Objective:
Can an automated process be set up for manufacturing composite repair patches with high accuracy and proper mechanical performance to overcome the challenges associated with the current manual repair of wind turbine blades? PrintRepair answers this question by taking advantage of a composite 3D printer equipped with robotic arms for automatic manufactur-ing of accurate repair patches for damaged areas of the blade. PrintRepair reduces the re-pair cost, ensures the safety of the repair process by eliminating manual repair, and enhanc-es the repair quality by digitalization and automation.
Expected outcome:
The automated repair process proposed by PrintRepair improves the repair and maintenance procedures of wind turbine blades by mitigating the human error, improving safety, and reducing cost and repair time. Furthermore, establishing a novel 3D printing solution for fiber composites with enhanced mechanical performance offers accurate and repeatable production of composite structures applicable to wind turbine blades and other industries working with lightweight and high performance composite structures.
The project began om February 1. 2021 and runs for two years