The use of robots in the manufacture of wind turbine blades at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has shown promising results. While robots have been utilized in the wind energy industry for certain tasks such as painting and polishing blades, automation has not been widely adopted. Research at the laboratory has demonstrated the ability of a robot to trim, grind, and sand blades, eliminating difficult working conditions for humans and potentially improving the consistency of the product. The successful implementation of robotic assistance in blade manufacturing has been considered a step towards meeting or exceeding expectations.
The research conducted by NREL, outlined in the paper “Toolpath Generation for Automated Wind Turbine Blade Finishing Operations,” focused on developing automation methods to make domestically manufactured wind turbine blades cost-competitive globally. By automating the finishing process of blade manufacture, employee safety and well-being are improved, and manufacturers may retain skilled labor. The automation of blade manufacturing is seen as critical to enabling significant U.S.-based manufacturing for the domestic wind turbine market, potentially leading to more U.S. jobs, despite the initial assumption of automation leading to job loss.
The research was carried out at the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology (CoMET) facility at NREL’s Flatirons Campus. The robot worked on a 5-meter-long blade segment, although wind turbine blades are typically longer. The goal is to program robots to work on larger blades section by section, as they bend and deflect under their own weight. By using scans to create a 3D representation of the blade’s position and identifying the front and rear sections of the airfoil, the robot was programmed to perform tasks with a focus on accuracy and speed. Areas for improvement were noted, particularly in the grinding process where the robot showed inconsistencies.
The use of automation in wind turbine blade manufacturing is aimed at achieving consistent quality in the final product, which may not be achievable through manual labor alone. The robot’s ability to use “tougher, more aggressive abrasives” compared to what a human could tolerate is seen as a potential advantage in improving the efficiency of the manufacturing process. The research highlighted the need to continually refine and enhance the automated system to meet evolving standards for effectiveness. While the robot was not directly compared to human performance, the researchers are optimistic about the potential benefits that automation could bring to the industry.
Overall, the successful integration of robotic assistance in wind turbine blade manufacturing at NREL represents a significant step towards improving efficiency, consistency, and safety in the industry. The development of automation methods for finishing operations has the potential to make domestically manufactured wind turbine blades more economically viable on a global scale. By addressing labor-intensive processes and harsh working conditions, automation may not only enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-based blade manufacturing but also contribute to the creation of more jobs in the sector. The research serves as a foundation for future advancements in automated manufacturing processes for renewable energy technologies.
