A method for fabrication of a wind turbine blade includes providing a plug to define a mold, the plug including at least one female surface feature formed therein. Forming a mold, the mold configured for forming a wind turbine blade surface and having a male surface feature(s) corresponding to the at least one female surface feature of the plug. Forming a wind turbine blade surface within the mold, the wind turbine blade surface having a female surface feature(s) corresponding to the male surface feature(s) of the mold. Incorporating at least one optical marker within the female surface feature of the wind turbine blade surface. Providing predetermined optical marker location(s) associated with the wind turbine blade surface. Projecting at least one optical beam directed towards at least one optical marker. Receiving at least one reflective beam from the at least one optical marker to identify the location of the optical marker disposed on the wind turbine blade surface; and comparing predetermined optical marker location(s) to the identified optical marker location.

The present invention relates to method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade (10) the method comprising the steps of providing a first shell half (61) and a second shell half (62), providing a shear web (64) having a first edge (65) and an opposing second edge (66), and attaching the first edge (65) of the shear web (64) to an inner surface (67) of the first shell half (61). One or more guide members (70) are mounted onto an inner surface (68) of the second shell half (62) for guiding the shear web, each guide member comprising a hollow body (71) and a guiding surface (72).

A machine for fabricating a fiber-reinforced component by additive manufacturing is disclosed. The machine may have a surface, a matrix feed configured to deposit a plurality of matrix layers on the surface, and a fiber feed configured to deposit a fiber layer on at least one of the plurality of matrix layers. The deposition of the plurality of matrix layers and the fiber layer may be controlled by a computer.

A method of manufacture of a shaft including positioning a prefabricated wedge member onto a cylindrical mandrel, winding a fibre material onto the mandrel, the fibre material extending over at least a part of the wedge member, allowing a matrix material impregnated into the fibre material to cure, and machining away at least part of the fibre material in the region of the wedge member to expose fibres thereof.

There is disclosed a method of forming a composite component having a curved body and an integral flange from a pre-form (200) using forming apparatus comprising: a tool (102) comprising a curved body portion (104) having a lay-up surface (110) and a forming assembly (105) comprising a plurality of forming elements (106) each having a lay-up surface (120) and a primary flange-forming surface (122); and a plurality of filler elements (107) each having a secondary flange-forming surface (156). The method comprises: providing a pre-form (200) over the lay-up surfaces (110, 120) of the curved body portion 104 and the forming elements (106) of the tool (102) in a layup configuration of the forming assembly (105); moving the forming elements (106) radially outwardly from the layup configuration to respective forming positions so that the forming elements (106) are circumferentially spaced apart from one another to form gaps therebetween; moving the filler elements (107) radially outwardly to respective forming positions in the circumferential gaps between the forming elements (106) so that the primary and secondary flange-forming surfaces (122, 156) form a substantially continuous flange-forming surface in a forming configuration of the forming assembly (105). Movement of the forming assembly (105) from the layup configuration to the forming configuration causes a region of the pre-form (200) to deform between the continuous flange-forming surface and a counteracting forming surface to form the integral flange of the component.

A composite member is provided with a bonding member made of a fiber-reinforced resin and a bracket in which the bracket is bonded to the bonding member via a resin. The bracket has a through-hole. The bonding member has a front surface side fiber-reinforced resin sheet and a rear-surface-side fiber-reinforced resin sheet. The front surface side fiber-reinforced resin sheet, the rear surface side fiber-reinforced resin sheet and the bracket are integrally bonded to each other by the resin in a state in which the front surface side fiber-reinforced resin sheet is inserted into the through-hole of the bracket to thereby enhance the bonding strength between the bonding member to the bracket.

A system can include a mold for performing during a liquid composite molding process. The mold can receive a fiber material comprising a plurality of fibers, at least some fibers coated with MXene to form a fabric sensor. The system can include a sensor system for measuring piezo-resistance of the fabric sensor when the fiber material is mounted in the mold during a molding process of an item in the mold. The system can include a computing device linked to the sensor system. The computing device can include a processor and a memory. The memory can include instructions that are executable by the processor for causing the processor to: responsive to receiving a plurality of measurements of current values associated with the fabric sensor from the sensor system, determining compaction forces associated with the liquid composite molding process.

Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.

Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.

The present invention relates to a moulding assembly (100) for manufacturing a shell part of a wind turbine blade, and to methods of manufacturing a shell part of a wind turbine blade using the moulding assembly. The moulding assembly (100) comprises a blade mould (96) with a moulding cavity (97), a gripping device (76) for releasably engaging a preform (98) for the shell part, and a lifting device (102). A tensionable member (112) is attached to the blade mould (96), and a tensioning unit coupled to the tensionable member is used for creating and maintaining tension on the tensionable member while arranging an engaged preform within the moulding cavity.