Wind Turbine Blade Inspection at Exova.

Exova has been developing inspection systems for wind turbine blades for a number of years, building upon its extensive experience in the inspection of composite materials.

Wind Turbine Blade Challenges:
Wind turbine blade inspection presents a number of challenges, including:
-    Inspection of adhesive bond lines through thick laminate (20 – 60mm)
-    Varying curved geometries
-    Inspection of large parts in a production or field environment
-    Cost and time constraints
-    Inspection time and equipment portability requirements

Unlike NDT equipment providers, Exova is not reliant on a single inspection technology, but has a broad range of experience with all testing methods and will investigate all options to provide the best solution for the client.

Exova has worked in partnership with a number of large wind turbine blade manufacturers and has a thorough understanding of the different blade designs and the wind turbine blade inspection challenges that each of these present.

Wind Turbine Blade Inspection at Exova:
Exova can develop and validate inspection systems to tight timescales and with challenging wind turbine blade inspection needs. Our specific experience with large composite structures that include adhesive bondlines, balsa, laminates and foam sandwich mean that development times are significantly reduced and no time is wasted on techniques that are known to be ineffective.

Please request a quote or contact us to find out how Exova's Wind Turbine Blade Inspection services can assist you.

As a partner, Exova can provide support through all aspects of the wind turbine blade inspection life cycle including:
-    Requirement analysis
-    Feasibility study
-    Sensor development
-    Analysis and post processing software development
-    Method and equipment selection
-    Laboratory, factory and field trials
-    Procedure development
-    Staff training
-    Inspection support
-    Adaptation to field use

Innovative Solutions for Wind Turbine Blade Inspection:
Exova is leading the way in developing innovative solutions for wind turbine blade inspection, including adapting ultrasonic phased array sensors for use on curved geometries and the identification of out-of-plane waviness (wrinkles) deep within laminate structures.