Wind turbine blade inspection during production and in service

Detect flaws early in wind turbine blades across production and in-service stages

Wind turbine blade inspection supports manufacturers in assessing structural integrity during production, workshop activities and in-service operation. The need arises when bonding quality, internal defects or repairs must be evaluated before affecting performance or reliability. As blade sizes grow and conditions vary, undetected flaws can lead to rework, delays and operational uncertainty.

Automated inspection across the blade lifecycle

The service applies automated ultrasonic P-scan inspection with setups adapted to blade geometry and access conditions. In production, forklift-mounted systems enable immediate inspection, while flexible rope, basket and compact setups support workshop and in-service environments. The inspection delivers consistent data for evaluation and documentation across the blade lifecycle. The service is part of our expertise area Inspection and non-destructive testing (NDT)

An automated ultrasonic scanner performing P-scan inspection on a wind turbine blade. — Automated ultrasonic blade inspection setup during production

Challenges

When blade defects are not identified early, quality assessment, repair decisions and inspection reliability are affected.

Undetected bonding flaws increase rework and uncertainty

Bonding defects, delamination and voids may remain hidden after production and affect structural integrity. Without early detection, manufacturers face increased rework and reduced confidence in quality assessment.

Increasing blade size challenges inspection coverage

Larger blades make it more difficult to achieve consistent inspection coverage and data quality. Without an inspection setup tailored to the blade geometry and inspection requirements, collected data may be insufficient for a reliable evaluation.

Limited field access complicates in-service inspection

In-service inspection is affected by weather conditions and difficult access. Without suitable rope, basket or compact setups, outer sections and repaired areas are harder to assess.

Repaired and complex areas require flexible setups

Repaired zones and hard-to-reach sections require flexible scanner positioning. If these areas are not inspected effectively, local defects may remain unresolved.

Benefits

Get inspection data that supports quality control, analysis and reporting across blade production and service.

Enable earlier quality control in production

Automated ultrasonic P-scan inspection provides data immediately after production, supporting early evaluation of blade quality and reducing the likelihood of avoidable rework.

Match inspection setup to blade and access conditions

Scanner configurations are selected based on blade geometry, repaired zones and access conditions, enabling inspection across both standard and complex areas.

Collect data for evaluation and documentation

Inspection systems are designed to collect consistent data for subsequent evaluation and reporting, supporting documentation across production and service activities.

Contact

Do you need a blade inspection setup tailored to your needs?

Talk to our specialist about wind turbine blade inspection in production, workshop or in-service conditions. We can help identify a scanner setup that matches blade geometry, access conditions and inspection requirements.

Service scope

Blade inspection setups across production and service

In blade manufacturing, automated ultrasonic P-scan inspection is typically carried out immediately after production using forklift-mounted scanners. These self-contained units include onboard power and water supply, enabling inspection without additional equipment. Depending on blade geometry and inspection requirements, multiple scanners may be needed.

The AMS-111PA covers scan widths up to 1 m at high resolution, with speeds around 30 mm/sec. It is equipped with advanced electronics for precise, multi-position blade inspection. The AMS-71PA offers the same core functionality with a smaller probe array and two controlled axes (up/down and in/out), while movement along the blade is handled by the forklift at a predefined speed.

Workshop setups are used for blade areas requiring dedicated scanner configurations. The AMS-46PA (narrow) is designed for spar caps made from layered carbon profiles and verifies bonding quality before installation. It supports both Phased Array and single-crystal probes and can operate with auto-steering.

For repaired or hard-to-reach areas, the compact AMS-91PA complements forklift-mounted scanners. Its flexible configuration allows scanning in any position and can be used with or without a pallet lifter for local inspections.

For in-service inspection, the AMS-91PA Rope setup is designed for demanding field conditions. A control unit is mounted on the blade using suction cups and contains the P-scan system, computer, and water and vacuum pumps. The scanner is weight-balanced and positioned at the inspection area.

The system supports Phased Array and/or single-crystal probes and includes an integrated water supply for coupling. An external screen is used for control and data visualisation, and the suction cups can be released individually or simultaneously.

Our scanner models

The AMS-111PA inspects large wind turbine blades with scan widths up to 1 metre, high resolution and precise multi-position scanning.
The AMS-71PA is a compact scanner with a smaller probe array and controlled up/down and in/out movement.
The AMS-91PA is a compact scanner for repaired, complex or hard-to-reach blade areas, with flexible configuration options.
The AMS-46PA inspects spar caps made from layered carbon profiles and supports verification of bonding quality before installation.
The AMS-91PA Rope setup enables precise blade inspection by rope access, with scanner, pumps, water supply and controls mounted for safe handling.