The blades of a wind turbine are exposed to enormous loads. Extreme forces act on the rotor blades, with speeds of up to 400km/h at the blade tips. These producers of renewable energy also have to withstand weathering from rain, snow, hail, sand, heat and UV radiation. In order to protect the material from damage caused by these forces and to be able to withstand thunderstorms, the surface coating must be of very high quality, UV-resistant and electrically conductive.

The coating for lightning discharge alone, made from a mix of polymers and ceramic particles, is complex. Since the coating is applied in liquid form, cures at room temperature and is pyrolysed for short periods at temperatures of up to 700°C, a sophisticated, contactless coating thickness test system is required that meets these requirements – such as our OptiSense PaintChecker Industrial model.