CASE STUDY
Blade-Off Repair
AccessTec has undertaken several significant repairs that required the blade to be removed. Making up-tower repairs is the preferred option for obvious reasons, but there are occasions where damages are found in load-carrying elements of the blade. To make safe and durable repairs to these areas of the blade it may be advisable to remove the blade for repairs.
In-service damages are caused by impacts, weather, or may be due to latent defects. The initial findings often appear small, and further investigation will prove if they are structural or superficial. In this example, investigation showed the crack damage was located in a significant structural element of the blade and penetrated the full thickness.
We have a lot of experience and training within the company, but we also use industry-leading consultants to verify our repair plans. For this damage, although the surface defect seemed a manageable size, the blade needed to be placed on the ground for repairs. We use original instructions where available and industry best practice to plan all aspects of a repair of this type before mobilising to site.
Once the blade is on the ground and carefully supported, a habitat can be built around the damage to protect the repair area from the elements. This ensures a minimum of delays caused by the weather, allows the repair team to work more efficiently, to achieve the best possible quality, and to do so in a safe environment where hazards can be well controlled.
Restoring the performance of the fibreglass laminate structure means a lot of surface preparation. Within the company, AccessTec has a lot of knowledge and practical experience repairing the worst blade damages. Our technicians are also well supported in their role by strong technical management with the aim of producing repairs that are durable, completed on-time, on-budget, and in a safe manner.
With careful material selection, good technical knowledge, and experience with large repairs, the finished article retains as much of the intended design performance as possible. Whether blade damages are small enough to be tackled up-tower, or more severe as shown here, AccessTec can advise or execute the full range of blade repairs.
