Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell work on a
wind blade project. | Photo courtesy of University of
Massachusetts Lowell A research team at the University of
Massachusetts Lowell is ironing out the kinks in blade
manufacturing to make way for safer, lighter and cheaper blades.
The Wind Turbine Research Group (WTRG) at UMass Lowell has
received $401,885 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
funds to figure out where and why some blades "wrinkle"— a
serious internal fracture caused by bunching up or buckling of
materials during the molding process. "It comes down to cost,"
says Julie Chen, co-director of the Advanced Composite Materials
and Textiles Laboratory at UMass Lowell and a member of the
WTRG. If the team can determine a blade's shortcomings using
different manufacturing simulations, like its new 3-D modeling
technique, it can steer U.S. companies in another direction on
the assembly line. This will lead to fewer defects and prevent
manufacturers from overcompensating with more mat