Decision-Making in 1D Cutting of Blanks for Wind Turbine Manufacturing and Processing Planning

The third stage of the wind farm life cycle refers to the actual construction and commissioning. Activities related to this stage refer to logistics, civil engineering, foundations, turbine installation, grid connection, etc. Generally, wind turbines consist of three main components—blades, tower, and nacelle—each of which must be designed and manufactured separately. However, the heart of the wind turbine remains the nacelle, containing the gears, generator, and other mechanical components of the turbine. In addition to these components, there are also many high-tech electronic components that allow the turbine to monitor changes in wind speed and direction, turn on and off, or automatically change direction. Wind turbines, as complex machines, are designed and manufactured by companies known as original equipment manufacturers. Such manufacturers are in most cases multinational corporations that rely on many smaller businesses to construct the individual components and systems that make up a wind turbine. Given the growing wind energy market, many original equipment manufacturers are looking to localize production to reduce transportation costs and potentially reduce the logistical challenges associated with transporting large turbines and components. That means the wind industry supports many small companies that manufacture specialized parts, including gears. One major problem at the stage of construction and commissioning is the problem of stock-cutting. This problem arises when the available material has to be cut to fulfill certain goals such as cutting patterns with minimal material waste and cost-efficient production and higher customer satisfaction. Another important problem at this stage is personnel scheduling. Therefore, the models described in this chapter are designed to optimize the processes for the required details processing and determine the optimal number of personnel for wind turbine installation.