ZF Services, LLC is proud to announce the completed installation of the 2.5MW test bench at its Vernon Hills, Illinois Wind Service Center. The project, which began with construction in September of 2012, is the result of a $1.6 million grant. Scott Gardiner, Director of Wind Services North America thanked the State of Illinois for
TÜV Rheinland certifies HybridDrive from Winergy
May 15, 2013 : 0 Comments
TÜV Rheinland has certified the HybridDrive system from wind-turbine-component manufacturer Winergy, according to the GL2010 Guideline. The system consists of a gearbox and generator. “We are glad the certification was accomplished so quickly”, said Matthias Deicke, Winergy Project Manager. “The fact that the HybridDrive has been inspected prior to the project planning of the wind
Gearbox Express introduces “Revolution” to address common failure modes
May 3, 2013 : 0 Comments
Gearbox Express is introducing its Revolution gearbox upgrade. It’s a set of upgrades and a new thought process for wind energy gearboxes from 1.5 to 2.3 MW. Developed by the team at GBX, Revolution addresses the most common premature failure modes in gearboxes. “The Gearbox Express team has seen many gearbox failures with most having
How are gearboxes used in wind turbines?
April 26, 2013 : 0 Comments
Gearboxes are arguably the most important component in wind turbines. Their reliability is paramount, especially as turbines grow in size. OEMs now focus on proper load assessing and ensuring all drivetrain components can function properly. A better understanding of the loads on a wind-turbine gearbox is one lesson the industry has learned. For instance, the
Using wear metals in oil analysis to determine gearbox health
April 20, 2013 : 0 Comments
Ted Vasiliw / Wind Aftermarket Technical Manager / Castrol Industrial / www.castrol.com A quality used-oil-analysis program is an excellent method to determine the condition of the oil within the gearbox. We all know the importance of a lubricant’s ability to reduce friction and wear in gearbox components, thereby improving the reliability of the entire wind turbine. However, most drivetrain
NREL’s Gearbox Collaborative provides more insight why gearboxes fail – and a solution
April 18, 2013 : 0 Comments
It’s not often that a technical conference leaves attendees with an ah-ha moment, but it happened at the recent Gearbox Reliability Collaborative sponsored by NREL at its offices in Golden, Colo. All presentations were good, but three in particular answered interesting questions raised by those preceding. An early presentation by Aaron Greco from the Tribology
Version 2 of workshop-on-wheels repairs gearboxes in three days
April 17, 2013 : 0 Comments
If you can’t bring a damaged gearbox to the shop, Moventas will bring the shop to the gearbox. A few months ago, gearbox manufacturer Moventas took the wraps off its mobile service unit (MSU) which is actually a gear-repair shop in a trailer. This 20-ft. workshop-on-wheels let repair crews refurbish most of a gearbox without
Moventas to display newly launched mobile workshops at WINDPOWER 2013
April 16, 2013 : 1 Comment
Gear manufacturer, Moventas, will display its newly launched mobile workshop at WINDPOWER 2013 at McCormick place, in Chicago, May 5– 8, at booth 3153. The tradeshow will mark the first opportunity for wind power executives to tour the custom-built mobile workshops, which are designed to support Moventas’ extensive up-tower field service program. The workshop features
Tentec supplies bolt-tensioning tools to gearbox manufacturer
March 7, 2013 : 0 Comments
A wind turbine gearbox manufacturing plant in Gainesville, Georgia has purchased a Tentec M42 WTB bolt tensioner for its production facility. ZF Industries opened its new factory in 2012 and manufactures the Atlas 1 wind turbine gearbox for Vestas. The Tentec M42 Wind Turbine Tensioners let production engineers at the plant quickly and accurately carry
The Switch 5-MW drivetrain now operating in Chinese offshore wind project
March 5, 2013 : 1 Comment
The Switch, a Finland-based supplier of permanent magnet generator (PMG) and full-power converter (FPC) packages, recently announced that its first 5-MW high-speed drivetrains installed in the field in China for CSIC (Chongqing) Haizhuang Windpower Equipment Co., Ltd (HZ Windpower), a Chinese wind power equipment manufacturer, are now successfully operating. The turbines operate continuously at 5
