General Electric Company
MULTI-HEAD ADDITIVE PRINTING DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING WIND TURBINE TOWER STRUCTURE

Abstract:

A system for manufacturing a tower structure of a wind turbine includes an additive printing device having a central frame structure with a platform and an arm member. The arm member is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tower structure. The additive printing device also includes a plurality of robotic arms secured to the arm member of the central frame structure. Each of the robotic arms includes a printer head for additively printing one or more materials. The additive printing device further includes at least one nozzle configured for dispensing a cementitious material. Moreover, the system includes one or more molds additively printed via the additive printing device of a polymer material. As such, the mold(s) define inner and outer wall limits of the tower structure. After the mold(s) are printed and solidified, at least one of the printer heads or the nozzle of the additive printing device is configured to dispense the cementitious material between the inner and outer wall limits of the tower structure.