Machine shop leans out operations, sets target on wind

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Excerpt: Weak economies hit the manufacturing industry hard, especially in Michigan, but machine shops with the flexibility to accommodate change, diversify their customer bases and run lean, efficient operations are well-positioned to survive. Merrill Tool, a 40-year-old grinding, milling, and turnin …

Building a better wind blade, in Michigan

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Excerpt: Dow Chemical Co., Astraeus Wind Energy Inc., and MAG Industrial Automation Systems have announced a wind-energy project funded in part by the state of Michigan. “This joint technology will be built on a solid foundation of MAG’s 30-years in the development of composite processing systems for …

Portland wind gear assembly kicks off

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Excerpt: Moventas will assemble gears for the U.S. wind industry at its new plant in Portland, Oregon. Wind gear manufacturer Moventas kicked off its USA assembly operations by expanding its existing facilities in Portland, Oregon. As of February, domestically assembled wind gearboxes are available from Mov …

No friction pads on these pitch and yaw brakes

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Excerpt: MagnaShear motor brakes use oil-shear technology for longer service life even in demanding applications such as pitch and yaw drives and generator-holding brakes in smaller wind turbines. The proven technology transmits torque between lubricated surfaces – thereby eliminating wear on friction …

Thicker oil films protect bearings at low speeds

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Excerpt: One way to protect a wind-turbine investment, especially when out-of-warranty, is to apply the Optigear Synthetic X 320 for more sustained protection, according to lubricant company Castrol. It says when comparing its lubricant with the global market leader’s product, engineers find a 5 to 10% thi …

How to automate bearing lubrication

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Excerpt: Due to long, continuous operations, wind turbine main-shaft bearings need consistent, reliable lubrication. Timken’s Wind Energy Lubrication System addresses such needs with a single pump, in two models capable of working with either series-progressive or injector-based lubricant delivery meth …

Greases and oils for wind power

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Excerpt: ExxonMobil introduced its first synthetic oil for wind turbines in 1998 with Mobilgear SHC XMP. Today, the company says, it produces the initial-fill gear oil of choice for seven of the world’s top 12 wind-turbine builders. The Mobil wind-sector product line also includes greases to lubricate bear …

Specialty lubricants for wind power jobs

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Excerpt: A  manufacturer of lubricants has developed at least three gear oils for the wind-power industry. After extensive R&D and testing, Klüber Lubrication says its products meet the severe requirements of gear oil in wind-turbine drives: Klübersynth GEM 4 N series (polyalphaolefin). Th …

Lots of lubes keep wind turbines working

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Excerpt: To meet demand for wind energy in North America, Shell Lubricants says it’s formulating products for tough applications, particularly in hydraulic systems, blades, gearboxes, and yaw and pitch drives. The company has products and services for the wind-value chain, from component manufacturing and …

60 months between gear oil changes? Yes, says recent filter

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Excerpt: Oil quality is a decisive factor for the service life of a gearbox. In addition to the type of lubricants used, (e.g. synthetic oil with improved lubricating properties to extend service life) a recent upgrade increases potential to optimize oil quality and extend service life. Gearbox wear i …