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Researchers at Concordia University have developed an inverse 4D printing of composites method for producing curved vertical-axis wind turbine blades from carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy. The process forms the blades on a flat mold, removing the need for tooling that matches the final curved geometry.
The method, detailed in Polymer Composites by Emad Fakhimi and Suong Van Hoa of the Concordia Centre for Composites, was tested on a commercial Savonius-type vertical-axis turbine. Instead of relying on conventional polymer 3D printing, the process stacks continuous-fiber composite prepreg layers so that differences in thermal expansion force the initially flat laminate to curve as it cools after curing.
Avoiding complex curved molds could reduce the time and cost of composite manufacturing,