JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 58

KNOW-HOW Quality control Advanced ultrasonic NDT techniques for wind turbine blade inspection This paper presents the development of inspection strategies intended to ensure the quality of the wind turbine blade manufacturing process, and in particular adhesive bond lines. It describes an innovative ultrasonic testing approach that combines specially-developed hardware (the Windblast™ inspection system with hand-held scanner and conformable arrays), signal processing, and evaluation tools for the quality control of large and complex GFRP structures. Specificity of wind turbine blade NDT CHRISTOPHE MATTEI, PROJECT MANAGER, AND MAGNUS DAHRÈN, CONSULTANT, BODYCOTE MATERIALS TESTING AB, SWEDEN s wind turbine blade production volumes dramatically increased over the past ten years, the wind energy industry identified a need for NDT techniques adapted to the specificity of the blade manufacturing process. The quality of laminates and the integrity of adhesive bond lines are the industry’s main concerns. A A number of different blade designs and material combinations are used in the industry. They all include adhesive bond lines that are considered critical to blade integrity. Two types of bond lines can be defined. Shear web bond lines ensure mechanical coupling between the pressure and suction sides through a reinforcement beam that is often referred to as the shear web. Leading edge and trailing edge bond lines ensure direct coupling between the skins at the two edges of the blade. The inspection of these bond lines, i.e. laminate and glue integrity, after manufacturing is the main focus of this development work [1], (Fig. 1). The inspection of shear web bond lines requires a technique that can penetrate through the main laminate – typically a 20-60 mm thick GFRP laminate – and detect the presence of a 2-15 mm thick layer of glue. Due to limited accessibility, especially near the tip, a single-sided inspection technique is required. Ultrasonic inspection at frequencies that can penetrate the main laminate is still the only technique that can detect and characterize the bond line. The technique can also be use to provide information on the laminate itself. Scanning the web bond line requires a system that can ensure good contact between the structure and the probe even though the surface is generally not flat. Ultrasonic testing is recognized as a technique that can provide valuable structural information. It can be used to detect and characterize porosity, dry areas and delamination in laminates, as well as to detect a lack of adhesive and measure bond line width and thickness. However, the standard ultrasonic testing equipment and procedures used in the aerospace or nuclear industry are not adapted to the specificities of blade inspection. From a NDT viewpoint, these structures are challenging because thick laminates are difficult to penetrate, large areas tend to be slow to inspect, and the blade shape implies inspection techniques that can handle geometry and thickness variations from root to tip. Another important specificity of the manufacturing process is the relatively large tolerance range in terms of laminate porosity, bond line thickness and bond line position. For these reasons, skilled NDT operators are needed to analyse the NDT data correctly. This paper presents the results of a development project initiated by a major wind turbine manufacturer and its suppliers, and conducted by Bodycote Materials Testing AB. Fig. 1: Important zones for blade structural integrity. 58 jec composites magazine / No46 January-February 2009

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009

Cover
Editorial
CONTENTS
NEWS WORLDWIDE
Companies - Ashland buys SmartTrac technology
 - Gurit signs major contract in China
 - Vestas inaugurates Asia R&D centre in Singapore
 - Advertisers & Index
 - NRC Aerospace: a structure at the heart of the Canadian aerospace industry
 - Market Place
 - Agenda of events
 - Equipment - High-temperature composite moulds produced by infusion
 - PCM Molds and Patterns Inc
 - Innovations - Prepregs for aerospace applications
 - Airframe development
BUSINESS
 - Market survey - Market developments in woodplasticcomposites
 - Niche market: Light aircraft / Full composite body gyroplane
 - Trends - Subcontracting: increasing complexity andinterdependence
 - Human Capital - Human resources manager
FEATURE - NATURAL FIBRES
 - Overview - A review of biocomposite development
 - Resources - The availability of vegetable fibre resources
 - Recycling - Striking a balance between cost and properties: reuse of paper byproducts
 - Additives - Jazz up your WPC: additives improve WPC mechanically and visually
 - Prepreg - A novel prepreg material combining natural fibres with a furan resin
 - Applications - Applications for plant fibre/ polymer composites in the industrial sector
 - Industrial applications for naturalfibre-reinforced composites
USERS’PLATFORM
 - Composites in the world - Seamless fluid-like design
 - Like a dolphin
 - Snow no longer necessary & Eco-friendly toys
 - Successful partners - Manufacturing a fuselage via oneshot infusion
 - Application - Lightweight bike frame using carbon fibre spread tow
 - The largest Brazilian construction project using the “Wall System”
 - The invisible house
KNOW-HOW
 - Quality control - Advanced ultrasonic NDT techniques for wind turbine blade inspection
 - Materials - Thermally-conductive composites
 - Bonding - Dismantling plastic tailgates incorporating INDAR technology
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - Cover
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - Editorial
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - CONTENTS
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 5
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - Companies - Ashland buys SmartTrac technology
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Gurit signs major contract in China
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Vestas inaugurates Asia R&D centre in Singapore
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 9
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Advertisers & Index
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - NRC Aerospace: a structure at the heart of the Canadian aerospace industry
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 12
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Market Place
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 14
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 15
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Agenda of events
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 17
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Equipment - High-temperature composite moulds produced by infusion
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 19
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - PCM Molds and Patterns Inc
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 21
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Innovations - Prepregs for aerospace applications
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 23
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Airframe development
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - BUSINESS
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Market survey - Market developments in woodplasticcomposites
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 27
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Niche market: Light aircraft / Full composite body gyroplane
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Trends - Subcontracting: increasing complexity andinterdependence
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Human Capital - Human resources manager
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - FEATURE - NATURAL FIBRES
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Overview - A review of biocomposite development
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 33
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Resources - The availability of vegetable fibre resources
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 35
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 36
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Recycling - Striking a balance between cost and properties: reuse of paper byproducts
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 38
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Additives - Jazz up your WPC: additives improve WPC mechanically and visually
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 40
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Prepreg - A novel prepreg material combining natural fibres with a furan resin
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 42
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Applications - Applications for plant fibre/ polymer composites in the industrial sector
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 44
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 45
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Industrial applications for naturalfibre-reinforced composites
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 47
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 48
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - USERS’PLATFORM
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Like a dolphin
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Snow no longer necessary & Eco-friendly toys
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Successful partners - Manufacturing a fuselage via oneshot infusion
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 53
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Application - Lightweight bike frame using carbon fibre spread tow
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - The largest Brazilian construction project using the “Wall System”
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - The invisible house
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - KNOW-HOW
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Quality control - Advanced ultrasonic NDT techniques for wind turbine blade inspection
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 59
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 60
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Materials - Thermally-conductive composites
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 62
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 63
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 64
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 -  - Bonding - Dismantling plastic tailgates incorporating INDAR technology
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 66
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 67
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #46 - January/February 2009 - 68
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2211_148
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2209_147
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2206_146
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2204_145
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2201_144
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm211_143
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2109_142
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2107_141
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2105_140
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2103_139
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm-experts-digest-additive-manufacturing-2020
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2101_138
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2011_Special_Issue4
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2011_137
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2009_136
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2007_135
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm_2020_Q1_Innovation_Report
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2005_Special_Issue3
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2005_134
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2003_133
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm2001_132
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1911_Special_Issue2
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1911_131
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1909_130
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1907_129
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1905_128
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1903_Special_Issue1
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1903_127
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1901_126
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1811_125
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1810_124
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1808_123
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1807_122
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1805_121
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1804_120
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1803_119
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1802_119-Supplement_Innovation_Report
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1801_118
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1711_117
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1710_116
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1708_115
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1707_114
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1706_113
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1704_112
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1703_111
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1701_110
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1611_109
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1610_108
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1608_107
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1607_106
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1605_105
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1604_104
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1603_103
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1601_102
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1511_101
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1510_100
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1509_99
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1507_98
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1505_97
https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1504_96
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1503_95
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1501_94
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1412_93
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1410_92
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1409_91
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1406_90
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1405_89
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1404_88
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1403_87
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1401_86
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1311_85
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1310_84
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1308_83
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1307_82
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1305_81
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1304_80
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1303_79
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1301_78
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1212_77
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1210_76
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1208_75
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1207_74
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1206_73
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1204_72
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1203_71
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1201_70
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1111_69
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1110_68
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1108_67
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1107_66
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1105_65
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1104_64
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1103_63
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1101_62
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1011_61
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1010_60
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1009_59
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1006_58
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1005_57
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1004_56
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1003_55
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1001_54
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0911_53
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0910_52
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0909_51
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0907-08_50
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0906_49
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0904_48
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0903_47
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0901_46
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0811_45
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0810_44
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0809_43
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0807_42
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0806_41
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0805_40
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0803_39
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0801_38
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0712_37
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0710_36
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0709_35
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0707_34
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm0706_33
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com