Shear Web Assembly Interconnected with Additive Manufactured Components

A method for assembling a shear web assembly of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method comprising:

• forming a spar connecting member of a thermoplastic material via additive manufacturing;
• securing the spar connecting member to the rotor blade;
• providing a shear web;
• forming a web connecting member of a thermoplastic material via additive manufacturing;
• securing the web connecting member at a first end of the shear web;
• interconnecting the web connecting member and the spar connecting member at a joint;
• and,
• securing the joint together via at least one of thermal welding, chemical welding, resistance welding, solvent welding, one or more adhesives, or microwave heating.

A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine, the rotor blade assembly comprising:

• a rotor blade comprising:
• an upper shell member having a first spar cap configured on an internal face thereof;
• a lower shell member having a second spar cap configured on an internal face thereof, the first and second spar caps comprising first and second spar connecting members, respectively;
• and,
• a shear web extending between the first and second spar caps along a longitudinal length of the rotor blade, the shear web comprising first and second web connecting members extending from opposing ends thereof, the first and second web connecting members received within the first and second spar connecting members to form first and second joints, respectively, the first and second spar connecting members and the first and second web connecting members each formed of a thermoplastic material,
• wherein the first and second web connecting members are retained within the first and second spar connecting members via thermoplastic welding.