Transforming Wind Tower Manufacturing with Dynamic Beam Lasers
CASE STUDY: MAXIMIZING EFFICIENCY AND ROI IN WIND TOWER PRODUCTION
The Challenge in Wind Tower Manufacturing
Wind tower production demands welding of large, thick sections with high precision and efficiency. Each tower, typically 120 meters tall with a 7-meter diameter, requires approximately 756 meters of welds across 30 rings. Manufacturers face challenges such as:
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Slow welding speeds
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High consumables and energy costs
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Distortion issues due to heat input
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Space and manpower demands due to multiple production lines
The Solution: Dynamic Beam Lasers (DBL)
Civan’s Dynamic Beam Lasers (DBL) deliver transformative advantages for wind tower manufacturing:
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Up to 10x faster welding speeds
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>90% reduction in consumables
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Flexible welding approaches:
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Double-Side Welds: Seamlessly weld up to 60mm thick plates
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Hybrid Welding: Utilize DBL for root welding, followed by Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) for the fill passes
This flexibility allows manufacturers to optimize the process based on material thickness, production capacity, and cost considerations.
Wind Tower ROI Example
The ROI analysis highlights significant operational and capital savings when using Civan’s DBL compared to traditional SAW welding:​
Operational Savings (OPEX) per Tower
Labor Efficiency:
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DBL welding speed of 2 m/min vs. SAW 0.2 m/min
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Labor savings of over 27,500$ per tower
Consumables Savings:
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100,000$ saved per tower
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Consumable usage reduced from 20 kg/m to just 1 kg/m
Energy Efficiency:
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Energy costs reduced by nearly €5,700 per tower
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Total OPEX Savings per Tower: €148,215
Operational Savings (OPEX) per Tower
Production Line Efficiency:
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DBL enables a 10x increase in welding speed
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Fewer production lines required, freeing up floor space
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Lower overall CAPEX despite higher individual station cost
Total CAPEX Savings:
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42M$ saved on equipment costs for 800 towers/year
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DBL Total CAPEX:12M$ vs. SAW 54M$