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Innovations in Tooling Automation Gurit Tooling is the largest independent manufacturer of plugs and moulds for wind turbine blades worldwide. These capabilities, however, stretch beyond wind turbine blade moulds to provide a complete system of support to wind customers and mould making capabilities for other industries. Today, Gurit Tooling employs over 600 skilled workers dedicated to design, engineering and manufacturing of composite tooling. The team’s vast experience working with international blade manufacturers has provided Gurit Tooling with competencies and solutions for efficiency improvements in manufacturing automation for the wind energy sector.
A modular hinge system Two of the new products that have been developed based on these insights are the V58 and GTA500 hinges. These modular hinge systems provide manufacturers with great efficiency and allow the fastest setup within the industry. The modularity enables the hinges to be installed on existing systems and develop alongside changing markets. Longevity has been considered with the hinges featuring simplified hydraulics, improved debris covers, comprehensive technical support and a two year warranty with global assistance.
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Automation benefits for wind blade manufacturers The new automation features benefit the wind blade manufacturers by enabling repeatable, precise and reliable process times, while simultaneously reducing the requirement for their own personnel to perform specialized tasks and the specific trainings related to them. These tasks can instead be assigned to our specialized operators with the relevant competence and expertise within the area, facilitating around the clock operations in remote areas with limited availability of staff. It is not only the hinge systems that can be vitally optimised by automation features but the same goes for mould clamping and alignment systems as well as for the shear web gantry system. All of these are product developments that facilitate the manufacturing processes and are available through the Gurit service network worldwide.
