The Carlisle Design and Development Process combines the consulting, engineering, modeling, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing required to produce world class brakes. Benefits of the company best design practices lead to: • Complete brake systems – hydraulic controls, brakes, and friction material • Smooth, quiet and reliable braking • Manufacturing and engineering support in US, Europe,…
Think proportional flow for blade-pitch control
To provide smooth and consistent power outputs, wind-turbine manufacturers use hydraulics to set the “pitch” of the rotor blade. The Eaton Vickers KB range of proportional flow control valves from Eaton’s Hydraulics Operations, Eden Prairie, Minn., has been the frequently selected valve to control blade pitch. It is globally installed in over 20,000 turbines. KB…
Think drop forging for large gear blanks
Canton Drop Forge, Canton, Ohio, says it is a complete machine shop so it can meet all of a client’s forging needs, including die sinking. These capabilities, along with the skills of its personnel, ensure precision, consistency, and control of forging dies, all of which are instrumental in meeting production schedules. The need to find…
Hydraulic yaw and pitch drives
For years, Nabtesco says it has been developing hydraulic equipment, engine accessory and fuel systems, and flight control systems for several Japanese Defense Agency programs. Now the company, a manufacturer of hydraulic drives and controls, is expanding into energy-efficiency and environment-friendly products. Hence, it has started a new business involving the application of hydraulic equipment…
Filters for wind-turbine hydraulics
Eaton’s Vickers Filters handle flows to 450 gpm and pressures to 6,090 psi. Bypass valves, pressure drop indicators, and media grades facilitate filter installation and provide needed system cleanliness. A closer look at reservoir vent filters shows its useful features. These sport visual indicators and corrosion-resistant housings. In addition to particle control, these filters also…
Adhesives, sealants, and more for wind-turbine manufacturing
To support growth in the wind energy market, Henkel Corp., Rocky Hill, Conn., has developed a range of products for manufacturing and maintaining wind turbines. These include structural adhesives, mold-release agents, machinery adhesives, sealants, grouts, cleaners, surface treatments, tapes, and metalworking materials. Company wind-turbine products, such as Loctite, Teroson, Bonderite, Frekote, Multan, and P3, are…
Equipment monitor on the job 24/7
The SKF WindCon 3.0, a monitor for wind turbines, provides a way for wind farms to extend turbine maintenance intervals, manage maintenance resources, reduce unplanned downtime, predict remaining turbine service life, and decrease operating costs/kWh. The system, from SKF USA Inc, Kulpsville, Pa, monitors and tracks unbalanced rotor blades, misalignment, shaft deflections, mechanical looseness and…
Hydraulic firm introduces quick-connect couplings
The range of hydraulic couplings has expanded for CEJN Industrial Corp., Gurnee, Ill, with several new series. Several new products meet the ISO 16028 standard and are available in many versions and sizes, including couplings in steel and stainless steel with a working pressure to 500 bar. ISO 7241-1 standard couplings in different sizes come…
A closer look at gearbox-to-generator couplings
Wind power stations do not rest. Vibrations are pervasive. Constant alternating loads with difficult environmental conditions make metals fatigue and wear earlier than in other applications. Despite that, expectations for efficiency continuously increase. To meet such challenges, KTR Corp., Michigan City, Indiana, developed the Radex-N, a steel-laminate coupling for wind turbines. The backlash and maintenance-free…
Designing for electrical safety
The SafeDesigner development and configuration software gives users a way to program safety-related functions within the Automation Studio development environment. Automation Studio allows generating control software for company industrial PCs and controllers. Both are from B&R Automation, Roswell, Ga. Programming a safety application is now reduced to virtual wiring of logical function blocks. Fixed-wired safety…
Turbine intended for homes and small businesses
The Swift Wind Turbine is a building-mountable unit that developers say provides a quiet, cost-effective renewable energy source for domestic, community, and industrial use. Each Swift, from Cascade Renewable Energy Solutions, Grand Rapids, Mich., can provide about 2,000 kWh/yr in areas with above average or favorable winds (class 3 or higher), which equates to about…
Two to build wind towers
To serve North American markets, Martifer Energy Systems and Hirschfeld Wind Energy Solutions say they will form a joint venture to manufacture wind towers and related components in the U.S. The joint venture, Martifer-Hirschfeld Energy Systems LLC, will be equally held by each party. The company will develop a factory in San Angelo, Texas, to…
Personal power plant charges 5V devices
The HYmini is a handheld, hybrid universal charger that captures wind and solar power along with conventional wall plug power. The energy captured in the internal battery can then be released to charge most 5V digital gadgets such as cell phones, mp3 players, iPods, and digital cameras. Users access the 5V adaptive 200 to 850mA…
One-day wind session at Design and Manufacturing Show
A one-day session on the windpower industry will introduce attendees to turbine fundamentals, blade design, designing to cost, supply chain issues, and more. Windpower explained — Design and component integration, is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept 23 at the Design and Manufacturing Show, Rosemont, IL. Moderator Paul Dvorak, Editor of Windpower Engineering Magazine, will host a…
U.K. to add 26 GW more to offshore farms
Although 8 GW of wind power have been built or planned around U.K. shores, Energy Minister Lord Hunt says it could accommodate 26 GW more. This conclusion, a result of the Government’s Strategic Environmental Assessment, will progress with a third round of leasing in UK’s waters for offshore wind farms. Officials in the U.K. think…
Study examines wind turbine supply chain and trends
A better way to inspect and maintain wind turbines
A new company says it has a better way to inspect, maintain, and repair wind turbine blades and towers. TGM Wind Services, Abilene, Texas, uses North America’s tallest aerial utility platforms coupled with on-board, phased array ultrasonic sensors. Company technicians can drive the lift right up to a turbine and, in a matter of minutes,…
Network launches wind energy supply chain database
A wind energy supply chain advisory group has launched the web-based WIND Energy Supply Chain Database and Mapping System. Development firm Great Lakes WIND Network, Cleveland, makes the database available at http://maps.glwn.org/wind/. The industry resource features an interactive map and searchable supply-chain database with profiles of more than 1,000 manufacturers and supporting organizations in the…
HPM America launches 1kW to 1 MW wind turbines
Wind-generated electricity in some locations is close to the cost of power from conventional utility generation. Wind power, the world’s fastest-growing energy source, will provide industry, businesses, and homes with clean, renewable electricity for many years. So in keeping with this year’s theme at NPE (National Plastics Exhibition) 2009 in Chicago of “Energy Efficiency and…
How to protect large parts for shipping
Shrink wrap protects anything, says Dr. Shrink, a manufacturer of shrink wrapping in Manistree, Mich. It protects equipment against weather damage because the waterproofing can be sealed around an entire unit. The wrapping comes in 12 to 40-ft widths so even large items are covered in one piece. This includes entire flatbed loads of machinery…