Like a Dream: manufacturing of rotor blades at highest precision while reducing costs
Germanischer Lloyd certifies LAP as first provider of optical projection equipment for production of rotor blades
 

Better quality, less costs, higher accuracy, timesaving and simple – what sounds like a pipe dream for production managers is now made possible by laser specialist LAP. Axel Rieckmann, sales manager industry at LAP: "We have been sure we could help manufacturers of wind energy converters with our projection technology, using experience and knowledge we collected in the aviation sector."

Result is the new laser system COMPOSITE PRO, the digital laser template for composites. This technique is the first optical projection system for production of wind energy plants that is certified by the Germanischer Lloyd.

Sales Manager Rieckmann:" The Germanischer Lloyd solely certified LAP Laser. This is a great appreciation, which is also honoured by our customers. For them, our projection technology means more safety for the process and simultaneously saving costs. If one of the leading global Technical Supervisory Associations approves our product strategy, we certainly feel confirmed on our way."

Unwieldy templates and complicated measurements are the past
Similar to aviation industry, composites play an important role in rotor blade manufacturing. They are not only attractive for their light weight. During lay-up of composite parts, LAP laser systems display the position and outline of layers using laser beams. This technique saves time and money, as alignment with mechanical templates or complicated manual measuring instructions are no longer needed. In addition, you may check the position of parts or layers in the tool during lay-up using laser projection. This way you may prevent wrong placement in an early production stage, saving up to 100% costs for rejects.

Teamwork: optimised, accelerated production processes
For rotor blades with lengths of up to (and more than) 65 meters, LAP offers a "Multi-Head"-system: several projectors with overlapping projection areas cover the complete surface of the blade. With millimetre precision and even higher repeatability, they ensure that all parts and layers are placed exactly where they should be.

The LAP multitasking software with OptoGroup feature supports virtually all combinations of installed projectors, tasks and working areas. Every team gets displayed the outline they are working with, no matter what other teams do. They work absolutely independent of each other. This way, processes are accelerated and production is optimised.

Colour increases the process reliability
LAP is the only manufacturer of laser projectors, which display three colours (red/green/yellow) simultaneously. You may use this feature in many ways, e.g. for emphasising areas that need special care. By switching colours from red to green or yellow, the system may also show which layers are the next to be placed, which layers are already placed or where special work is needed. Depending on surface, colour and structure of the material surface, the laser with the best reflected wavelength may be selected for better visibility.

Benefits at a glance:

• Calibrate laser, project outlines, place elements – fast and easy
• Say goodbye to mechanical templates – no more template fabrication, storage, administration and no more cumbersome application
• Very high precision
• Multicolour, OptoGroup – several teams, several workspaces, several colours. All at the same time.

The operating principle
A laser beam deflected in x- and y-direction by two oscillating mirrors continuously traces the shape defined by the CAD data. The mirror drives (Galvanometers) are optimized for highest speed, accuracy and dynamic. Their movement is controlled by a digital trajectory processor. If the outline is traced more than approximately 20 times per second, it appears solid to the eye. From 4 m distance to the surface the line reaches an accuracy of ± 0.5 mm.

Unique: Digital control for precise galvanometer movements and projection
LAP software PRO-SOFT 3D controls the complete workflow, from reading CAD data files to transmission of control data for the projectors to order of the working steps. The user is guided step by step through the lay-up process.

LAP is the only manufacturer using digital algorithms for galvanometer control. This way, there is virtually no drift caused by analogue control elements, resulting in superior repeatability and stability of the projection.

To avoid user errors and offer highest precision and repeatability, the system includes automated safety processes. One of these is “TargetCheck”, an automated function that checks the position of reference points in selectable time intervals to ensure exact calibration of the system.

Most of the times laser projectors will be mounted at the ceiling or on a support. The projector housings are hermetically sealed to prevent lasers and galvanometers from being polluted. Active thermoelectric temperature control compensates for varying ambient temperature, this way supporting longevity of the laser modules. The light and compact design makes integration in existing systems easy.