotor core.

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Automated system and method for producing wind turbine blades using fiber plies to reduce manual labor and improve quality compared to traditional methods. The system uses gantry robots with movable grippers and drapers to place and shape the plies on the blade mold. The robots lower into the mold space, pick up plies from a storage area, and place them on the blade. They also drape the plies over the mold. This allows fully automated blade layup without worker access inside the mold. The robots can also move longitudinally to cover the blade length. The robotic system replaces manual steps like pulling plies over the mold and draping by hand. This reduces labor, risk, and variation compared to manual layup. The robots also provide consistent spacing and tension for better quality.

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Automated tape placement (ATP) system for composites manufacturing that enables faster, more accurate, and more versatile tape laying compared to current systems. The system uses robotics with a unique rotating layup head that tilts to change the orientation of two rollers. This allows bidirectional tape feeding without rotation or translation of the head, reducing errors. The system also has a part translation feature where the part moves under the head rather than the head moving across the build. This allows larger parts and simultaneous tape placement on both sides. The rotating head and part translation eliminate the need for a fixed tool or frame.

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Industrialized, cost-effective method for constructing and assembling offshore wind turbines using self-erecting lift structures, modular floating turbine sections, and specialized installation vessels. The method involves: 1) building modular floating turbine sections in a shipyard, 2) towing the sections to an offshore platform, 3) assembling the turbine on the platform using a self-erecting lift structure, 4) connecting the floating turbine to an installation base on the seafloor, 5) disconnecting the turbine from the base and raising it to float, 6) towing the assembled turbine to its final location. This allows serial production of modular turbine sections, transporting them to a central hub for assembly, and then deploying them from a fixed platform.

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Fabrication assembly and method for automated metal fabrication on long metal workpieces like beams that allows compact, flexible, and efficient fabrication without transfer hoists. The assembly has a track with robots on one side and rotating fixtures on the other. Workpieces are loaded onto trolleys, transferred to the rotators, fabricated, then moved back. The rotators can adjust position after each workpiece to optimize fabrication layout. This avoids vertical transfers and allows simultaneous fabrication from both sides without collisions.

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Layup mandrels with embedded textured pins for precise robotic manufacturing of composite parts. The mandrels have regions with rougher finish than the main surface to indicate fastener hole locations. This allows the robotic system to precisely locate and perform operations like drilling at the marked holes by detecting the rougher areas using vision. The roughness mismatch between the main surface and hole locations provides a visual feature for the robot to detect and align to.

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Method and arrangement for measuring, sorting, and assembling magnets in a wind turbine generator rotor to minimize airgap fluctuations. The method involves measuring the radial extension of each magnet, sorting them into bins based on size, and assembling the rotor with magnets from the sorted bins to match radii. This ensures consistent airgap across the rotor. It allows individual magnet handling, measurement, and sorting to precisely align radii.

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Automated assembly system for modular components using robots to fully automate component assembly without human involvement. The system has separate robots for loading, aligning, and assembly tasks. The loading robot grips the component, moves it to the assembly position, and aligns it. The assembly robot assembles the component and target using an assembly tool. An imaging camera on the assembly robot captures alignment images. A control device coordinates the robots for coordinated assembly. This allows fully automated assembly without human intervention for high precision and repeatability.

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A specialized car system for installing tall wind turbines without cranes. The system involves a traveling car that can move vertically up and down the tower during construction. The car has a movable deck section that carries components to be installed at each height. The car raises and lowers using winches and balancing devices. This allows components to be positioned and installed directly from the car as it ascends the tower. The car can also connect to the tower to be raised by winches on the uppermost section. This enables the car to be lifted and lowered without external cranes. The car can also balance against tower sway and wind forces using weights and winches. The car system provides a self-contained vertical transport system for installing wind turbine components without relying on external cranes.

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Tower structures, like wind turbine towers, manufactured using additive printing techniques to enable on-site construction of tall towers without transportation limitations. The towers have walls printed with variable-width deposition nozzles to create voids between layers. Reinforcement members are placed in these voids, closer to the neutral axis than the wall surfaces, for improved structural integrity. This allows optimized placement of reinforcement without needing thicker wall sections. The variable-width nozzle allows customizing deposition paths to form the voids.

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Method for assembling wind turbine blade shells using cleats and clamp tools to improve blade assembly and reduce warping of the trailing edge glue flange. The method involves attaching cleats to the interior surface of the blade shell halves before mating them. The cleats have a longitudinal extension parallel to the blade. When the blade halves are closed, the cleats prevent warping of the trailing edge glue flange. Cleats are also attached to the glue flange itself to hold it in place during bonding. A clamp tool is used to secure the glue flange during blade closure and bonding. This prevents warping and ensures proper bonding of the glue flange.

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Mold assembly and method for manufacturing spar caps for wind turbine blades using stacked pultruded plates that improves efficiency and quality compared to manual placement. The mold has adjustable sidewalls that can move in the transverse direction. This allows precise alignment of the pultruded plates without manual intervention. The plates are laid between the sidewalls, infused, unmolded, then the sidewalls can be adjusted further for final alignment. This reduces misalignment errors and eliminates the need for post-processing to improve quality. The adjustable sidewalls allow automated alignment instead of manual placement, improving throughput and reducing costs.

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Automated robotic system for repairing wind turbine blade damage without blade removal. The system uses a robotic arm with a specialized tool head that applies coatings to repair blade leading edge erosion. The tool head contains a mixing chamber, feed tube, and roller brush. A drive mixes coating components at adjustable ratios. The roller brush applies the mixed coating to the blade surface. This allows automated repair of blade damage in situ, eliminating the need for manual access or blade removal.

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A gantry system for manufacturing large wind turbine blades in a vertical orientation to overcome the challenges of working on horizontally-laid blades. The gantry has a frame that bridges the blade cross-section, allowing robotic units to access both sides simultaneously. The gantry can move along the blade length while the robotic arms move in 6 degrees of freedom. This enables simultaneous robotic processing of the entire blade cross-section. The gantry can also rotate and swing the robotic arms for precise positioning. A control system coordinates gantry locomotion, robotic motion, and tool center points based on blade geometry. Sensors monitor blade shape for accurate processing.

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Floating metal platform for offshore wind turbines that is more suited for mass production compared to prior art designs. The platform has multiple identical elongated elements with parallel members connected by buoyancy elements. The elements are arranged in a regular pattern around a center hub. This simplifies the structure and allows automation of fabrication. The buoyancy elements provide stability while the parallel members resist bending. The hub connects the elements to form the platform. The platform design enables serial production of wind turbines using existing monopile fabrication facilities.

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