3D PRINTING FOR THE WINDPOWER INDUSTRY.

Additive manufacturing (or 3D printing) is now widely used for prototyping and manufacturing across a range of industries. A recent article in Renewable Energy Magazine highlights innovative ways in which additive manufacturing is powering the renewable energy sector, particularly in respect of wind farm growth.
Building molds for fiberglass blades and tower parts is costly and time-consuming, contributing to turbines’ high prices. 3D printing is faster and more affordable than conventional manufacturing, so as this technology has improved and companies can apply it on a large scale, it is the ideal solution. Manufacturers can significantly reduce end prices and enable faster wind farm growth by printing molds instead of forming them from traditional methods.”
Other ways in which additive manufacturing (AM) has been revolutionising the renewable energy sector were discussed in a 2022 report by 3D Printing Industry.com. These include the design and manufacture of 3D printed wind turbine blades by GE Renewable Energy, who believes that “Additive manufacturing has the potential to bring a step-change in cost and performance competitiveness in the wind industry.”
The report also describes the use of AM for printing 30 metre wind farm tower components on site, maximising the amount of clean energy that a site can produce, but also “reducing the number of parts needing to be manufactured and transported from long distances“.

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