3 ms·

I can see how 3d printing could really help wind power. Printing rotor blades, and maybe even towers onsite could have drastic savings. The same type of powered

I can see how 3d printing could really help wind power. Printing rotor blades, and maybe even towers onsite could have drastic savings. The same type of powered platform that 'builds' cranes could be affixed to the tower with 3d printing capabilities. At the end, after it has climbed up the tower it build and printed the rotors, a crane could take it down, and install the mechanical components.

Animats 11y ago
3D printing is not magic.
jacquesm 11y ago
The forces on rotor blades are not in any way friendly or easily assessed, 3D printing 35 to 70 meter long structures with very well defined properties and extremely high tensile strength as well as resilience against fatigue is currently (and for the foreseeable future) not an option. Windmill blades are limited in size by current materials science and requires a very large amount of high tech composites such as carbon fibre, resins and so on. Towers are high grade welded steel, foundations are huge compared to the bit of the tower that pokes out above ground and none of all of that is currently made from a material that can be 3D printed.