General Electric (GE) renewable energy, research institute Fraunhofer IGCV and 3D printer manufacturer Voxeljet are partnering to develop the world’s largest 3D printer for offshore wind applications
The project involves developing a new, large-format 3D printer capable of producing sand moulds for casting the highly complex metal parts of different shapes and sizes that make up an offshore wind turbine nacelle.
The partners aim to streamline the production of key components of GE’s Haliade X offshore wind turbine. Funding for developing the advance casting cell (ACC) 3D printer comes from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
The ACC printer will be capable of printing moulds to cast components for the Haliade-X’s nacelle that can each weigh more than 60 tonnes, cutting the time it takes to produce this pattern and mould from over 10 weeks to roughly 2 weeks.
The 3D printing process is based on Voxeljet’s core binder-jetting technology and can be configured to print moulds for castings up to 9.5 m in diameter and 60-plus tonnes in weight. According to Volxeljet director of marketing and sales Christian Traeger, the mould printed for GE in 2019 consisted of dozens of individual parts.
With the ACC, Volxeljet aims to print a significantly reduced number of parts for the full set. In addition, the mould can be optimised in terms of functionality and material consumption, making new casting designs possible and could enhance the efficiency of the turbines.
GE senior additive design engineer Juan Pablo Cilia said, “The 3D printed moulds will bring many benefits, including improved casting quality through improved surface finish, part accuracy and consistency. Furthermore, sand binder jet moulds or additive moulds provide cost savings by reducing machining time and other material costs due to optimised design. This unprecedented production technology will be a game-changer for production efficiency, allowing localised manufacturing in high-cost countries, a key benefit for our customers looking to maximise the local economic development benefits of offshore wind.”
Fraunhofer IGCV is responsible for casting and material technology issues as well as digital process monitoring. The institute will look at thermal management during casting and evaluate the ideal proportions of the printing materials according to Fraunhofer IGCV head of department moulding processes and moulding materials Dr Daniel Günther. Dr Günther added that new approaches to process monitoring will be developed as part of the project.
The partners expect to launch the project during Q3 2021 with initial printer trials starting during Q1 2022.
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.