Wind Turbine Blade Preform Vacuum Bagging Method
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing preform elements for wind turbine blades are cumbersome and inefficient, requiring complex molds with integrated heating and cooling systems, which are expensive and lead to low productivity due to the need for extensive reworking and long processing times.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a preform building material arranged in a sealed vacuum bag within a shape-defining mold, where the vacuum bag is evacuated to fixate the material in the desired shape, allowing for separate heating and cooling treatments outside the mold, simplifying mold design and increasing production throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If heating and cooling systems are integrated into the mold, then the preform can be processed in-situ, but the mold becomes very complicated and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the vacuum bagging process from the heating/cooling process. The vacuum bag is used for shaping and vacuum fixation, while separate heating and cooling equipment is applied afterward. This segmentation eliminates the need for integrated heating/cooling systems in the mold, simplifying the mold design while maintaining processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heating and cooling functions from the mold system. Instead of having heating/cooling channels built into the mold, the process uses external heating and cooling equipment that acts on the vacuum bagged preform after shaping. This extraction removes complex thermal management infrastructure from the mold.
2Manufacturing precision
If heating and cooling treatments are performed in the mold, then the preform geometry is maintained, but the mold is blocked for long periods reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manufacturing steps: vacuum bagging for geometry definition, then separate heating treatment, then separate cooling treatment. This allows the mold to be quickly emptied and reused after vacuum fixation, while heating and cooling occur in separate, faster operations that don't block the mold for extended periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies vacuum fixation as a preliminary action to secure the preform geometry before heating and cooling. Once the vacuum bag is evacuated and the preform is fixed in shape, the mold can be quickly cleared and reused, while the heating and cooling treatments proceed separately without delaying mold availability.
3Manufacturing precision
If the mold is designed for specific preform geometry, then the shape is precise, but extensive reworking is necessary when geometry changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the shaping function (vacuum bagging) from the thermal processing functions. The vacuum bag can be easily adjusted or replaced to accommodate different preform geometries, while the heating and cooling equipment remains separate and can be repositioned or reconfigured independently, allowing flexible adaptation to design changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic vacuum bagging system where the vacuum bag can be adjusted, removed, or replaced based on the required preform geometry. This dynamic approach allows the same mold to accommodate various shapes by changing the vacuum bag configuration, enhancing adaptability without requiring mold reworking.
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 reduces mold complexity, enables faster production cycles, and maintains the preform's geometry and integrity through the use of a flexible, heat-resistant vacuum bag, enhancing productivity and protecting the preform from environmental influences.
Implementation Method 1
the vacuum bag is evacuated for vacuum fixating the preform building material in the shape defined by the mold
Implementation Method 2
heat is supplied to the building material in order to melt the locally arranged binding agent for locally fixating the fiber mats and the core elements etc, by gluing them in the binder matrix provided by the molten binding agent
Implementation Method 3
After this heating operation the preform needs to be cooled down to room temperature, whereafter it is sufficiently stable to be handled by crane equipment or any other comparable handling or lifting means
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a preform element made of preform building material for a wind turbine blade is provided, wherein the preform building material is arranged in a sealed vacuum bag arranged in a shape defining mold, whereafter the vacuum bag is evacuated for vacuum fixating the preform building material in the shape defined by the mold.