It’s strange to think about, but the very winds that make a wind farm an attractive site for producing electricity can also make it a difficult project for crane operators.
Over the last two months we have looked at the capabilities of cranes in maintenance and construction applications. This month we are going to discuss the wind in relation to the cranes themselves. There is a certain paradox in the fact that capturing the wind is the whole purpose of erecting a wind tower and […]
Whether it’s a broken bolt found on the deck or a loosened nut discovered during a torque check, validating tightness can help foresee failure issues in bolted flanges.
Maybe you’ve heard this one before: “A technician walks into a wind turbine and finds a broken bolt lying on the floor.” Not as humorous as one might think, actually, because this means something above has come apart or is about to fail. If this technician has worked on turbines for years, he might recognize […]
Optimizing passive tuned mass dampers can greatly reduce loads in offshore floating wind turbines, leading to more viability in deep waters.
As offshore wind energy projects move farther offshore into deeper waters, wind turbines on floating platforms instead of the traditional fixed bottom platforms become more economical. Floating platforms have been used with success in the offshore oil industry, but there are a number of engineering challenges associated with offshore floating wind turbines (OFWTs). One important […]
A logistics quality system involving three basic elements ‘metrics/measurement, process/procedure, and reporting/repair’ will lead to better outcomes.
I am often asked how important quality systems are in logistics. I always answer by saying that it depends on the scope of the transportation. If the scope of transport is relatively noncritical, then the need is less than for critical transport. For example, a simple LTL—or “less than truckload”—transport requires less of the attention […]
DMG/MORI SEIKI welcomed around 5,000 visitors in February to the Open House at DECKEL MAHO Pfronten, Germany. On top of the exhibition program with its 60 high-tech machines in operation, among them five world premieres, an attractive series of seminars and lectures was on offer. Russ Willcutt, editor of Wind Systems and Gear Solutions magazines, […]
Avanti Wind Systems USA has announced the issuance of an AECO Certificate for its Shark Work Cage/Elevator for use in wind turbine towers by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). An AECO certification in North America represents completion of a complete review by a third party certification body whose authority stems from ISO Guide 65. UL is one […]
In response to the growing market for wind energy in Canada and its strong position in all 10 provinces, Vestas has appointed Doug Macdonald as senior vice president and country manager for Canada. “Designating a lead for our Canadian activities will add focus and resources to a market that is growing and holds much promise,” […]
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) is the largest and one of the most powerful wind energy networks in the world. It is the voice of the wind industry in Europe and is ideally situated in the heart of the EU quarter in Brussels in close proximity to European decision makers. EWEA has over 700 […]
Pursuing its strategy to lead the innovation of glass fibre solutions for the wind energy sector, 3B-the fibreglass company is launching HiPer-tex™ W2020 high performance roving to satisfy OEM needs for longer and lighter rotor blades to meet the challenging offshore and bigger onshore multi-megawatt wind turbines. Building upon the recently developed sizing technology applied […]
As part of President Obama’s all out, all of the above approach to developing every domestic energy resource, Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced the start of an ambitious initiative to capture the potential of wind energy off American coasts. As part of a planned six-year $180 million initiative, an initial $20 million will be […]
