#: locale=en
## Tour
### Description
### Title
tour.name = CoMET
## Media
### Title
panorama_3086D017_3C5D_73CF_41C0_8C83552038FB.label = CoMET West
panorama_31ACD4E5_3C5D_BC43_41AE_55591D8AE3D0.label = CoMET Middle
panorama_FFD30D6C_F590_0B97_41D5_0E7EBB11100A.label = CoMET East
photo_6A909832_63DC_DA7E_41CF_D4198CA148C6.label = _AAA4956
photo_6A9F8F7F_63DB_F6E5_41CA_F9A0056D9FA4.label = _AAA5558
photo_6ADEA255_63E4_AE3A_41D6_7E5DA867E51C.label = _BBB3637
photo_6AE12A30_63DB_5E7A_41D8_99947CA003F7.label = _AAA5406
photo_6AE18FE5_63DB_55E5_41D2_7AE13A348ED9.label = _AAA5637
photo_6AE19370_63DB_6EFA_41BA_28D5E418CE6C.label = _AAA5698 (1)
photo_6AE1B71D_63DB_D625_41C4_E9F8C3E8FD58.label = _AAA5541
photo_6AE1BB5B_63DB_5E2E_41D1_1F7AEF94A6F4.label = _AAA8584
photo_6AE1CA1F_63DB_BE25_41D0_D96D1293AEB9.label = _AAA5602 (1)
photo_6AE1D8C6_63DB_7A26_41CF_B3D069EFC3E7.label = _AAA5648
photo_6AE231E0_63DC_AA1A_41B4_8E6F584F1E44.label = _AAA5180
photo_6AE23D07_63DB_7A25_41D1_F412FF608734.label = _AAA5342
photo_6AE2420D_63DC_EE25_41D0_34EEFD25ED83.label = _AAA4988
photo_6AE257C7_63DB_D626_41C0_98760E1B9CE7.label = _AAA5590
photo_6AE25DBA_63DB_BA6E_41D8_CA16E228EC07.label = _AAA5457
photo_6AE26EDB_63DB_D62E_41CD_6F717008A283.label = _AAA5553
photo_6AE279DC_63DB_5A2A_41D1_4629B52D511E.label = _AAA5248
photo_6AE27F69_63DB_D6ED_41C3_EB4F6A73F118.label = _AAA5597
photo_6AE2C559_63DB_AA2D_41D7_65CAB3F53F3F.label = _AAA5451
photo_6AE2E1A4_63DB_6A1A_41D0_68A2DB813292.label = _AAA5322
photo_6AE3B1F4_63DC_ADFB_41D7_0F61D1ABF762.label = _AAA5150
photo_6AE3B9FD_63DC_BDE5_41C1_A19358EBFCE0.label = _AAA5165
photo_6AE3D67B_63DC_D6ED_41CF_4283E4932E56.label = _AAA5103
photo_6AE93C3D_63DD_5A6A_41D1_52E2B6ADED1F.label = _AAA4930
photo_80CA0110_8EDE_8A4D_41C2_612AE5F48524.label = _BBB3637
photo_80CA0932_8EDE_FAB2_41B7_EC6CE0B8075F.label = _AAA5698 (1)
photo_80CA136E_8EDE_8EA6_41B8_B902042C114B.label = _AAA5553
photo_80CA1A03_8EDE_9E56_41B9_2EB64574B7B0.label = _AAA5637
photo_80CA1EBC_8EDE_97AF_41C8_DF55C228D410.label = _AAA5590
photo_80CA25BC_8EDE_95B4_41C4_1311E0F3B9F9.label = _BBB3656
photo_80CA39A3_8EDE_BA5A_41B8_AE77A9CDFFBB.label = _AAA5602 (1)
photo_80CA4273_8EDE_8EB9_41D1_5E6026D4FCFB.label = _AAA5597
photo_80CA4A9B_8EDE_9E6F_41C0_D38988B16AB0.label = _AAA5558
photo_80CA50A6_8EDE_8A50_4146_D84543E2D3E0.label = _AAA5648
photo_80CA6153_8EDE_8AF5_41D6_11F31600BF8D.label = _AAA5602
photo_80CA8CF2_8ED9_FBA9_41AD_6AC892BC8B32.label = _AAA4988
photo_80CA935C_8ED9_8E9C_419D_8EC952731515.label = _AAA5165
photo_80CAB6B6_8EDE_77A4_4195_FD34D8F69DE8.label = _AAA5451
photo_80CAB892_8ED9_FA6E_41D8_32DB8601C50B.label = _AAA4956
photo_80CACF51_8ED9_96E6_41DE_FC9DF7B05998.label = _AAA5150
photo_80CACFF2_8ED9_B5A6_41E0_918BFEF006B2.label = _AAA5322
photo_80CAD776_8ED9_96A1_41D9_74FF14E551EE.label = _AAA5342
photo_80CAD78A_8ED9_B667_41A2_89E2B264A756.label = _AAA5180
photo_80CADF7B_8EDE_76AD_41CB_5C119942794B.label = _AAA5541
photo_80CAEBFB_8ED9_BDA6_41DA_5EB688652B80.label = _AAA5248
photo_80CAEF35_8ED9_96A1_41C3_86278129A98D.label = _AAA5406
photo_80CAF834_8ED9_9AAF_41D3_79DF2867B9A9.label = _AAA5103
photo_80CAFAF5_8EDE_7FA4_41CD_0C38F43D776E.label = _AAA5457
photo_80CBBDA5_8EDE_FA57_41E0_0C50E0D7D19A.label = _AAA8584
photo_80CBE176_8ED9_8A94_41B1_94D464E65B32.label = _AAA4930
## Popup
### Body
htmlText_0D3C8AF6_8F39_9E6A_41DF_561EDFA4FEEA.html = This machine allows researchers and project partners to quickly turn around computerized numerically controlled (or CNC) manufactured parts out of easily machinable materials. The small scale and simple design also allow researchers to make modifications and upgrades that enable new capabilities.
This piece of equipment is used to make precise cuts for material characterization.
The megawatt-scale wind blade tip mold enables manufacturing research at a scale relevant to modern commercial land-based wind turbine systems.
This robot, which has a 125-kilogram payload and a 3,000-millimeter reach, was used primarily for research and development in advancing wind blade manufacturing technology. This platform allowed researchers to create innovative composite blade designs and develop improved manufacturing processes.
Late in 2021, NREL will install a new robotic research platform, which will include a new robot (300-kilogram payload and 2,500-millimeter reach). It will be positioned on a 6-meter linear rail, which will significantly enlarge the robot’s range of motion and further expand NREL’s manufacturing and automation research capabilities within the CoMET.
NREL researchers are using robots to move to an automated blade finishing process. The blade finishing process involves cutting, grinding, and sanding excess material from the blade after it is removed from the mold. By using robots, researchers can automate this process that was previously only done by hand. Improved automation could increase worker safety, improve the quality of the turbine blades, and help to bring down manufacturing costs while increasing its speed and utilization factor.
Fun facts:
• In addition to IACMI, the IACMI 4.10 project included partners such as GE, LM Wind Power, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, and the Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office.
• The new robot, which will be installed on the track in late 2021, will soon be available for automation research projects, and we welcome partners interested in working with NREL on this new robotic capability.
This set of 13-meter wind blade molds is used to build 13-meter National Rotor Testbed blades. The molds were fabricated by TPI Composites with 3D printing from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and have been used to build multiple blades. NREL has validated three blades from this mold set.
These heated glass infusion tables are used to fabricate composite parts at scale. The glass surface provides visibility of both the top and bottom of a part during manufacturing. Internal heating elements can help with chemical curing if required.
The variable-ratio mixing (VRM) machine is used to mix epoxy resin before infusion. It can mix up to 30 kilograms of material per minute.
This optical microscope is used for studying advanced manufacturing materials.
This 3D printer is a fused-deposition modeling/material extrusion device. An additional feature of this printer is the ability to lay continuous fiber, such as carbon, glass, or Kevlar, in the thermoplastic to create composite parts.
The inclusion of fiber makes parts with much higher strength than what a standard fused-deposition modeling printer can make. This capability allows for a faster design cycle and enables the creation of more complex parts than is possible with traditional manufacturing.
Finally, this printer can optimize function rather than design for manufacturability.
Fun facts:
• In a fast-paced research and development center, there is a constant need for one-off parts—or parts that just need to be made once.
• Traditional manufacturing often can complete more precise parts at a higher rate than additive manufacturing, but the engineering design effort is very front heavy.
• In instances where you just need one part, going through a lengthy design process can greatly exceed the total time it takes to design for additive manufacturing and print the part.
• With this printer, researchers can go through the design cycle a lot faster and end up with a part with the same capabilities. That is a huge asset for NREL.
These wind blade cross sections serve as helpful demonstration pieces to illustrate how blades are built.
This machine provides automated fabric cutting for composite manufacturing. It cuts dry fiberglass fabrics up to 72-inches wide, and the conveyor system enables unlimited cut lengths. The programmatic features allow custom cut shapes with excellent repeatability.
This vacuum pump, which is an integral component of composite manufacturing, provides low pressure for closed molding systems such as vacuum assisted resin transfer molding processes (VARTM).
This mixes resins such as in-place polymerized thermoplastics, polyester, and vinylester resins before infusion.
This walk-in laboratory fume hood provides maximum visibility in the laboratory and effectively contains toxic, noxious, or other harmful materials.
These two 10-ton gantry cranes allow researchers to move heavy tools and equipment. The cranes are positioned on a track that runs nearly the entire length of the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology (CoMET).
This is a desktop-scale fused-deposition modeling/material extrusion printer that enables the low-cost printing of thermoplastic components. The printer is equipped with two extruders that allow it to make parts of different materials and colors in one print.
The hardware and software for this printer are open source, allowing NREL to easily modify and upgrade the device to print novel materials that may have never been printed before.
Fun facts:
• The ability to modify the operation of this printer enables research in printing new materials without the need to reconstruct the whole printer and develop new software.
• Also, because it is open source, the printer can use any extrudable material without implications of breaking the warranty or damaging the machine.
and reduced carbon fiber costs.
The first of its kind ever built in the United States, the blade is the result of a large collaboration with other national labs, academic institutions, the U.S. Department of Energy, and many industrial partners.
The blade was the finalist for a Composites and Advanced Materials Expo Combined Strength Award in 2017 and for the JEC Composites World Innovation Award in 2018.
Fun Facts:
• First thermoplastic composite wind blade ever built in the United States—the result of a large project collaboration with other national labs, academic institutions, the U.S. Department of Energy, and many industrial partners.
• Finalist for a Composites and Advanced Materials Expo Combined Strength Award in 2017.
• Finalist for JEC Composites World 2018 Innovation Award.
This features a vat of photopolymer resin that cures when exposed to UV radiation. A stereolithography (SLA) style printer, it uses a controllable laser to selectively cure areas of resin within the vat to generate a 3D structure.
The printer’s high accuracy and precision make it capable of printing very precise and smooth parts. In addition, the printer features a large assortment of photopolymer resins, which enable the printer to achieve many different materials properties.
Fun facts:
• NREL research is very diverse, and having the capability to print in several different materials is a major asset for our facility.
• An interesting application of this type of 3D printer involves printing aerodynamic and hydrodynamic shapes.
• This printer fulfills the need to achieve the smooth shapes of airfoils, which are the cross-sectional shape of a wing.
• Standard fused-deposition modeling printers cannot achieve this smoothness without the use of post processing, which is final material removal to achieve a desired surface finish. This adds time and difficulty to the manufacturing process that can be almost completely avoided by using the stereolithography (SLA) style of 3D printer.
Cuts two-dimensional shapes out of metals, composites, stone, woods, and ceramics. This allows researchers and technicians to produce components quickly and effectively for prototyping, laboratory fixtures, and research devices.
Fun facts:
• This equipment is useful in the water power research field because it provides the ability to quickly turn around parts for developing small-scale devices, particularly Powering the Blue Economy-scale wave energy converters.
• It also allows for research in developing the most efficient and practical way of manufacturing components with new materials.