The BladeFactory project, a continuation of the earlier BladeMaker initiative (grant 0325435E), aimed to reduce the manufacturing costs of wind turbine blades while strengthening the German rotor‑blade industry. The University of Bremen contributed through two research groups: the Institute for Integrated Product Development (BIK) and the Materials Engineering and Fibre Composites (FIBRE) department. BIK focused on the development of an automated Direct Textile Placement (DTP) effector that can lay and drape dry fibre‑reinforced textiles into doubly curved moulds. The effector incorporates a winding core, draping modules driven by stepper motors, pneumatic cylinders for length adjustment, and hard‑plastic (POM) contact points. By enabling the use of all robot portal axes, the system gains flexibility to orient the effector in any spatial direction, improving process robustness and allowing automatic generation of NC code from the defined textile lay‑up geometry. A digital control tool, BladeControl, processes temperature and flow‑front data in real time, eliminating the need for conservative safety margins in curing times and thereby shortening the overall mould‑fill cycle.

FIBRE’s work concentrated on the infusion and curing stages. Four different textile lay‑ups were characterised, and their suitability for automated handling was evaluated. The curing behaviour of three resin systems—including the latent resin RIMR1037 LV—was examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dielectric analysis (DEA). The kinetic modelling revealed that the Kamal‑Sourour model could not capture the behaviour of RIMR1037 LV; instead, overlapping reaction mechanisms had to be considered. The influence of moisture introduced by balsa wood was quantified, showing that up to 5 wt % water could be present in the resin during the reaction. By selecting an infusion temperature close to the resin’s optimal range, signal noise was reduced and the process conditions were better matched. Active cooling of the mould after curing was demonstrated to accelerate heat dissipation, allowing the mould to be removed sooner without damaging the blade.

The project also introduced an RFID‑based concept for effector configuration, programmed into a Siemens controller and tested at the BIK’s technical facility. This approach facilitates rapid re‑tooling and enhances traceability of the lay‑up process. Overall, the integration of the DTP effector, real‑time monitoring, and advanced curing models enabled a parallelisation and shortening of key manufacturing steps, directly contributing to lower production costs and higher product quality.

Collaboration among the partners was highly effective. BIK worked closely with Fraunhofer IWES, Siemens AG, SWMS Systemtechnik Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, and Saertex GmbH & Co. KG on the effector and process optimisation. FIBRE collaborated with Fraunhofer IWES, Saertex, Westlake Epoxy GmbH, SINOI GmbH, and Fibretech Composites GmbH on material characterisation and process control. The project ran over a multi‑year period within the BladeFactory framework, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research through the BladeMaker programme. The combined expertise of the partners enabled the development of innovative automation solutions, detailed material models, and a digital workflow that together advance the competitiveness of the German wind‑energy manufacturing sector.