LM Glasfiber invests in new blade technology News Item from: CompositesWorld Article Date: 8/11/2008 LM Glasfiber (Lunderskov, Denmark) reports that it has been awarded DKK30 million ($6 million) by the Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation for the development of an innovative wind blade technology based on the use of completely novel fiber types. The new fibers, says LM Glasfiber, will revolutionize the blade manufacturing process. The research program has been named Blade King and it aims to cut wind blade production time by half. LM Glasfiber has stepped up its R&D activities by launching a research program worth DKK60 million ($12 million USD). The Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation, in one of its biggest investments to date, has awarded approximately DKK30 million ($6 million USD) to the program, which will enable LM Glasfiber to accelerate development of a technology that will make production of the most important wind turbine component much faster and more cost-efficient than has been possible until now. Blade King reportedly will significantly increase the efficiency of the processes of laying up the fiber material in the mold and molding the actual wind turbine blade. The ultimate goal is to cut the total production time in half. For the development of the Blade King technology, LM Glasfiber has partnered with Aalborg University and Risoe DTU, which are to supply research and know-how on the new fiber types. The project also involves a third partner, the Danish company Comfil (Silkeborg, Denmark), which will contribute know-how of thermoplastic composites. Over the next five years, the four companies and institutions will work together to develop the new technology and make it ready for production. The first blades manufactured with the new technology are expected to reach the |