Rotor Blade Additive Manufacturing with Real-Time Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of rotor blade components for wind turbines is challenging due to limited process control, size, and complexity, leading to inaccuracies that affect aerodynamic performance and safety.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using additive manufacturing and scanning techniques, where a CNC device with a printer head and scanning device determines the profile of the blade skin in real-time, allowing automatic adjustments to compensate for thermal expansion, fiber thickness variations, and movement during printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If additive manufacturing is used to manufacture rotor blade components, then manufacturing flexibility and complexity handling are improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to thermal expansion and material variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time feedback by using a scanning device to continuously monitor the profile of the blade skin during the additive manufacturing process. The measured profile data is fed back to the controller, which automatically adjusts printing parameters to compensate for deviations caused by thermal expansion and material variations, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while preserving additive manufacturing flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes printing parameters based on real-time measurements. The controller modifies deposition parameters such as layer thickness, deposition speed, and toolpath compensation in response to measured profile deviations, allowing the process to adapt to thermal expansion and fiber thickness variations while maintaining dimensional accuracy
2Manufacturing precision
If real-time scanning and automatic adjustment are implemented, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it manages the additive manufacturing process, receives and processes scanning data, performs real-time analysis of profile measurements, calculates compensation parameters, and controls the printing device adjustments. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems while achieving real-time precision control
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning device, measurement system, and printing control are merged into an integrated system. The scanner is positioned to scan during printing without requiring separate measurement cycles, and the control algorithms combine process management with real-time compensation, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision
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
This approach ensures that the final part is closer to the intended design, providing improved build capabilities, as-built models for future development, and enhanced quality inspection through real-time closed-loop control.
Implementation Method 1
The scanning device includes a processor and a scanner communicatively coupled to the processor. The scanning device is for determining a profile of the at least one blade skin atop the blade mold as the blade component is being printed and deposited layer by layer
Implementation Method 2
changes in the profile in at least one of a horizontal direction or a vertical direction due to at least one of thermal expansion of the blade mold
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for manufacturing a blade component of a rotor blade of a wind turbine includes a blade mold of the rotor blade, at least one blade skin arranged atop the blade mold, and a computer numeric control (CNC) device comprising a printer head and a scanning device. The printer head is configured for printing and depositing a material onto the at least one blade skin to form the blade component. The scanning device includes a processor and a scanner communicatively coupled to the processor. The scanning device is for determining a profile of the at least one blade skin atop the blade mold as the blade component is being printed and deposited layer by layer such that the printer head is automatically adjusted to compensate for changes in the profile in at least one of a horizontal direction or a vertical direction due to at least one of thermal expansion of the blade mold, thickness variations of fibers of the at least one blade skin, movement of the at least one blade skin atop the blade mold, or material shrinkages on previous printed layers.