Non-Destructive Testing for Wind Turbines
Wind turbines are one of the most popular and ubiquitous forms of renewable energy in the United States. Several small components work together to keep these massive pieces of machinery operating as designed, including bearings, gear teeth, blades, shafts, rotors, brakes, and more. Flawed components can lead to costly repairs, system failures, and full shutdowns.
Non-destructive testing (NDT) is ideal for finding discontinuities in wind turbine components before being installed in the field. As a NADCAP-accredited and ASTM-compliant testing laboratory, American Metal Testing is uniquely qualified to be your full-service NDT partner. We are proud to support a variety of industries by working closely with your team to meet your application’s unique specifications.
NDT to Certify Wind Turbine Component Quality
We carry out all our non-destructive testing in-house at our USA testing facility to ensure quality and accuracy for every order. Our process begins by getting to know you and establishing which guidelines, standards, or regulations your wind turbine components must meet or exceed. Our capabilities allow us to test any metal component, including machine parts or metal castings, or non-metal material, such as ceramic or non-porous materials.
Your satisfaction is our top priority. Before returning any tested wind turbine components to you, we take care to clean any remaining residue or materials left behind during testing.
Fluorescent Liquid Penetrant Testing
Fluorescent liquid penetrant testing is the best NDT option for wind turbines due to its ability to test larger components compared to our other available processes. It is well-suited to locating tiny cracks, pores, or other surface imperfections that may have occurred on a wind turbine component during manufacturing. After the component is cleaned, a level-3 high-sensitivity fluorescent liquid penetrant is applied to your part and drawn into any imperfections via capillary action. The component’s surface is then washed, dried, and developed to reveal any flaws.
Radiographic Film Testing
Sometimes referred to as a volumetric inspection method, radiographic film testing uses an x-ray to pass through a wind turbine component to discover any present imperfections, shrink, or other internal issues. This inspection process can be applied to most materials and makes identifying discontinuities a quick and straightforward process. After studying the resulting film, we will discuss our findings with you.
Radiographic film testing is limited by the size of the tested components. We can x-ray through approximately 2.5” of material with heights of 2” or less. Materials with greater dimensions may require a different NDT method.
Magnetic Particle Testing
Magnetic particle testing is useful for any wind turbine component made from a ferromagnetic material, such as iron, steel, or similar. A magnetic field is induced in and/or around your component. Any discontinuities will disrupt this field, allowing the fluorescent magnetic iron particles to be drawn to present imperfections. Once testing has been completed, we evaluate your part based on your requirements and guidelines, then share our findings.
Magnetic particle testing is limited by the size of your wind turbine component. For components with diameters greater than approximately 12”, a different non-destructive test may be required.
NDT Services to Meet Any Industrial Specification
American Metal Testing is dedicated to providing high-quality, accurate, and precise non-destructive testing services. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your wind turbine application through the industry’s best NDT services. We are ready to help you complete any job, meet every specification, and exceed all expectations.
