Automated Production for Wind Turbines

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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