Energy
Generating manufacturing solutions for the energy industry – today and tomorrow
Delivering sustainable, reliable and affordable energy is vital to ensuring that worldwide power requirements are met and maintained. Renishaw's products are at the heart of manufacturing processes and are used to produce key components for both traditional and renewable energy generation.
Traditional energy sources must be extracted safely and efficiently using specialist systems with machinery manufactured to stringent requirements. Components need to be robust, reliable and capable of operating for long periods of time, often in harsh conditions.
Global initiatives to address climate change have increased investment in renewable energy generation, leading to large growth in the alternative energy sector. Renishaw is helping to drive renewable energy development by reducing manufacturing lead times and helping to bring new components and technology to market.
Wind turbines are produced in many sizes for various applications and their parts must be produced within tight machining tolerances to operate continually and produce energy efficiently. Components such as bearings are essential to the movement of the turbine and the blades themselves can be difficult to manufacture correctly without a rigorous process control system owing to their potential size and complex geometry. Maintaining manufacturing accuracy with tightly controlled production, thanks to Renishaw's range of innovative solutions, helps ensure that these turbines operate at their full potential.
Solar panels made of photovoltaic cells are becoming increasingly popular for home owners as well as for grid power generation. These complex systems are made in a multi-step process, using position encoder systems to monitor the movement of a machine, or via an automated system like a robot arm, with the aim of ensuring the precise positioning of components within photovoltaic cells. Renishaw's Raman spectroscopy systems can then be used to analyse panels for any surface defects.
Where we specialise
Precision manufacturing
Safety, reliability and efficiency are key drivers in energy production and as a result, system components such as safety valves and turbine blades require precision machining to the tightest tolerances.
Chemical analysis
Understanding the quality of energy resourses is vital, Renishaw's inVia™ Raman spectroscopy systems can be used to assess the chemical and structural make-up of geological samples.
Advanced prototyping
Research is rapidly advancing the technologies used in renewable energy generation and storage. Additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) supports the prototyping of new components with internal structures and designs that are not possible with traditional machining.
How can we help you?
Calibration
Devices and software for accurate set-up of complex multi-tasking machine tools and CMMs.
Tool setting and broken tool detection
Contact and non-contact tool setting systems to detect and adjust to the condition or wear of cutting tools.
On-machine probing for in-process control
Machine tool probes are used for component set up, tool setting and in-cycle gauging as well as for first-off component inspection to enable accurate machining processes.
Inspection
Manufacturers around the world rely on Renishaw's CMM probing systems to achieve traceable inspection of blades and a wide range of components.
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Position encoders
Position encoders ensure high accuracy movement control including interferometric laser encoders for long distances for turbine blade manufacture, or for tight spaces, for the manufacture of photovoltaic cells.
Raman spectroscopy
For checking the material make-up of specialist components and the quality of component surface coatings such as photovoltaic cells.
Additive manufacturing
Metal 3D printing using a range of metal powders to create strong but light, components, in forms impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing.
Shop-floor gauging
Renishaw's Equator™ gauging system delivers highly repeatable, thermally insensitive, versatile and reprogrammable gauging to the shop floor.
Want to know more about how we could help your business?
Energy case studies