The invention relates to a surface-hardened, rotationally symmetrical workpiece, to a hardening method and to a hardening apparatus. The proposed hardening apparatus comprises a machine frame on which two coaxially arranged rotary bearings designed to support a rotationally symmetrical workpiece are arranged, at least one rotary bearing being operatively connected to a drive device to generate rotation of the workpiece; and at lease one laser apparatus for generating focused, high-energy radiation is arranged on said rotary bearing, said laser apparatus being movable in the axial direction, and the radiation being directed toward the workpiece.

A method for manufacturing a tower structure of a wind turbine includes printing, via an additive printing device, the tower structure of the wind turbine of a cementitious material. During printing, the method includes embedding one or more reinforcement sensing elements at least partially within the cementitious material at one or more locations. Thus, the reinforcement sensing element(s) are configured for sensing structural health of the tower structure, sensing temperature of the cementitious material, heating to control cure time of the cementitious material, and/or reinforcing the cementitious material. In addition, the method includes curing the cementitious material so as to form the tower structure.

The invention relates to a surface-hardened, rotationally symmetrical workpiece, to a hardening method and to a hardening apparatus. The proposed hardening apparatus comprises a machine frame on which two coaxially arranged rotary bearings designed to support a rotationally symmetrical workpiece are arranged, at least one rotary bearing being operatively connected to a drive device to generate rotation of the workpiece; and at lease one laser apparatus for generating focussed, high-energy radiation is arranged on said rotary bearing, said laser apparatus being movable in the axial direction, and the radiation being directed toward the workpiece.

The invention relates to a surface-hardened, rotationally symmetrical workpiece, to a hardening method and to a hardening apparatus. The proposed hardening apparatus comprises a machine frame on which two coaxially arranged rotary bearings designed to support a rotationally symmetrical workpiece are arranged, at least one rotary bearing being operatively connected to a drive device to generate rotation of the workpiece; and at lease one laser apparatus for generating focused, high-energy radiation is arranged on said rotary bearing, said laser apparatus being movable in the axial direction, and the radiation being directed toward the workpiece.

A method and apparatus for assembling a wind turbine blade (10) including first and second outer shell portions (16, 18) and an internal web (12) are provided. An adhesive material (42) is applied to a top end (30) of the internal web (12) as well as the edges (62, 64) of the first outer shell portion (16) for connection to the second outer shell portion (18). Localized heat energy is applied to pre-cure the adhesive material (42) at the top end (30) of the internal web (12) before applying heat energy to fully cure all of the adhesive material (42) in the wind turbine blade (10). The pre-curing is performed by a removable localized heater device (72), and it assures that the integrity of the bond between the internal web (12) and the second outer shell portion (18) is maintained during the full curing of the blade (10), when temporary thermal deformation of the outer shell (14) sometimes occurs.

An integral ring gear and torque arm for a wind turbine gearbox and method of manufacturing same includes forming the ring gear and the associated gear housing as a single part using the same material, e.g., using a casting process. Further, the ring gear defines an inner circumferential surface having a plurality of gear teeth. Thus, the method also includes applying a coating material to the gear teeth of the ring gear via an additive manufacturing process, such as cold spraying, so as to increase a hardness of gear teeth.

A method and apparatus for assembling a wind turbine blade (10) including first and second outer shell portions (16, 18) and an internal web (12) are provided. An adhesive material (42) is applied to a top end (30) of the internal web (12) as well as the edges (62, 64) of the first outer shell portion (16) for connection to the second outer shell portion (18). Localized heat energy is applied to pre-cure the adhesive material (42) at the top end (30) of the internal web (12) before applying heat energy to fully cure all of the adhesive material (42) in the wind turbine blade (10). The pre-curing is performed by a removable localized heater device (72), and it assures that the integrity of the bond between the internal web (12) and the second outer shell portion (18) is maintained during the full curing of the blade (10), when temporary thermal deformation of the outer shell (14) sometimes occurs.

A strip of fiber-reinforced polymeric material for a longitudinal reinforcing structure of a wind turbine blade, the strip having substantially flat upper and lower surfaces and extending longitudinally between first and second transverse edges, wherein an end region of the strip tapers in thickness towards the first transverse edge, and wherein one or more slots are defined in the tapered end region, the or each slot extending longitudinally from the first transverse edge of the strip into the tapered end region.

An integral ring gear and torque arm for a wind turbine gearbox and method of manufacturing same includes forming the ring gear and the associated gear housing as a single part using the same material, e.g., using a casting process. Further, the ring gear defines an inner circumferential surface having a plurality of gear teeth. Thus, the method also includes applying a coating material to the gear teeth of the ring gear via an additive manufacturing process, such as cold spraying, so as to increase a hardness of gear teeth.

A blade for a wind turbine defines an airfoil with a leading edge section and a trailing edge section, notably a flat-back trailing edge. A rounded connecting section interconnects a pressure side section of the airfoil and the trailing edge section. The rounded connecting section attaches to the pressure side section at a transition point, in which the pressure side section's tangent does not coincide with the rounded connecting section's tangent, so that the outer surface of the airfoil has a sharp corner at said transition point. The truncated radius, i.e. geometrical discontinuity, thus formed at the transition between the pressure side section and the trailing edge section increases the aerodynamically effective surface of the pressure side and enables forced and hence controlled flow separation without compromising ease of manufacture and structural stability of a fiber-reinforced structure making up a shell of the blade.