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Quality Assurance

In the Energy Industry

There are several important aspects to look at when it comes to inspecting different parts and materials in the equipment and mechanisms that can be found in the Energy industry. Energy systems operate under extreme conditions, including high temperatures, pressures, and corrosive environments.

Inspections and quality control techniques during the manufacturing process help to ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards, which are designed to promote safety and protect the environment.

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Common Parts Passing Through Quality Assurance in the Energy Industry

WIND ENERGY

Wind Turbines

Wind turbines are the primary component of a wind energy system. They are typically tall, slender structures with blades that rotate to generate electricity from the wind. Each set of components that make up these devices requires rigorous testing so engineers know how they will perform and how often maintenance is needed.

Quality Control Techniques

Optical/Visual Inspection

It can help detect any damage or wear to the turbine components such as the blades, housing, and tower quickly without the need for physical contact.

Dimensional Measurement

Dimensional measurements involve assessing the shape, size, and angle of the wind turbine’s components to determine whether or not they will perform optimally when assembled.

Rotor Hubs

In wind turbines, rotary hubs are used to transfer hydraulic fluid or air to the pitch control system, which adjusts the angle of the blades for optimal energy production. Rotary hubs typically consist of a stationary housing and a rotating component that is mounted on bearings, thus having the need for several forms of quality control. They can handle a wide range of pressures, temperatures, and flow rates, making them versatile components in the energy industry.

Quality Control Techniques

Surface Measurement

Used to measure the roughness, texture, or finish of the hub's surface, surface roughness testers are well-known devices for exactly this purpose. As surface roughness measurement is an important part of regular maintenance, it can prevent problems such as poor performance or premature wear due to surface defects or irregularities.

Hardness Testing

The data collected during hardness testing can be used to determine if the hub material is still within acceptable tolerances or if it has become too soft or brittle during the manufacturing process or due to different factors over time, such as fatigue.

Dimensional Inspection

Measuring the physical dimensions of the hub to ensure that it meets the required specifications is an absolute must during the quality control process. This is typically done by trained personnel who use precision measuring tools such as micrometers, calipers, or laser scanners to measure various features of the hub, including the diameter, length, and depth of key features such as bolt holes or mounting surfaces. This is particularly important as it prevents issues with misalignment or poor performance due to out-of-spec dimensions.

Blades

Wind turbine blades are typically made from composite materials, such as fiberglass or carbon fiber, to ensure they are strong yet lightweight.

Quality Control Techniques

Material Testing

Material testing involves analyzing the physical and mechanical properties of the blade material, such as tensile strength, fatigue resistance, and stiffness. This can help ensure that the blade material is of high quality and meets the required specifications.

Blade Profile Measurement

Dimensional measurement of the blades is less crucial to device stability but plays a critical role regarding the efficiency of these wind turbines. For this purpose, most commonly a non-contact macro measurement device is used with specialized software. This fulfills the need for accurate and quick measurements as these turbine blades need to undergo large amounts of force.

Towers

The towers that support the turbines are typically made from steel or concrete and must be designed to withstand high winds and other harsh weather conditions.

Quality Control Techniques

Material Testing

When it comes to the materials that these towers are made out of, analyzing the physical and mechanical properties of the tower material, such as tensile strength, yield strength, and ductility is of utmost importance as the tower must be structurally sound.

WATER ENERGY

Turbine

Turbines are machines that convert the kinetic energy of water or steam into mechanical energy that can be used to generate electricity. Water or steam is directed onto the blades of the turbine, causing it to spin, which drives a generator to produce electricity.

Quality Control Techniques

Blade Profile Measurement

Dimensional measurement of the blades used in turbines is something that is regularly performed during quality control processes. In order to make sure that things such as length, thickness, camber, and alignment are all within spec, most commonly a CMM is used with specialized software. This fulfills the need for accurate and quick measurements as these turbine blades need to ensure they can undergo large amounts of force.

Blade Surface Inspection

As the surfaces of these blades play a key role in their ability to perform their task, it is crucial that they have no defects. The quickest way to observe defects on any surface is through non-contact inspection paired with AI software that is taught exactly what to look for. This can be anything from unexpected cracks or chips during the manufacturing process.

MaterialTesting

Material testing can be conducted on the components of turbines to ensure that they meet the required standards for strength, corrosion resistance, and other properties that could affect their performance.

Dams

Dams are structures built across a river or waterway to create a reservoir of water that can be used to generate hydroelectric power. Dams typically consist of a concrete or earthen wall and a spillway that allows the excess water to flow out.

Quality Control Techniques

Material Testing

Material testing can be conducted on the components that make up the dam to ensure that they meet the required standards for strength, corrosion resistance, and other properties

Generators

Used to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, generators are the most well-known part of any hydroelectric construction. By transforming the force of a spinning turbine the generator, can thus produce electricity.

Quality Control Techniques

Dimensional Measurement

The internal components, housing, and even small parts used for fastening must undergo quality control procedures to ensure the generator can operate for long periods of time without any issues. In order to make sure the parts are being made correctly throughout the manufacturing process, most fabs utilize the high accuracy of coordinate measuring machines.

Roughness, Roundness, and Form Analysis

These three subjects are constantly under observation when concerning the shafts and bearings used in said generators during the manufacturing process. Each component has an optimal specification requirement that needs to be met and can only be tested with devices such as a contour or roundness tester and in some cases even a CMM.

Penstocks

Penstocks are large pipes or channels that transport water from the reservoir to the turbine. The water traveling through these penstocks is typically under high pressure to maximize the energy output of the turbine.

Quality Control Techniques

Material Testing

Material testing can be conducted on the penstock's components to ensure that they meet the required standards for strength, corrosion resistance, and other properties.

SOLAR ENERGY

Solar Cells

Solar cells are a critical component of the solar energy industry, as they convert sunlight into electricity. Quality assurance techniques are therefore essential to ensure that solar cells are built to meet the required standards and operate efficiently.

Quality Control Techniques

Non-Contact Measurement

To confirm that the manufacturing process went well, the cell components are measured optically so that no damage can occur during the quality control stage.

Interconnectors

In the solar energy industry devices called interconnectors, allow solar panels to connect to each other and/or to the power grid. They are essential for transferring the energy produced by solar panels to homes and businesses.

Quality Control Techniques

Dimensional Measurement

To ensure that the connecting faces are made to the specification, often non-contact dimensional measurement is used to examine the various parts of the interconnectors.

Material Testing

This involves testing the materials used in the construction of interconnectors to ensure they meet quality requirements, this is most often performed on the wires and plastics which make up these components.

Solar Glass

Solar glas is a type of glass that is designed specifically for use in solar panels. It is specially treated to be highly transparent, durable, and able to withstand exposure to harsh sunlight and other environmental conditions.

Quality Control Techniques

Optical Testing

This involves testing the transparency and light absorption properties of solar glass to ensure that it allows as much sunlight as possible to pass through to the solar cells.

Material Testing

Useful for determining if there are any defects regarding a material’s physical properties, this is very useful when controlling the anti-reflective coating applied to solar glass. Due to the properties of the glass and the coating on top, most often manufacturers use an automated hardness tester such as a micro-Vickers tester to perform these very precise tests.

Inverters

Inverters are an essential component of solar energy systems as they convert the direct current (DC) electricity produced by solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity that can be used to power homes and businesses.

Quality Control Techniques

Non-Contact Measurement

Since PCBs are a critical component of an inverter, optical machines measure the height and shape of PCB features and solder joints, a vision measurement machine ensures that this can be performed without worry of damaging these delicate workpieces. Other optical inspection methods commonly used for measuring these components are laser profilometry and confocal microscopy.

Dimensional Measurement

The housings used to protect inverters must be according to specification so that all internal components can fit, avoiding unnecessary damage. For this, there are many ways to determine the measurements with handheld devices such as a height gauge, or even in the case of smart factories, a CMM.

Batteries

Batteries are an important component of solar energy systems, as they store the excess energy produced by solar panels during the day for use during times when there is no sunlight available.

Quality Control Techniques

Optical Measurement

Optical measurement can be used to analyze the internal structure of batteries, including the distribution of active materials and the thickness of electrodes. This information can be used to optimize the design of batteries for maximum efficiency and performance. Optical measurement can also be used to detect defects and anomalies within the battery, such as cracks or impurities, which can affect the battery's performance and safety.

Low-Force Measurement

In order to receive accurate results of delicate specimens such as battery foil, a machine with low testing force is used in tandem with a special fixturing system, a vacuum chuck for instance. This method is used to determine the thickness of foil before and after undergoing coating processes.

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