SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TPI Composites, Inc., (TPI) (Nasdaq: TPIC) today announced a groundbreaking initiative in partnership with the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to utilize one of the world's largest 3D printers for the production of wind turbine tooling. The goal of this project is to understand how new technologies can provide faster, lower-cost precision manufacturing of large modular wind blade tooling.
ASCC's Composite Center's Ingersoll MasterPrint, the world's largest polymer 3D printer can print modular wind blade tooling at 500lb/hour, with segments up to 18.3m long x 6.7m wide x 3.0m high. With a 5-axis machining head, the printer can achieve 5 mil precision, allowing tooling segments to be joined, to maintain vacuum integrity, and to provide the dimensional accuracy demanded in wind blade manufacturing. As part of the project, the tooling will also incorporate 3D-printed heating elements using coextruded resistive wire to achieve uniform mold temperatures within 5°C and heating rates of 0.5°C per minute.
As an important part of this program, TPI will utilize the section of full-scale tooling to fabricate actual composite components from the printed tooling assembly, which will be composed of assembled modules. Demonstration of this technology will enable lower cost transportation and rapid assembly of multi-megawatt scale wind blade molding systems anywhere on the globe.
"TPI Composites has a long-standing commitment to developing cutting-edge solutions for the wind energy industry," said Bill Siwek, President and CEO of TPI Composites. "By leveraging 3D printing technology, we are looking at ways to streamline our tooling process and pave the way for more efficient and cost-effective wind blade production."
ASCC's Executive Director, Habib Dagher said "We have partnered with over 500 companies worldwide to drive advances in composite structures for the marine, defense, housing, renewable energy, and transportation industries. The 6.7m width of our Ingersoll MasterPrint machine exceeds the chord width of modern wind blades, enabling us to conduct full-scale R&D applying Large Scale Additive Manufacturing to wind blade production."
The tooling will be 100% recyclable and may reduce large blade product development cycles and tooling costs by as much as 50%. 3D printing offers a more environmentally friendly approach to tooling fabrication, minimizing resource consumption and overall production footprint. The partnership with the ASCC and Oak Ridge National Laboratory demonstrates the possibilities of manufacturing next-generation wind turbine blades with improved performance and affordability, ultimately contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future.
亞利桑那州斯科茨代爾，2024年5月7日（GLOBE NEWSWIRE）——TPI Composites, Inc.（TPI）（納斯達克股票代碼：TPIC）今天宣佈了一項與緬因大學先進結構和複合材料中心（ASCC）和橡樹嶺國家實驗室合作的開創性計劃，使用世界上最大的3D打印機之一來生產風力渦輪機工具。該項目的目標是了解新技術如何爲大型模塊化風葉片模具提供更快、更低成本的精密製造。
ASCC複合材料中心的英格索爾MasterPrint是世界上最大的聚合物3D打印機，可以以500磅/小時的速度打印模塊化風葉片模具，其段長可達183米，寬6.7米，高3.0米。憑藉 5 軸加工頭，打印機可以達到 5 密耳的精度，從而可以連接模具段，保持真空完整性，並提供風力葉片製造所需的尺寸精度。作爲該項目的一部分，該模具還將採用共擠電阻絲的3D打印加熱元件，以實現5°C以內的均勻模具溫度和每分鐘0.5°C的加熱速率。
作爲該計劃的重要組成部分，TPI將利用全尺寸模具部分，從印刷模具組件中製造實際的複合組件，該組件將由組裝的模塊組成。該技術的演示將有助於在全球任何地方以更低的成本運輸和快速組裝數兆瓦級風力葉片成型系統。
TPI Composites總裁兼首席執行官比爾·西維克表示：“TPI Composites長期致力於爲風能行業開發尖端解決方案。”“通過利用 3D 打印技術，我們正在尋找簡化模具流程的方法，爲更高效、更具成本效益的風力葉片生產鋪平道路。”
ASCC執行董事哈比卜·達格爾說：“我們已與全球500多家公司合作，推動海洋、國防、住房、可再生能源和運輸行業複合結構的發展。我們的英格索爾MasterPrint機器的6.7米寬度超過了現代風葉片的弦寬，使我們能夠進行全面的研發，將大規模增材製造應用於風力葉片生產。”
這些模具將 100% 可回收利用，可將大型刀片產品開發週期和模具成本減少多達 50%。3D 打印爲模具製造提供了一種更環保的方法，最大限度地減少了資源消耗和總體生產佔地面積。與ASCC和橡樹嶺國家實驗室的合作表明，製造性能更高、價格更低的下一代風力渦輪機葉片的可能性，最終爲更清潔、更可持續的未來做出貢獻。
