Wind energy has been gaining popularity as a renewable energy source, with wind turbine blades playing a crucial role in harnessing this form of energy. However, the manufacturing process for these blades has been labor-intensive and potentially hazardous for workers. In a groundbreaking research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), robotic assistance has been successfully leveraged to automate the manufacturing process of wind turbine blades. This innovation not only eliminates difficult working conditions for humans but also shows the potential to enhance the consistency and quality of the end product.
Robotic Advancements
Traditionally, robots have been utilized in the wind energy industry for simple tasks such as painting and polishing blades. However, the automation of more intricate operations, such as trimming, grinding, and sanding blades, has not been widely adopted. The team at NREL demonstrated the capabilities of a robot to perform these essential post-molding operations, where two sides of the blade are made using a mold and then bonded together. According to Hunter Huth, a robotics engineer at NREL, the project was deemed successful, despite some challenges faced during the research process. The findings were detailed in a paper titled “Toolpath Generation for Automated Wind Turbine Blade Finishing Operations,” published in the journal Wind Energy.
Benefits of Automation
One of the key advantages of automating the manufacturing process for wind turbine blades is the improvement in employee safety and well-being. Workers are typically required to perch on scaffolding and wear protective equipment, including respiratory gear, during post-molding operations. Automation not only eliminates the need for human workers to perform these tasks under harsh conditions but also helps in retaining skilled labor in the industry. Daniel Laird, the director of the National Wind Technology Center at NREL, emphasized the significance of automating labor-intensive processes to enable U.S.-based blade manufacturing for the domestic wind turbine market. This strategic move could potentially create more jobs in the U.S. and make domestic blades more economically competitive against imported counterparts.
The primary objective of the research conducted at NREL was to develop automation methods that could enhance the cost-competitiveness of domestically manufactured wind turbine blades on a global scale. Currently, offshore blades are not produced in the U.S. due to high labor rates associated with the finishing process. The labor-intensive nature of this process also leads to a high turnover rate among workers. By implementing automation in the finishing process, domestic offshore blade manufacturing could become more economically viable and sustainable in the long run.
The research was carried out at the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology (CoMET) facility at NREL’s Flatirons Campus. The team used a robot to work on a 5-meter-long blade segment, with plans to scale up the automation process for longer and more complex wind turbine blades. By creating a 3D representation of the blade’s position through scans, the researchers were able to program the robot to identify specific sections of the airfoil and execute tasks with precision. Despite some areas for improvement, such as uneven grinding, the use of robotic assistance showed promising results in terms of accuracy and speed.
The integration of robotic assistance in wind turbine blade manufacturing represents a significant step towards improving the efficiency, safety, and quality of the end product. While there are still challenges to overcome and areas for further refinement, the potential benefits of automation in this industry are undeniable. The research conducted by NREL opens up new possibilities for the future of wind energy, paving the way for increased domestic manufacturing and job opportunities in the renewable energy sector. As technology continues to advance, the synergy between robotics and sustainable energy solutions will play a crucial role in shaping a greener and more prosperous future for generations to come.
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