Automated Production for Wind Turbines

Method for assembling wind turbine blades using a moving assembly line and locating features on the spar structure. The method involves moving the spar-mounted fixture through the assembly line while attaching blade segments to the locating features. This allows simultaneous blade assembly at multiple stations. The line can have pulsed or continuous conveyance. The blades are fully assembled at the end. The locating features on the spar guide blade placement. This enables automated, efficient blade assembly for large blades that can't be easily infused.

Source

Assembly process for large wind turbine blades using a specialized crane setup on a self-elevating platform. The process involves stacking the blades horizontally using a small crane, an auxiliary crane, and a main crane. The blades are then lifted and placed on the platform deck. The platform enters the turbine site and lifts the hub using the main crane onto the hub installation mechanism. This allows the blades to be easily rotated and installed on the turbine. The specialized crane setup allows handling and assembly of large turbine blades without requiring multiple cranes or exceeding lifting limits.

Source

A gantry system and method for manufacturing oversized wind turbine blades that enables automated blade manufacturing in a vertical orientation to address the challenges of handling and working on large blades. The system involves a frame that spans the blade width and has wheels to move it along the length. Robotic arms attached to the frame can move in 6 degrees of freedom to perform blade manufacturing tasks on both sides simultaneously. A control unit coordinates the gantry, robots, and blade geometry using sensors and a digital blade model to compensate for blade shape variations. This allows precise vertical manufacturing of large blades without requiring horizontal workspaces.

Source

Automated wind turbine blade manufacturing system using robots for efficient and stable grinding and coating of wind turbine blades. The system uses robots for grinding and coating operations instead of manual labor. It has a central platform with robotic arms symmetrically positioned on either side of the blade. The robotic arms have telescopic extensions, lifting mechanisms, and angle adjustments for precise blade contact. The platform also has trolleys for moving the blade ends and turning mechanisms for blade tips and roots. The robotic cells are connected by tracks and have sensors for blade weight. This allows automated blade handling and processing without human intervention.

Source

Automated impeller blade forming and assembly workstation for high efficiency impeller production. The workstation has a fence, robot, blade insertion machine, storage box, positioner, stacking tables, and mid-piece shelf. The robot transfers impellers, the positioner moves them for blade insertion, the blade machine inserts blades, and the stacking tables store front/rear pieces. The mid-piece shelf has hooks to hang impellers for transport. This allows automated blade insertion and impeller transfer, improving efficiency compared to manual assembly.

Source

Automated system for assembling wind turbine hub bearings using visual recognition to improve efficiency, safety, and reduce operator workload compared to manual assembly. The system uses a manipulator with a fine-tuning traverse mechanism, bearing rotator, and bearing picker to precisely position and install the bearings. It also has a nitrogen counterweight balance system for lifting the heavy bearings. Visual inspection and measurement systems help ensure proper alignment and fit. The automated assembly reduces risk of bumping quality, improves production speed, and eliminates the need for operators to climb ladders and manually install the bearings.

Source

Automated, intelligent wind turbine hub assembly production line to improve efficiency, flexibility, and reduce labor costs compared to manual assembly. The line uses AGVs, robots, manipulators, and machine vision to move and assemble components like hubs, bearings, and fasteners. It replaces cranes and manual lifting with automated transportation. The line integrates dispersed stations into a sequential flow with hub feeding, fixing, transportation, bearing installation, fastener pre-assembly, tensioning, and accessory assembly.

Source

Wind turbine design and assembly method that simplifies attaching the rotor blades to the hub, especially at high altitudes where precise alignment is difficult. The wind turbine has a protruding spring element on the hub that guides and deforms as the blade is installed. This allows the blade to be easily positioned and secured, even with vibrations and movement at height, by deforming the spring. It avoids the need for precise alignment and fitting of bolts or pins through narrow gaps at height.

Source

Method and tool for assembling hubs, generators, and frames in direct drive wind turbines to enable efficient and safe assembly of large direct drive wind turbines. The method involves vertically moving the hub and generator towards each other, attaching them to form an assembly, rotating the assembly while holding the hub, and attaching it to the frame. The tool has a manipulator to grip the hub, supports to hold it, and allows vertical and rotational movement. This allows lifting, lowering, and rotating the hub while attached to the generator for assembly. The vertical movement reduces the required height for assembly.

Source

A method to assemble wind turbines more quickly and safely by allowing workers to remain inside the tower during component lifts instead of evacuating and repositioning. The method involves lowering the new component onto the tower with the mounting interface vertically overlapping the existing one. Alignment and connection are done while the gap remains within a threshold. A verification device checks the gap. Cameras and alignment guides help.

Source

Automated logistics system for wind turbine blade production that improves efficiency and reduces labor by eliminating manual handling of materials over long distances. The system uses robotic manipulators and conveyors to move materials between the blade mold and workstations. The blade production scheduling is entered into a computer which coordinates the robots to transport empty frames from offline storage to the mold, fill them with materials, and then move the full frames to offline storage for emptying at workstations. This provides automated, real-time material delivery without manual transport between the mold and workstations.

Source

Automated assembly system for wind turbine hubs that transfers and grips the hub components to assemble them onto the hub. The system has a worktable, gantry, track-type material mover, main gripper, and auxiliary gripper. The hub is placed on the worktable facing down. The track mover moves the main gripper to the hub. The main gripper descends with the help of a threaded rod. Three linkage assemblies on the main gripper open the claw heads to enclose the hub. This transfers the hub onto the wind turbine.

Source

Faster assembly method for wind turbine blade sections like split blades, that involves using a support with primary and secondary surfaces to assemble the blade halves. The method involves arranging the first blade half on the primary surface with its outer face facing it. Then arranging the second blade half on the secondary surface with its outer face facing it. Applying force to the first half urges the outer faces together. This allows the blade halves to be joined without separate alignment steps. A configurable connection feature helps with positioning.

Source

Automated assembly and alignment tool for wind turbine blades that reduces time, labor, and risk compared to manual assembly. The tool has a base, gantry with hoist for lifting upper blade half, seat frame for lower half, and an automated positioning mechanism driven by the hoist. This mechanism adjusts the lower half to align with the lifted upper half without manual intervention. It prevents falling during lifting and provides accurate alignment for blade splicing.

Source

Wind turbine blade design that allows easier transportation and assembly of longer blades by dividing them into multiple segments. The blade segments are aligned and joined at a first location before transport to a second location for final assembly on the wind turbine. This reduces the length and weight of individual blade segments for easier transportation compared to a single piece blade. The segments are assembled using a method involving aligning features on the segment ends to ensure proper fit and orientation before joining them.

Source

Method for manufacturing wind turbines with large transition pieces that reduces time and cost compared to traditional methods. The method involves creating a modular platform assembly with separate bottom and top sections. These sections have horizontal platforms connected by vertical legs. The sections are assembled and aligned to create the full platform assembly. This allows easier fabrication and transport of the sections compared to a single large platform. The assembled platform is then inserted into the transition piece and connected to the walls.

Source

Making wind turbine blades by stacking reinforcing strips and integrating them with an infusible strap that maintains alignment during molding and infusion. The method involves stacking multiple fiber-reinforced strips, strapping them tightly with an infusible strap, infusing resin into the stack, and curing to form a blade spar with the strap integrated. The strap allows handling long, heavy strips and prevents misalignment.

Source

3D printing wind turbine blades to reduce cost and improve manufacturing efficiency. The method involves starting with a flat rotor blade structure and using 3D printing to add the leading and trailing edges. The 3D-printed edges are made from fiber-reinforced thermoplastics or thermosets. Outer skins are then added to complete the blade. The 3D-printed blade components are bonded to the structure during printing. This allows customization and automation, reducing labor and tooling costs versus traditional molding methods.

Source

A method of manufacturing wind turbine blades with varying root diameters using temporary inserts in the blade molds. The inserts are placed in the blade root section molds to reduce the diameter. This allows multiple blades to be made with different root diameters using the same mold. The inserts can be removed after molding to restore the original mold shape for subsequent blades.

Source

A detachable factory building that can be constructed at the location of a wind power project to process and assemble wind turbine blades on site. This eliminates the need to transport fully assembled blades over long distances, reducing costs and risks. The factory building contains equipment to install blade components, like bolts and ribs, and can have features like temperature control and moisture preservation to match local conditions. This allows the blades to be manufactured and finished in place, avoiding transportation damage and costs.

Source