Wind Turbine Blade Preform Contact Surface Shaping for Precise Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in manufacturing wind turbine blades lies in ensuring precise fit and alignment of preform elements, which can lead to delamination, wrinkles, or reduced mechanical strength due to mismatched geometries, particularly when manufactured in different molds.
Innovation Solution
A method involving arranging preform element building material on a mold surface with a shaping element to define contact surfaces, using vacuum foils for precise shaping, and curing the material to ensure perfect fit with the blade component geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If preform elements are manufactured separately in different molds, then manufacturing flexibility and productivity are improved, but geometric precision and fit between components deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into multiple preform elements that can be manufactured separately in different molds, allowing parallel production and flexibility. Each preform element is a discrete component that can be produced independently using the same segmentation approach.
Solution Approach 2:
A universal master mold is created that serves multiple functions: it defines the reference geometry for all preform elements, acts as a template for creating individual molds, and ensures geometric consistency across all separately manufactured components. This single master mold enables all preform elements to fit together precisely despite being produced in different locations.
2Device complexity
If preform elements are manufactured separately, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but fit and alignment between components deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The master mold is created in advance to establish the reference geometry before individual preform elements are manufactured. This preliminary action ensures that all subsequent manufacturing operations have a consistent geometric reference, enabling precise fit and alignment without requiring complex coordination during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Individual molds are created as copies or replicas of the master mold's geometry. Each preform element is manufactured using its own mold that replicates the relevant portion of the master mold's surface, ensuring that all components conform to the same geometric standards and fit together correctly.
3Ease of manufacture
If contact surfaces are not precisely matched, then manufacturing ease is improved, but mechanical strength and durability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical challenge of achieving precise contact surface matching is replaced by using the master mold as a geometric template. Instead of relying on mechanical measurement and adjustment of contact surfaces, the master mold's geometry is replicated in individual molds, automatically ensuring precise contact surfaces without complex mechanical intervention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures precise alignment and adherence of preform elements, reducing delamination and enhancing mechanical strength and durability of the final blade.
Implementation Method 1
curing the preform element building material to conserve the shape of the preform element which is defined by the molding surface and the shaping element
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a preform element for a blade of a wind turbine is provided, including the steps: a) arranging a preform element building material including a curable binding agent on a molding surface of a mold such that the shape of the preform element building material adapts to the shape of the molding surface, b) arranging at least one shaping element on or at the preform element building material such that a shaping surface of the shaping element defines a contact surface of the preform element, wherein the shape of the shaping surface corresponds to a contact surface of a blade component arranged in contact with the contact surface of the preform element in the manufactured blade, and c) coding the preform element building material (to conserve the shape of the preform element which is defined by the molding surface and the shaping element.