BlueWind celebrates 1,500 composite nacelle cover milestone
In less than three years, and using only one set of molds, the Florida-based manufacturer produced 10 nacelle covers/week to meet GE Renewable Energy supply demand.
BlueWind Technology (Pensacola, Fla., U.S.), specializing in the manufacture of composite parts — particularly nacelle covers — has recently registered a significant milestone. With just one set of molds, the company has manufactured 1,500 nacelle covers in 40 months. The company notes that the number of nacelles that left its factory in just over three years would on average typically take twice as long to be produced in the regular market.
Nacelle are structures on top of wind turbines and inside house wind turbines, among other components. The 1,500 nacelle covers produced by BlueWind represent a power generation potential capable of serving approximately 2.5 million homes in the U.S.
The nacelle covers were manufactured via infusion. They were part of a contract signed in late 2019 with GE Renewable Energy (Paris, France), the year in which BlueWind was founded. “In 90 days, we set up the factory from scratch to serve GE,” recalls Jean Zolet, executive director of BlueWind. At 9.1 meters in length, 2.9 meters in width and 3.6 meters in height, the nacelles are part of the 2X wind turbine.
Even operating with only one set of molds, BlueWind says it reached the rhythm of 10 nacelles produced weekly in just four months. “Our production system combines speed and quality. Keeping that pace with one mold means that everything must always work perfectly,” stresses Zolet.
From a quality point of view, the executive director of BlueWind points out that the company holds, in addition to the ISO 9001:2015 certification, the APQP4Wind seal, a quality reference in the wind power generation industry. “We also had the plant and product certified by GE, which conducts a rigorous program with its suppliers,” he says.
In July 2022, BlueWind announced an initial 1,000 nacelle cover milestone in only 28 months.
Related Content
-
Achieving composites innovation through collaboration
Stephen Heinz, vice president of R&I for Syensqo delivered an inspirational keynote at SAMPE 2024, highlighting the significant role of composite materials in emerging technologies and encouraging broader collaboration within the manufacturing community.
-
Infinite Composites: Type V tanks for space, hydrogen, automotive and more
After a decade of proving its linerless, weight-saving composite tanks with NASA and more than 30 aerospace companies, this CryoSphere pioneer is scaling for growth in commercial space and sustainable transportation on Earth.
-
Novel composite technology replaces welded joints in tubular structures
The Tree Composites TC-joint replaces traditional welding in jacket foundations for offshore wind turbine generator applications, advancing the world’s quest for fast, sustainable energy deployment.