Our team of specialist technicians improve the integrity and performance of wind turbine blades. As a key element in the operation of a turbine, the condition of the blades is crucial in ensuring the efficiency and performance of wind farms.
With a track record of delivering blade services to onshore and offshore wind farms for over a decade, since 2007, we have the experience and knowledge to support any blade project.
We work extensively for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and wind farm owners to inspect and repair blades as well as installing, upgrading and replacing a range of blade technologies.
Utilising rope access teams, the core services we deliver include:
- Blade repairs (category 1 to 5)
- Lightning Protection Systems (LPS) installation and upgrades
- Leading Edge Protection (LEP) upgrades
- Vortex Generator (VG) upgrades
- Scope and camera blade inspection, surveys and reporting
In addition to core services, our teams have experience of undertaking warranty upgrades and post-production retro-fit services across specific blade models.
We retain in-house level 3 rope access personnel operating to IRATA and SPRAT procedures, enabling us to internally train and support all our rope access requirements.
The size of projects we work on varies from individual blade repairs to large turn-key blade repair projects and upgrade campaigns.
Inspection and repair
Planned inspection and maintenance strategies prolong the life of a turbine and ensure reliability for the full lifecycle.
Alpha’s OEM-trained wind turbine specialists have a wealth of experience in carrying out regular inspections which can provide huge cost savings in the long term by ensuring that damaged blades are detected as early as possible. A proactive approach allows for an effective planning strategy to ensure all repairs can be carried out at a time that minimises downtime and avoids unnecessary reduction in productivity.
We carry out blade repairs from category one to five, the majority of which can be carried out on-site by our experienced rope access technicians. However, we have also undertaken work on blades which have not yet been installed and some that have been removed.
Blade technologies
We have extensive experience in the installation, upgrade and replacement of key blade technologies such as LPS, LEP, and VGs. By working closely with manufacturers of these technologies and systems we ensure our technicians have in-depth knowledge of the products they are handling.
Constantly reviewing how we can improve our service and add value, our NDT and inspection teams are currently exploring how we can deploy new NDT technologies, such as Phased Array Ultrasonics (PAUT) to detect:
- Blade delamination
- Wrinkles
- Porosity
Contact us to find out more about our research.