AI powered ABM
AI powered autonomous bolting machine for offshore bolting without human intervention
Publieke samenvatting / Public summary
Aanleiding
Wind turbines are placed on ever higher towers, to catch more wind and thus generate more power. Additionally, blades increase in size and nacelle size has to increase as well. The wind turbine components of tower, nacelle and blades are typically interconnected using bolted connections. Bringing all bolts and nuts to the right pre-tension is of immense importance for the system safety of the turbines.
Doelstelling
Project partners TNO and IntoMachines set the goal for this project to perform research on the occurrence and the effect of environmental conditions in an offshore wind turbine and to develop the ABM such that it can reliably perform bolting works in an offshore wind turbine. Research and development will be performed on how Artificial Intelligence helps the ABM's computer system detect, judge and solve problems during its autonomous bolting works.
Korte omschrijving
To automate this process, IntoMachines B.V. has developed the ABM. The ABM is able to work on non-horizontal flanges of blades and can pre-tension bolts without interference of an operator. The advantage here are: - The operator is not present during tensioning operations under high hydraulic pressure, which reduces risk of injury and requires far less personal on offshore wind turbines. - The ABM documents all tensioning parameters of each bolt and thereby prevents any loose or wrongly tightened bolts, which reduces risk on bolt failure and therefore greatly increases system safety of the wind turbine and lowers system cost due to less required bolt maintenance. - Cost of installation and maintenance are strongly reduced since installation vessels already continue installing / maintaining the next turbine while the ABM is autonomously finishing bolting works. This saves considerable vessel and man-hour rates.
Wind turbines are placed on ever higher towers, to catch more wind and thus generate more power. Additionally, blades increase in size and nacelle size has to increase as well. The wind turbine components of tower, nacelle and blades are typically interconnected using bolted connections. Bringing all bolts and nuts to the right pre-tension is of immense importance for the system safety of the turbines.
Doelstelling
Project partners TNO and IntoMachines set the goal for this project to perform research on the occurrence and the effect of environmental conditions in an offshore wind turbine and to develop the ABM such that it can reliably perform bolting works in an offshore wind turbine. Research and development will be performed on how Artificial Intelligence helps the ABM's computer system detect, judge and solve problems during its autonomous bolting works.
Korte omschrijving
To automate this process, IntoMachines B.V. has developed the ABM. The ABM is able to work on non-horizontal flanges of blades and can pre-tension bolts without interference of an operator. The advantage here are: - The operator is not present during tensioning operations under high hydraulic pressure, which reduces risk of injury and requires far less personal on offshore wind turbines. - The ABM documents all tensioning parameters of each bolt and thereby prevents any loose or wrongly tightened bolts, which reduces risk on bolt failure and therefore greatly increases system safety of the wind turbine and lowers system cost due to less required bolt maintenance. - Cost of installation and maintenance are strongly reduced since installation vessels already continue installing / maintaining the next turbine while the ABM is autonomously finishing bolting works. This saves considerable vessel and man-hour rates.