Blade Structural Member Turning Support Without Overhead Cranes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of wind turbine blades faces challenges in handling and processing structural members, such as spar caps and shear webs, due to their large size and weight, which often requires the use of overhead cranes, leading to interference with other operations and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a member support with multiple turning devices along its longitudinal axis, allowing for the support and rotation of structural members without the need for overhead cranes, enabling efficient handling, inspection, and processing of structural members like spar caps and shear webs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If overhead cranes are used to handle structural members, then the structural members can be lifted and moved, but other manufacturing operations are interfered with and safety concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the handling function from the overhead crane system and implements it through a dedicated support system with multiple support points that can handle structural members directly on the production floor, eliminating the need for overhead crane intervention in manufacturing operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary support system consisting of multiple support devices that can temporarily hold and position structural members during manufacturing operations, serving as a mediator between the structural members and the production environment without requiring overhead cranes
2Ease of operation
If overhead cranes are used to handle structural members, then the structural members can be moved, but operator presence under suspended loads is limited due to safety considerations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the suspended load hazard by extracting the handling function from overhead cranes to a ground-based support system, eliminating the safety risk to operators working under suspended loads
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of lifting structural members overhead with cranes, the patent inverts the approach by supporting them from below with multiple support devices on the production floor, reversing the gravity-based handling method to improve safety
3Ease of operation
If structural members are handled using overhead cranes, then they can be positioned, but the demand for overhead cranes increases in blade production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the handling function into multiple independent support devices distributed along the structural member, replacing the single overhead crane system with a distributed support network that provides positioning capability without increasing overhead crane demand
Solution Approach 2:
The support devices are designed to perform multiple functions including supporting, positioning, and potentially processing structural members, making the system versatile and reducing reliance on specialized overhead crane equipment
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
A system (50) for handling a structural member (44) of a blade (10) of a wind turbine (2), comprising a member support (52) configured for supporting the structural member (44), and a plurality of member turning devices (60) positioned along a longitudinal axis (54) of the member support (52), the plurality of member turning devices (60) being connected to the member support (52) and configured for turning the structural member (44).