The action plan was oriented towards the development of those areas considered strategic in technological matters within the business R&D&I centre, the purpose of which was to address existing challenges in fields such as the advanced design of structures, the development of advanced manufacturing processes and the integration of enabling technologies to achieve a complete digital transformation.
This action plan was approached through two different projects:
- Project 1: Research on advanced tower design for the wind energy sector and XXL offshore foundations.
- Project 2: Research for the optimization of manufacturing processes.
Through the mentioned projects, the Windar Technology team pursued technical objectives ranging from the study and analysis of the improvement of fatigue resistance in the internals of wind towers through post-welding treatments in order to identify and implement a new process that achieves an increase in detail category above DC100 with which it is currently designed.
Or, study, analyse and research into new tools, instruments and methodologies with the aim of positioning itself in the XXL offshore wind market, to objectives related to the process optimization branch such as studying, analysing and researching into automation techniques for the reduction of protection system application times (paint or coating schemes), focusing efforts on the tower metallisation process for offshore environments.
Research was carried out along these lines by working together with technology centres, engineering and technology service companies, technology-based companies and start-ups/spin-offs, all of which are regional benchmarks within the Asturian steel value chain.
Focusing on research areas such as new designs and their characterisation, and advanced manufacturing processes, technological traction was generated that allowed the consolidation of a technological and industrial hub in the renewable energy sector.
As a result, a transition of the business model towards a strategic approach based on technology as a growth vector was consolidated.
The project is funded by the Government of the Principality of Asturias through IDEPA and the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (PCTI), as well as by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
WINDAR RENOVABLES
