Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
PO142: Adaptive control of resin flow during manufacture of composite wind turbine blades
Ahmad Sheikh, Research Engineer, NCC
Abstract
The increasing scale of offshore wind turbine blades presents significant challenges in ensuring consistent quality during composite manufacturing, particularly in managing resin flow during vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI). This paper presents the development and evaluation of a proof-of-concept adaptive control system designed to detect and mitigate defects arising from mismatched resin flow fronts in wind turbine blade infusions. A representative sub-scale (~2 m × 6 m) infusion testbed was constructed to simulate realistic manufacturing conditions, incorporating balsa core panels and glass fibre laminates. Two complementary sensor technologies—resistivity-based OptiFlow sensors and novel wireless capacitance sensors—were deployed to monitor resin arrival. These sensors interfaced with a digital control infrastructure built on Azure IoT, enabling real-time decision-making via a machine learning-based control model. Experimental trials demonstrated the system’s ability to detect advanced flow fronts and dynamically adjust resin inlet states to reduce defect formation. While initial results are promising, further optimisation of sensor layout and control logic is required to ensure robust performance across varied manufacturing scenarios. This work forms part of the Horizon Europe TURBO project, aimed at reducing waste and improving quality in wind turbine blade production.
No recording available for this poster.
