Proactive Blade Stud Defect Detection with BoltWave™

Blade stud failures are one of the most common bolting issues seen across wind turbines throughout the industry. When failure occurs, the consequences can be significant — increased structural risk, secondary component damage, extended turbine downtime, and costly repair operations. Identifying stud defects before failure is therefore essential to maintaining both turbine reliability and overall operational safety.

Introducing BoltWave™

EchoBolt’s BoltWave ultrasonic inspection solution has been specifically configured to detect internal bolt defects that are not visible through standard visual or torque-based inspection methods. By using advanced ultrasonic measurement technology, BoltWave allows maintenance teams to assess bolt condition quickly, accurately, and without removal.

BoltWave provides:
• Early detection of critical defects
• Reduced risk of catastrophic failure
• Minimized unplanned downtime
• Lower overall maintenance and replacement costs

Recent Project Success

During a recent field project, BoltWave devices were deployed across three operational wind turbines. The inspection identified seven defective blade studs which were proactively replaced.

Because these defects were detected before failure, the operator avoided:
• Structural damage to the blade root
• Emergency downtime losses
• Significant reactive maintenance costs

This proactive approach demonstrates how targeted ultrasonic inspection can significantly improve asset reliability and reduce lifecycle maintenance expenditure.

A Smarter Approach to Wind Turbine Bolt Integrity

As the wind industry continues to push for greater availability, lower cost of energy, and improved component reliability, proactive defect detection is more important than ever. BoltWave™ offers operators a simple, repeatable inspection process that supports safer, more dependable turbine operation.

To learn more about integrating BoltWave™ into your maintenance program, contact us at:
info@echobolt.co.uk