Transforming wind turbine repairs with advanced additive remanufacturing

Experts at NMIS have worked with a specialist in refurbished wind turbine components to extend the life of high-value parts, reducing waste and cutting carbon emissions.

This work forms part of NMIS’s wider leadership in circular manufacturing, supporting industry to extend product lifecycles, reduce material use and cut emissions across high-value sectors.

Working with Renewable Parts Limited (RPL) and in partnership with SSE Renewables, engineers trialled advanced additive repair techniques, including friction welding and arc-based additive manufacturing, for worn yaw gearbox components, which rotate the turbine nacelle to face into the wind.

The trials showed that remanufactured yaw gearbox parts could reduce steel waste by up to 42kg per unit while still matching original performance standards. Early modelling suggests up to 84kg of CO₂ equivalent could be saved per remanufactured component.

By combining NMIS expertise in additive manufacturing and inspection and cost modelling, the team demonstrated the potential for circular repair processes in high-integrity renewable energy applications.

If adopted widely, this approach could prevent thousands of tonnes of steel waste annually and significantly lower emissions across the wind sector.

Ryan McCuaig, Product Development Engineer, Renewable Parts, said:

The collaboration helped de-risk the technology, giving Renewable Parts and SSE Renewables the confidence to explore broader adoption and future opportunities.