Long and wide CNC machines, finishes turbine blades
November 16, 2009 by Paul Dvorak
Filed under Turbine Blades, Wind Watch
The Third Generation of a Multi-Processing System, RAPA G3, reduces the machining and finishing time spent on large parts such as wind blades. The robotic machine-tool, from IDPSA, Madrid, Spain (idpsa.com) supports a variety of applications and processes such as scanning, measuring and inspection systems, cutting tools, spray heads, water-jet cutters, chopper guns, and finishing tools. RAPA G3 uses an accurate double modular rack-and-pinion drive from Parker Hannifin to create any X-axis length required. The drive moves a workholding platform by and over a workpiece for a KUKA robot that holds an automatic tool changer. The robot for blades works over a 50 x 15 x 6-m area. A maximum X-axis feedrate hits 70,000 mm/min. The unit can also scan, measure, and inspect its machining and finishing work quickly and repeatedly. What once took 100 h manually is now done in 10 h. A vacuum with spindle shroud is available to capture dust and chips. A tool changer holds 12 to 16 items. The machine’s vision guidance system has an accuracy of less of 1 mm for cutting tools, spray heads, water-jet cutters, chopper guns, and finishing tools.
Windpower Engineering Editor Paul Dvorak is an experienced mechanical engineer. Paul has seven years of hands on mechanical engineering experience and 23 years of technical writing. Paul is constantly in correspondence with wind turbine manufacturers and wind power researchers. Thanks to this correspondence, he is able to write about wind engineering topics before any other editor in the wind space.
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