TVL (Toeleveringsbedrijf van Landuyt) in Wetteren, Belgium, finishes thousands of transmission housings for wind turbines each year. Verifying Transmission Housings for Wind Turbines We will now take a look at three manufacturers who have solved formidable quality control challenges with metrology solutions and engineering know-how. High-tech components like gears, gearboxes, and generators require higher accuracy that coordinate measuring machines provide.Īnd there are multiple layers of measurement and inspection processes being integrated into the design, production, alignment, and assembly of wind power systems. For instance, wind turbine components such as blades, towers, flanges, nacelles, and cast and forged parts are inspected with portable arms and laser tracking systems. Figure 1īoth stationary and portable coordinate measurement machines (CMMs) have a sound track record of ensuring dimensional control. As a result their acumen and knowledge base grows as metrology is applied successfully to solve problems unique to the alternative energy industry. The company leverages their broad internal expertise to help OEMs achieve critical quality control goals. Hexagon Metrology-a prominent manufacturer of manual, stationary, and portable metrology solutions-has tracked measurement/inspection trends and strategies in the wind power business from the very beginning. Given the staggering cost, wind turbine manufacturers are very reluctant to change their manufacturing process or embrace a new supplier or technology unless there is clear evidence of its impact on maintaining quality. The price to repair or replace rotor blades, a gearbox, or a generator for a typical 2 MW wind turbine can be in the range of $350,000-$450,000.

To repair a major wind power component in the field is an expensive line item. Nearly 50 percent of wind power components are made domestically, and while other parts are being produced in Europe, India and China are gearing up their capacity for manufacturing as well. There are approximately 8,000 parts in a typical wind turbine, ranging from large-scale gearboxes and blades to electronics, bolts, and fasteners. A renewed focus on renewable energy has global competition heating up again for manufacturers seeking to do business with the wind power industry.

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