Fabricação de componente estrutural fundido para um robô de inspeção interna de pás eólicas

Abstract

This study addresses the development and fabrication of a cast structural component for a robot used for internal inspection of wind turbine blades. The study covers mechanical design, material selection, casting parameters, and the microstructural and mechanical evaluation of the casting, with an emphasis on achieving adequate torsional stiffness in the structural component. A literature review was conducted covering principles of mechanical component design, casting processes, aluminum alloys for casting, and mechanical testing. The material selection approach was based on the four stages of the Ashby method, with the classification stage performed using the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) multi-criteria method. The bonded sand-casting process was adopted for the fabrication of the structural component. The parameters for mold preparation, melting, and solidification are described. The procedures for tensile testing, hardness testing, and metallographic analysis were described, and the results were presented to validate the integrity and performance of the final component. The studies allowed the component requirements to be determined from the literature, establishing parameters for mechanical properties, allowable deformation, and minimum required stiffness. The creation of the three-dimensional model in SolidWorks enabled the development of components that met the project's dimensional and functional constraints. At the same time, load distribution simulations identified the structure's critical regions. The Ashby method, in conjunction with the AHP multi-criteria method, selected the SAE 356 alloy for the proposed application. The resin-bonded sand-casting process enabled the manufacture of the structural components, demonstrating good shape reproduction and dimensional accuracy. Mechanical and metallographic tests indicated properties consistent with values found in the literature, with an average hardness of 68.25 ± 2.63 HRF. The torsion test showed an angular deformation of 0.00117 rad, remaining below the established maximum limit of 0.01 rad, and achieving approximately 1487 N.m/rad of stiffness, a value higher than the minimum required for operation.