Babcock and UoE partner on new composites facility

Known as Fastblade, it will be the first centre of its kind designed to carry out large-scale accelerated testing of tidal blades. This work is then expected to feed into other industries, including the marine, transport, nuclear and aerospace sectors.

According to Babcock, the facility will employ complex testing equipment that will simulate real-world forces, helping to speed up product development cycles. At the heart of this will be a hydraulic system that enables structures to be tested more efficiently than existing technologies. The system will also recover energy between load cycles, reducing the cost of testing. Babcock said that advanced measurement systems will enable developers to understand damage accumulation and optimise blade structures using data-driven design.

“When UoE approached Babcock they were looking for specialist facilities and engineering design expertise to help get the project from research application to reality,” said Neil Young (left), a technology director at Babcock who has been involved from the project’s outset.