BioG3D- New 3D Printing Technologies – Greece
Wind Turbine Bladelet design optimization and manufacturing
Within Carbo4Power project, BioG3D has undertaken the development of an optimization framework for Wind Turbine Bladelet aerodynamic design and topology optimization via simulation under conditions akin to the actual operating point. The aim is to improve the overall efficiency of the blade by maximizing the output torque while safely decreasing the weight of the part.
A two-stage approach was followed involving iterative shape optimization for the external shape for performance enhancement and topology optimization for the internal structure for lightweighting, taking into consideration the design flexibility offered by Additive Manufacturing. The combined workflows resulted in a more lightweight component with higher cost efficiency.
BioG3D also manufactured scaled-down prototypes of the bladelet to be employed for validation tests and performance assessment, through large format Vat photopolymerization, by employing Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles and optimizing process parameters to maximize accuracy and achieve targeted surface quality. Post-processing of 3D printed products was considered to meet the surface finish requirements of the application. The morphological variance of 3D printed parts compared to their 3D models was pursued for optimization of AM process through prototyping and reverse engineering tools.
