Case Study: Fraunhofer IWES improves rotor blade testing with Hexagon’s MoveInspect HF

Innovative life-cycle monitoring with AICON’s measuring technology

The Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES) needed a more accurate and efficient method for testing wind turbine rotor blades. Their existing system, using cable pull potentiometers, was insufficient for monitoring highly dynamic load changes and required lengthy installation times, hindering their research into blade durability and certification. They partnered with Hexagon, implementing its AICON MoveInspect HF optical 3D measuring system to overcome these challenges.

Hexagon's solution provided real-time, highly precise monitoring of blade deformations up to 20 meters, meeting all of IWES's stringent requirements for static and cyclic load testing. The results included a 30-minute reduction in setup time per test, significantly lowering personnel costs. The system also delivered previously unavailable data, enabling more detailed quality analysis and a better understanding of blade behavior under stress, which Hexagon's technology has successfully provided since its installation in 2011.

Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology

Falko Bürkner

Project Manager