Eliminating the need for preheating and post-weld heat treatment of large-scale ductile cast iron components(NoHeatWeld)

Using large-scale ductile cast iron (DCI) components in wind turbines presents challenges throughout the casting, transportation, etc. Casting huge components increases the risk of scrapping, driving up costs, causing supply chain delays, and impacting the environment due to increased energy consumption and carbon footprint. Transporting is also costly, requiring special permits and involving additional fees. A novel solution is manufacturing these components in smaller parts and welding them near the turbine installation site or up-tower. However, due to the high cracking susceptibility of DCI, industrial standards do not accept the welding of DCI. In addition, welding DCI requires high preheating and post-weld heating, which is impractical for large-scale structures. NoHeatWeld aims to develop an innovative welding procedure using 3D-printed multi-material layers and advanced processes, eliminating the need for heat treatments before and after welding.