Sulzer Schmid is at the forefront of innovation in the energy services sector. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, the company uses autonomous drones in the rotor blade inspection process to capture repeatable and consistently high-quality images. The cloud-based 3DX™ Blade platform offers a data-driven approach, including AI-enhanced analytics, providing clients with actionable insights to optimize the performance of renewable energy assets.
Background
Regular inspections of wind turbine rotor blades are imperative to ensure safety and operational excellence in the renewable energy sector. Early detection of damage enables proactive measures, optimizing performance and reducing costs. With instant access to this inspection data, wind farm owners, operators and turbine manufacturers can make informed decisions regarding the timing of repairs, ultimately improving annual energy production by minimizing downtime.
Automation and integration of artificial intelligence
Florian Trautweiler, software developer and artificial intelligence expert at Sulzer Schmid, explains how automation and artificial intelligence come into play: “Our customers want a seamless inspection process and fast results. They usually have a small window to inspect their property before the repair season begins. Our commitment to efficiency and cost-effectiveness to meet their needs is underscored by a high degree of automation. This includes the use of autonomous drones, eliminating the need for manual control. Additionally, software tools supported by artificial intelligence process securely uploaded data to the cloud, effectively detecting anomalies.”
Collaboration between Sulzer Schmid and Microsoft
Sulzer Schmid made a strategic choice from the outset to leverage the capabilities of Microsoft Azure and Power BI for its 3DX™ Blade Platform. Through seamless collaboration between experienced teams and unwavering support from Microsoft experts, the company has maximized the potential of Azure and Power BI. The result is a state-of-the-art software solution and an intuitive dashboard that embodies the 3DX™ Blade Platform.
Increasing efficiency with AI
Building on this successful relationship, Sulzer Schmid has expanded its collaboration with Microsoft to advance its blade anomaly detection capabilities. The company set out to design a market-leading AI damage detection tool that would ensure not only a faster marking process, but also deliver notes with greater precision and accuracy. Florian Trautweiler explains the process: “With AutoML in Azure Machine Learning Studio, the process of time-consuming iterative tasks of machine learning model development is automated. Instead, it enables our data scientists to build models with high scale, efficiency and productivity, all while maintaining model quality. So we could focus on our key differentiators, our platform and data. This greatly shortened the time needed from the initial idea to full production.»
the results
Florian Trautweiler elaborates further: “The implementation of Sulzer Schmid’s AI-driven anomaly detection system has brought remarkable improvements in efficiency, accuracy and speed. Our state-of-the-art AI engine boasts an exceptional accuracy rate, automatically identifying more than 99% of critical damage. This means a significant reduction in manual effort and time spent reviewing inspection data.”
To guarantee the highest level of precision and excellence in marking inspection data, Sulzer Schmid complements its AI capabilities with a dedicated team of in-house blade experts. Each inspection is manually reviewed, ensuring unmatched note quality and setting a new standard in note service and quality in the industry.
Using artificial intelligence for continuous improvement
The specialized AI model, which was developed with the help of Microsoft technology, is tailored to Sulzer Schmid’s unique use case and improves accuracy, speed, robustness and efficiency in their inspection process. With his recent implementation, Florian looks to the future and explains: “The potential of artificial intelligence for wind operations and maintenance (O&M) is enormous and is clearly reflected in our future development plan. We are focused on further improving and automating our inspection technology, optimizing our Azure-based software platform to deliver the tools our customers need to turn inspection data into actionable insights, and leveraging the power of artificial intelligence within our processes.”
“We currently have more than 700,000 comments on our platform, and with each inspection we gather more valuable data for further training and improvement of the AI engine. Azure Machine Learning Studio plays a key role here, improving the speed, efficiency and accuracy of our AI engine, enabling users to receive results faster and make informed decisions based on superior data quality,» he continues.
Work on an even more efficient inspection procedure
In terms of future developments, Sulzer Schmid is pushing the boundaries and exploring ways to use artificial intelligence for automated damage classification and generating AI-driven repair recommendations. Additionally, AI will play a key role in identifying blade erosion with unparalleled accuracy, enabling users to predict power loss and strategically plan repairs for optimal efficiency and timely action. Sulzer Schmid also wants to use artificial intelligence to further automate and speed up their rigorous on-site image quality checks, ensuring image quality meets the highest standards and laying a solid foundation for damage detection, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming re-inspections.
Valuable support from Microsoft’s AI experts
Reflecting on their journey of cooperation with Microsoft, Florian shares his experience: “Being part of the Microsoft startup program, we got direct access to experts with great knowledge through various software development projects. When we started the AI project, they immediately offered dedicated support through their startup mentors. At the monthly meetings, we had the opportunity to discuss our progress and hot topics. In addition, their quick response to ad hoc requests was very valuable in the process of developing and implementing our new AI-based anomaly detection for rotor blades. We look forward to continuing our journey together and taking the next steps towards an even more efficient inspection process that meets the needs of our customers.”
Anna-Karin Ryan, Head of Global Marketing and Communications, Sulzer Schmid