Mike Lumsdaine, a mechanical engineer at Windsave said: “With SolidWorks and SolidWorks Simulation, we’ve been able to refine the action of the tailfin so that it is more efficient and aerodynamic. It allows us to produce and test a sample on screen to see if we’ve over or under engineered it. That’s a huge benefit when optimising a design.”
Windsave standardised it components and parts on SolidWorks, which further accelerated the development of its wall-mounted micro-wind turbine system. The company has been able to reduce physical prototype testing from eight weeks to two.
The micro wind turbine stands just over 3m tall with a blade span of 1.7m and is attached to the side of buildings. The turbine is connected to the grid and supplements consumer electricity use. Any excess electricity can be exported and sold back to the electricity provider.
Homeowners Go Green
The benefit of micro wind turbines, especially in urban areas, is highly contentious. Despite the controversy, Scottish company Windsave have been pressing ahead with development and say progress has been greatly accelerated thanks to simulation tools, which minimise the need for physical testing.
