Dutch outfit Pontis Engineering has developed a new technology to weld epoxy rotor blades for wind turbines using thermoplastic resin.
The company said that the prefab thermoplastic units are implemented in the epoxy shell to create the weld and also a sharp trailing edge that gives a more compact connection.
Pontis said the new approach offers advantages over conventional blade production, which commonly uses a bonding paste. They include: increased reliability and bond strength; a reduction in the bonding operation time by up to 90%; and reduced blade mass by between 3% and 5%.
Pontis Engineering director Sjef van Breugel said: “We are proud and happy that we can introduce our new and innovative technology on this renowned international platform.
“Our mission is to support and guide our wind customers in their ongoing quest for smarter, more sustainable ways to produce even larger rotor blades with superior quality. I am convinced that we can help them take a significant step further with this technology.”