A selection of successfully delivered projects

Process: Triggered by abnormal high blade tip lightning failure rate on several blade products, lead a team of lightning experts, blade designers and external providers towards the development of new certified Blade LPS integration solutions. The project delivered on two tracks: design changes for production products & reliability upgrades for wind farm retrofits — both backed by real-world wind farm operation data for verification and validation.

Value created: Significant reduction in failure rate and related OPEX.

Process: Built & lead a cross-functional internal team of experts; deep dived into blade structure, rotor aeroelasticity, turbine control and power backup systems; test & verify preventive & corrective actions.

Value created: New Blade Design & Turbine Operational guidelines significantly reducing failure rate & OPEX at 3 levels: reducing vibration occurrence; raising blade structural robustness and verifying a new feasible blade repair solution.

Process: Owning the structural design, lead a cross functional engineering team towards a successful aero design, prototyping, test and certification.

Value created: Successful & patented technology project with ready products for 3 blade types.

Process: Lead a cross-functional internal team of experts (Tower & Foundations, Drive Train, Loads & Control, etc.) while acting as Blade expert. Driving a holistic turbine rotor size-up feasibility study on 3 turbine types.

Value created: 1st re-rotoring project (80m to 90m rotor) accepted by investor and executed on a 36MW wind farm, after which several more wind farms have and will benefit from this upgrade.

Process: From available old repair procedures, test reports, material database and windfarm lessons learned, worked on adding all latest blade engineering knowledge into a newer holistic BRS format.

Value created: The BRS (and derived BRI) was immediately adopted by all blade factories and continuously updated since under the same format.

Process: Sold the project internally based on Business Case. Lead a project team of material experts and service repair specialists towards the introduction of new materials more suited to windfarm repair conditions than factory materials. Used 6-sigma methodologies to down select market available materials in each category — Tested their processability, environmental robustness and mechanical properties to fulfill the internal material qualification process and beyond.

Value created: 10+ new materials introduced and documented, most of which are still in use today, significantly reducing OPEX.

Process: Triggered by the failure of several supplied blades and their RCAs, lead the engineering work with the blade supplier on a complex in-field repair method (initially deemed impossible) and in parallel support the engineering of a high-capacity blade root design for in-house production blades. Lead the development of custom sub-article testing and the process qualification of best-in-class root bushing design and repair.

Value created: 4 patents filed, significant OPEX reduction and breakthrough design improvements.

Process: Triggered by the failure of several supplied blades and their RCAs, worked with the blade supplier and a certification body on a complex in-field repair method (initially deemed impossible); introduced ultrasonic NDT as a precursor in the industry; certified the repair method and technically spearheaded the fleet wide repair campaign.

Value created: Successful global implementation of major repair campaign at lowest cost, significantly optimizing OPEX and zero failure recurrence.

Process: Triggered by an in-house blade failure and its RCA, lead an internal cross-functional team to work with the customer engineering team on a methodical data-driven risk categorization and viable remedy actions (segregation by risk-levels initially deemed impossible). Regular technical alignments and collaborative dialogue with customer engineering and warranty counterparts.

Value created: Reached a settlement agreement, driving major OPEX savings on both sides and without compromising on windfarm safety.

Process: Triggered by the necessity to de-risk a large fleet of blades, lead a project focused on identifying latest technological advancements in the field of HMS, testing several products on blades specific defect types (in laboratory, full scale blade test and in operating wind turbine). Working with several partners and identifying strengths and weaknesses of each product & technologies on the market.

Value created: Validation and implementation of newest technologies on targeted products carrying known critical risks — Significant OPEX reduction.

Process: Triggered by multiple offshore bolt premature failure, built a team of mechanical experts, blade designers, service technicians and external providers towards the assertion of a complex multi-factorial RCA. Developed, tested and verified remedies in windfarm.

Value created: Significant reduction in failure rate and related OPEX.

Process: Triggered by several blade damages, lead a project team of mechanical experts, blade designers, logistics representatives and external providers towards the assertion of a complex multi-factorial RCA. Developed, tested and verified relevant remedies both in transportation procedures and in blade design guidelines.

Value created: Significant reduction in failure rate and related OPEX.

Process: Built & lead a cross-functional internal team of experts; deep dived into windfarm data & lead brainstorming sessions to define, understand and resolve the cause of low AEP (8D method).

Value created: Identified very unexpected and subtle root cause & solution leading to 3% AEP recovery.

A selection of Engineering projects and continuous support. From quick challenge resolution to full technology projects:

• Accelerated epoxy resin & adhesive cure for 24h technology project
• Carbon planks cost-out technology project
• Lightning Protection System reliability enhancement (tip region)
• Structural assessment & sign-off of multiple blade loads increase
• Structural assessment & sign-off of multiple factory NCRs
• Structural assessment & sign-off of multiple factory ECRs
• Multiple new materials testing for blade production & wind farm
• Structural authority over multiple full scale blade testing for new technologies and load increases
• Multiple full scale blade testing failure investigation & resolution
• Innovation in sub-article testing methodologies for the validation of root connection and tip extension

A selection of significant blade issues managed and resolved. From quick response to a single event to full 8D programs. From cosmetic challenges to catastrophic events:

• Blade root wrinkles
• Blade core steps
• Blade trailing edge crack – multiple types
• Transport & Handling damages surfacing in operation
• Blade repair failure recurrence
• LEP accelerated degradation
• LPS metal tip crack
• Blade abnormal vibrations
• Balancing block debonding
• Balancing chamber leak
• Uncured epoxy resin
• Tower strikes
• Blade root bushing detachment
• Shear webs disbonding – multiple modes
• Shear web misplacement
• Aero add-ons & root collar detachment
• Multiple shell transverse cracks
• Root bulkhead composite cracks & bolt failures
• … and several more failure modes and causes

Process: Centralized the technical resolution of global wind farm blade issues — Introduced & lead stronger 8D methodology, processes and reporting structures.

Value created: Major improvements in global process consistency, 8D process quality, accuracy & efficiency.

Process: Built & lead a new department in the company, accountable for the management of all aspects of blades quality issues post-manufacturing (Warranty + Service). Recruited and managed a team of 20+ engineers, PM's & quality techs — Introduced new LMT vision, structure, tools & KPI's.

Value created: Significantly enhanced and streamlined management of global blade Reliability resolution, leading to major reduction in Cost of poor quality (COPQ) & operating costs (OPEX) + improved blade design lessons learnt feedback loop.

Process: Built & lead a new department in the company, accountable for the management of all aspects of customer warranty claims. Recruited and managed a team of 15 engineers & PM's — Centralized the claim management and response processes and introduced major company changes in warranty vision, structure & tools.

Value created: Significantly enhanced and streamlined management of global blade warranty resolution, leading to major reduction in liability costs while significantly improving customer satisfaction.

Process: Positioned at the blade factory, followed manufacturing process and quality control, spot checked and deep dived into specific points of concern based on own experience and critical judgment; review non-conformity reports and repair methods.

Result: Delivered engineering risk assessment beyond original quality surveillance scope.

Process: Advised the wind farm owner with a warranty claim on multiple blade cracks. Acted as independent participant to level the technical dialogue with OEM.

Result: Achieved an optimal compromise of 3-year warranty extension and an enhanced O&M plan to reduce risk & control OPEX.