Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF has presented a design for automated robotic inspection of energy converters on wind turbines. The job, usually done by a human, takes time and effort, not to mention it's pretty risky as well. RIWEA, as it's called, is proposed as a solution for inspecting turbine blades, made from glass fiber reinforced plastics, which, having to withstand all kinds of atmospheric and mechanical stress from wind, inertial forces and erosion, can acquire significant damage resulting in appearance of cracks. The robot is equipped with a number of advanced sensor systems, enabling it to detect any cracks and other micro damages on the blades.
RIWEA works by involving three "layers" in the inspection process – an infrared radiator which conducts heat to the surface of the rotor blades, a high resolution camera that records the temperature patterns of the heated surface registering flaws, and an ultrasonic system and high resolution camera for detecting damage otherwise invisible to the human eye.
The idea is to provide a reliable inspection system for covering both small and large surfaces, but also to eliminate risk involved with putting humans on the job. Sounds like a good alternative.
