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May 2013

Company Profile: Torkworx, LP

Stephen Sisk
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Company Profile: Torkworx, LP

Done right the first time.

That’s what it all boils down to for directing partner Pete Fuller and the 15 employees of Spring, Texas-based Torkworx. Those five words have carried the company from humble beginnings in a garage to exponential growth and a hefty portfolio of products and services—in only five years.
Drawing on a decade of experience in industrial bolting systems and technologies, Fuller started Torkworx, LP in 2008. His employer’s bolting services group (which he began more than five years earlier) was purchased by a competitor.

Frustrated with the company’s product line, which he described as “replaceable” and “disposable,” Fuller sought an opportunity to provide customers with an alternative. In what would become the driving operating philosophy of his company, he recognized specific customer needs and demands and proceeded to provide a solution.

“What I did was look at different quality products that I was familiar with and that I believed in, and saw there would be a vacuum when this company came into play for those manufacturers. I continued my relationship with those same manufacturers with Torkworx. These are quality products made in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.” Figure 1

In about a year, the company had moved out of Fuller’s garage and had hired three employees. Another year passed, and they hired four more. In 2011, the company moved again—this time to a 10,000 square-foot facility.

Now, the company has 15 full-time employees and a product and service portfolio that rivals those of larger companies.

While the number of products and manufacturers is extensive, the focus is purposefully narrow. Torkworx is strictly about torquing and tensioning.

“We offer the most effective bolting equipment available that we’ve been able to identify through rigorous testing and in-field use,” Fuller said.

That equipment includes all different types of torquing tools—manual, pneumatic, hydraulic, and electronic.

“Our products really consist of anything that’s involved with controlling the way a mechanical joint goes together and comes apart,” Fuller said.

That kind of versatility, according to Fuller, allows Torkworx to maintain its focus on its founding principle.  Figure 2

“One thing that we do really well is identifying customer needs. We allow the customer to tell us what their requirements are. Once we know those requirements, we provide an unbiased solution for that particular application.”

Often, a customer’s needs can’t be met solely by off-the-shelf equipment. In those instances, Torkworx is able to re-engineer and modify equipment, or in some cases start fresh and develop suitable equipment through both in-house and vendor engineering personnel.

For example: If a customer has a highly-specialized, time-critical task that cannot be achieved using standard equipment, Torkworx consults with the customer to identify the task that needs to be performed. Once that has been established, the company works directly with the customer as well as vendors to build an effective custom solution specifically tuned to handle the task at hand, increasing speed and efficiency and allowing the customer to be more productive. Figure 3

Torkworx’ cites power generation industries as its primary client base—mostly in conventional power generation methods like gas and steam. However, the company has made significant strides in renewable energy as well.

“Most of our employees have come from a power services background. When renewable energy ramped up, we realized it was something that we needed to pursue,” Fuller said. “We’re accustomed to the customer bases in that industry, so it was an easy transition for us to extend our reach into renewable power services.”

Specifically regarding wind energy, Torkworx offers its custom E-RAD torquing tool. This is a constant rotation torque device which is controlled by computer. Based on manufacturer claims, the tool: features a lightweight architecture; is faster than traditional torque tools; offers a high degree of strength and durability; and operates quieter than conventional torquing equipment.

According to Fuller, Torkworx takes this equipment a step further with the company’s custom approach. Torkworx consults with the customer and pre-loads data and torque specifications that are unique to tasks the customer performs on a regular basis. Figure 4

For example: If an ISP or wind farm operator performs maintenance tasks a certain turbine model within their fleet, Torkworx can load all of the torque information for every bolt on the turbine into the E-RAD control module. The technician then has the ability to pull up the necessary task or bolt for that turbine, push a button, and the tool automatically sets itself for that specific application.
Another feature of the E-RAD tool is its data collection capability. Once a technician has completed a given task, the tool is then able to export that data to computer spreadsheets for maintenance record keeping and follow-up with the customer.

Additionally, a large segment of Torkworx’ wind energy portfolio involves basebolt tension checks. Although somewhat new to the company’s product and service catalog (within the last 18 months), Torkworx has seen a considerable amount of success with its basebolt services. According to Fuller, the company is averaging 1,200–1,500 turbine basebolt tension checks each year. Due to unique methods and technology, the company is able to perform this service much faster than what is considered normal.

“We’ve become so efficient at it that we can do a 100 percent basebolt tension check in less than one hour. We can do a ten percent check in less than 12 minutes,” Fuller said. He attributes the increased efficiency not only to the equipment and technology, but also to the skill of the labor force, who are specialized in the task.

“We went into this kind of service with experience in the power industry,” Fuller said. “We understand that time is money. The faster we can give them the turbine back, the better off they are and the more value we bring. Previously, with other contractors, it didn’t matter if they were there for ten hours or ten days. They’re charging the same hourly rate day-in, day-out. There was no incentive for them to get it done quickly.” Figure 5

Torkworx is poised for continued growth in the future. Currently, the company is seeing 32 percent annual growth. That’s something that Fuller, who shares executive responsibilities at the company with his wife Kristi Fuller, attributes both to the company’s unique approach of an unbiased solution to address customer needs, as well as a culture of responsibility of ownership among the work force. Pete Fuller estimates that the total combined torquing and tensioning experience between himself and the company’s skilled labor force exceeds 100 years.

“Everybody is incentivized to perform and cut costs and increase margins,” Fuller said. “Going back to our motto, it’s in everybody’s best interest, since they have skin in the game, to get it done right the first time.”

As part of the company’s growth plan moving forward, the woman-minority-owned business is evolving to begin to serve other industries. The company travels across the nation providing its services, and sells products internationally. Currently, Torkworx is making inroads into oil/gas and sub-sea/marine markets. 

For more information about Torkworx’ product and service offerings, call 888-502-WORX (9679), or visit www.torkworx.com.

Optimized Wind Farm Operation and Maintenance

admin
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Optimized Wind Farm Operation and Maintenance

Wind farm owners are faced with many challenges to increase availability and production and reduce costs, all while performing safer than last year and with higher levels of quality. In addition, competing with the price of electricity from other sources of energy generation requires the highest standard of service for the lowest comparative cost. In other words, the owner’s service provider must deliver more production for a fixed price that equates to a lower cost of electricity, ultimately giving the owner a better Return On Investment.

Overcoming these challenges is easier said than done, especially if you’re not in 100 percent control of all steps involved in performance excellence. Wind farm owners rely on a supply chain every day to get spare parts, solve engineering problems, complete daily operations, execute planned maintenance and manage unplanned events. This supply chain is made up from companies that offer products and services throughout the wind farm’s lifecycle—from independent engineering firms to development contractors, the wind turbine Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Independent Service Providers (ISPs), providers of spare parts and consumables, supplement labor contractors, inspection services vendors, etc. At selection of vendors, for the various services and products needed, the wind farm owner places a great deal of trust on the vendor to perform in the best interest of the wind farm owner. Figure 1

As the industry continues to mature, the quality of service and the capabilities of both OEMs and ISPs vary dramatically. In this context, it is essential that wind farm owners understand the breadth and depth of offerings from their existing, or potential, vendors. Identifying those who deliver value on a consistent basis and those who will continue to evolve and improve the solutions they provide to their customers. Equally important, wind farm owners have to take measures to get in control of their assets and not solely rely on their vendors. When buying wind turbines for a specific trust and signing up for the warranty and the initial years of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) services, there is a great deal of trust that is placed on the selected vendor. Since we’re likely to see a number of wind turbine OEMs go out of business in 2013-2014, the selection process need to evaluate the likelihood of vendors being able to stay in business and grow their business at a sustainable rate. Unfortunately, one cannot rely on that the best technology will prevail. The vendor’s ability to sell and service their customers, the way that their customers want to, also has to be weighted in, in addition to a number of other factors.

Liberating Data and Driving Performance
For the thousands of wind turbines that are already operating, the wind turbine vendor selection has obviously already been made and the question at hand is how to manage that situation. Many wind farm owners have been doing their best to overcome operation manuals, drawings and master parts lists. Some have even made a conscious decision to invest in staffing and building up an in-house O&M organization with safety and quality programs of their own in order to not have to rely on their supply chain much. The investment that it requires to take on such an endeavor is however not something that every wind farm owner can stomach, and even so, it is not without risks one expands beyond core business processes and know-how. The O&M services still remain part of the supply chain; it’s just that the risk is now all on the wind farm owner. Managing hundreds of qualified technicians, asset condition, maintenance programs, etc. is quite different in nature compared to financing and developing wind farms. Safety, quality and training needs to be continuously measured and improved in order to reach an availability factor of 98 percent and above. There’s no easy way around that and substantial investments has to be made on a continuous basis.

A wind farm owner who has concluded that they need to be in control of their destiny will soon learn that doing so does not come without the challenge of gaining knowledge of turbine condition, wear and tear, potential serial defects, and even whether or not the service teams perform the scheduled maintenance according to  plan. Monitoring the service provider couldn’t be more important in an environment where you’re paying dearly for a warranty or rely on operation and maintenance providers that provide labor without support from their own quality and performance improvement system. One can also ask oneself whether the OEM recommendation for scheduled maintenance, spare parts replacements and use of consumables really is optimal from an asset management and production perspective. Further, if the maintenance schedule is built to manage an issue inherent to the design of the turbine, is the provider of the O&M services really incentivized and equipped to recommend alternatives that improve the wind farm owners cost structure and production?

Wind farm owners need to find cost effective means to understand the condition of their assets and to ensure that they are operated and maintained in the best interests of the owner. Condition Based Monitoring (CBM) solutions can tell a lot about the condition of wind turbines. But as most CBM systems were originally developed for gas turbines, steam turbines, large diesels, etc., the price point of those systems don’t always fit the wind industry where unit output usually is in the 2MW range, compared to 1,000MW for steam turbines. A CBM system with many bells and whistles may not pay for itself when installed on a wind turbine—as the requirements for return on investment usually is shorter than five years. And yet, even if the very detailed reporting and analysis that is commonly delivered by the CBM systems of today, a decision is still likely to be made to dispatch a team of technicians to go out to the turbine and visually inspect the turbine, listen for abnormal sounds and borescope the gearbox. The cost of dispatching a small crew for a few hours is relatively small and the crew is usually already available on the wind farm site.

Squeezing Value Out of the Warranty
Wind turbine field inspections are a very common means of base lining the condition of the assets and to support warranty claims. Wind farm owners realize that it’s of essence to plan the End of Warranty (EOW) inspection to ensure that enough time has been allocated for inspection of all turbines, analyze the results and file claims well in advance of the end of warranty date. By planning the EOW inspection well in advance, wind farm owners can maximize the understanding of the wind turbines and any safety, quality or technical issues they may have. In turn, this knowledge enables the wind farm owners to take full advantage of the value of the warranty. Good planning will afford the inspection team the appropriate window of time to complete the inspections in full, taking time to address critical findings in detail and producing high quality reports that enable the owner ample time to report back to the OEM in the appropriate manner, before the end of the warranty period.

To really optimize the EOW inspection, it is good practice to perform baseline inspections at the time when the units are first commissioned and placed into operation. This baseline enables the comparison of the current condition of the asset (at EOW) to the condition of the units at commissioning. It is an excellent way to track changes and justify claims that may stem from unusual wear and tear or unexpected failures. An asset inspection is also an inspection of the O&M service provider, regardless of whether it’s performed during or after the warranty period. In the 3,000-plus EOW inspections UpWind Solutions has performed, we have found that a clean turbine usually reflects a well maintained turbine. Trash on the decks, uncleaned grease and oil spills, missing torque stripes, and so on are usually indications of underlying issues with asset health. It is therefore good practice to include general cleanliness and upkeep in the inspection scope of work as this is a very good indicator of potential future problems. Figure 2

Not all warranty claims are approved and not all damage warrants a warranty claim. Regardless, the wind farm owner still owns the asset and has a vested interest in making sure that they are in control of future planned and unscheduled maintenance and its associated cost. The EOW inspection provides a baseline assessment of the condition of the turbine going into the post warranty period. This baseline assessment educates the asset owner to identify specific units and/or components that could need further inspection in the future and potentially maintenance reduced interval between maintenance activities. An extensive asset knowledge base may even extend the maintenance cycle if applied correctly. The key is understanding the asset condition in full and planning accordingly, where the baseline assessment provides for effective planning of maintenance programs going forward.

O&M Excellence requires complimentary offerings to provide a complete solution
The areas mentioned in this article highlight the need for an integrated asset management solution that help wind farm owners liberate and capture a continuous flow of data from operational experience, performance indicators, turbine health indicators as well as field inspections. Careful attention has to be given to managing the overall cost of the solution and balancing the capabilities and cost of the various components that build it. With a cost effective asset management solution established, wind farm owners can focus their attention to closely managing the maintenance and repair activities, optimize the usage of spare parts and consumables, as well as implementing suitable wind turbine upgrades.

The successful wind O&M service providers of the future will distinguish themselves by being able to provide a complete O&M solution that combines discreet complimentary offerings. The wind industry is unique in the way that each unit produces single-digit MW power but also in that the number of units in the fleet completely outnumbers any other form of electricity production. In such an environment wind farm owners should demand that their operation and maintenance services providers have the capabilities to:

• Offer significant price reductions for spare parts and consumables
• Provide alternative parts that can extend the maintenance cycle
• Perform flawless repairs of gearbox, generator, blades, rotor, hub, etc.
• Upgrade drive trains and other critical components to extend the maintenance cycle
• Install blade vortex generators to improve yield
• Capture turbine tags and drive train data for instant and historical analysis in order to predict failures
• Supplement the analytics with comprehensive field inspections that identify wear and tear
• Store inspection data from large inspection campaigns and sporadic condition inspections on a continuous basis
• Support the field operation and maintenance teams with 24/7 remote monitoring and engineering resources
• Provide benchmarking of performance data with the rest of the fleet 

U.S. Offshore Wind Energy—Transitioning Towards Commercial Deployment

Dickson C. Chin
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U.S. Offshore Wind Energy—Transitioning Towards Commercial Deployment

The potential is enormous: offshore wind resource data for the Great Lakes and U.S. outer-continental shelf and coastal waters indicate that, for annual average wind speeds above seven meters per second, the U.S.’s offshore wind energy total gross resource is 4,150GW, or about four times the current total generating capacity of the U.S.1  And certain findings in a recently released U.S. offshore wind energy market assessment sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”), along with several recent DOE funds awards for advanced technology demonstration projects, indicate that the U.S. offshore wind energy industry is entering a critical phase of transition towards commercial deployment. 

Back in February 2011, DOE published A National Offshore Wind Strategy: Creating an Offshore Wind Energy Industry in the United States (“National Offshore Wind Strategy”).  The National Offshore Wind Strategy is intended to guide DOE’s Offshore Wind Innovation and Demonstration (“OSWInD”) initiative to support the development of a world-class offshore wind industry in the United States which is able to achieve the following deployment scenario: by 2030, 54GW of offshore wind generating capacity deployed at a cost of energy of $0.07/kWh; and with an deployment scenario of 10GW of offshore wind generating capacity deployed by 2020 at a cost of energy of $0.10/kWh.

Key points highlighted in the National Offshore Wind Strategy include the following: 

• Offshore wind energy can reduce the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, diversify its energy supply, provide cost-competitive electricity to key coastal regions, and revitalize key sectors of the economy by investing in infrastructure and skilled jobs.
• Challenges facing offshore projects include the relatively low cost of conventional energy, technical installation and interconnection challenges, and permitting delays due to insufficient site data and inexperience with permitting processes for projects in both federal and state waters.
• Since no one has installed wind turbines in U.S. waters, proposed projects lack critical data on the environmental and siting effects of offshore wind turbines and their installation, operation and maintenance.  This lack of data drives up the costs of financing offshore wind projects to the point where financing charges account for roughly half of the cost of offshore wind energy.
• To achieve its target deployment scenario, the OSWInD initiative must accomplish two critical objectives: reduce the cost of offshore wind energy and reduce the timeline for deploying offshore wind energy.
• The OSWInD initiative has three focus areas: (1) Technology Development, (2) Market Barrier Removal, and (3) Advanced Technology Demonstration.  Activities within these areas will include innovative turbines, marine systems engineering, computational tools and test data, resource planning, siting and permitting, complementary infrastructure, and advanced technology demonstration projects.2

To implement the OSWInD initiative, the National Offshore Wind Strategy specifies several research efforts in Technology Development and Market Barrier Removal. Technology Development includes projects to develop the engineering modeling and analysis tools required to lower overall offshore facility costs and to design offshore-specific turbines. Market Barrier Removal includes an annual market data report and analysis of emergent policy and economic questions, which is intended to reduce information barriers to investment and inform better decisions-making by policy makers and other stakeholders3. In December 2012, Navigant Consulting, Inc. (“Navigant”) released the first such report, the Offshore Wind Market and Economic Analysis – An Annual Assessment, dated November 28, 2012 (the “2012 Market Assessment”). 

The objective of the 2012 Market Assessment is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the U.S. offshore wind market, which will be updated annually for a period of three years4.   These updates are intended to deliver reliable and consistent data for removing entry barriers and increasing U.S. competitiveness in the offshore wind market.   The 2012 Market Assessment finds that the U.S. offshore wind industry is “slowly transitioning from early development to demonstration of commercial viability.”5 Worldwide, there are approximately 4GW of offshore wind energy installations, most of which are concentrated in northwestern Europe, but with China recently gaining in market position.  In the U.S., there are no offshore wind energy projects in operation or, as of the writing of the 2012 Market Assessment, under construction.  Of the thirty-three announced U.S. offshore wind projects in various stages of development, there are nine that have reached what the 2012 Market Assessment defines as an advanced stage of development.  Specifically, these nine projects have either obtained a site lease, conducted baseline or geophysical studies or entered into a power purchase agreement.  Table 1 (page 38) of the 2012 Market Assessment provides summary data for these nine advanced development-stage U.S. projects.

Concurrently with the release of the 2012 Market Assessment in December 2012, DOE announced awards of up to $28 million in grants to fund the initial phase of seven offshore wind advanced technology demonstration projects.  Three of the seven projects chosen for these grants appear to be pilot demonstration projects for three of the advanced-development stage projects included in the summary above: the Fisherman’s Energy: Phase I project; Lake Erie Offshore Wind Project, and the Baryonyx Rio Grand Wind Farm.  Those three as well as another one of the technology demonstration projects involve advanced, fixed-bottom foundation designs, while the remaining three involve semi-submersible or floating foundations, and all or nearly all of the seven projects plan to install direct-drive wind turbine generators on these foundations.6  

The substructure and foundation systems of offshore wind energy generators differ significantly from those of land-based wind turbines.7 Advanced bottom designs include tripod tube steel and guyed tube designs appropriate for depths below 30 meters (transitional depth) or for sites with softer soil composition.  Other transitional-depth designs employ spaceframes, jackets or trusses.  Each of these transitional-depth designs enable projects beyond the horizon where they could be entirely out of site from shore.  Projects located at this distance could avoid breaking waves common in some shallow-water sites.8  

Semi-submersible and floating designs could have even greater potential for cost savings and deep-water projects.  These designs include the semisubmersible Dutch tri-floater, spar buoy with two tiers of guy wires, and three-armed mono-hull tension-leg platform.9   Although largely untested, floating designs promise reduced costs through full assembly at quayside and a less complicated load-out.  Floating designs also would have greater access to higher wind speeds and energy capture over deeper waters, and might reduce projects’ environmental impacts.  But significant cost drivers exist.  Cost drivers include novel floating platforms, extensive mooring line systems, deep anchor installations, and technical risks associated with more remote locations.

In the initial phase, each of the seven projects will receive grants of up to $4 million to complete the engineering, design and permitting phase of the award.  DOE will then select up to three of the seven projects to receive additional grants of up to $47 million over four years, subject to congressional appropriations, to fund follow-on phases of siting, construction and installation that will target the achievement of commercial operation in 2017. 

Reference citations:
1. U.S. Department of Energy, A National Offshore Wind Strategy: Creating an Offshore Wind Energy Industry in the United States ( February 2011) (“National Offshore Wind Strategy”), p. 5.
2. National Offshore Wind Strategy, p. iii.
3. National Offshore Wind Strategy, p. 37.
4. 2012 Market Assessment, p. xiv.
5. 2012 Market Assessment, p. xv.
6. See  DOE Wind Program Selects Seven Projects to Demonstrate Next-Generation Offshore Wind Technologies, December 12, 2012, http://ww1.eere.enegy.gov/wind/news_detail.html?news_id=18842.
7. See  National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Large-Scale Offshore Wind Power in the United States: Assessment of Opportunities and Barriers at § 5.1 (September 2010) (“NREL Assessment”).
8. See NREL Assessment at §5.3.2.3.
9. See NREL Assessment, Fig. 5-11.

Challenging Industry Standard Contaminant Filtration

Cliff Jones
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Challenging Industry Standard Contaminant Filtration

Within the past few years, the growing emphasis on proper operations and maintenance procedures has created a need for better solutions to protect major wind turbine components—in particular, gearboxes and transformers.  Instances of gearbox failures and downtime continue to plague the industry and its users. As the industry progresses, wind turbines are beginning to be placed in harsher environments such as tropical climates, arctic climates, and offshore which will exacerbate maintenance issues.

Some of the most susceptible components are the gearbox drive system, power transformers, bearings, and hydraulic systems. Properly maintaining clean lubricating oil is proven to be one of the best preventive maintenance practices an operator/owner can make. Three major factors influence the quality and cleanliness of a lubricant; monitoring, removing, and excluding contaminants. 

Removing contamination, in particular moisture and particulate, is more difficult than preventing it in the first place; it costs about ten times more to remove contamination than to prevent it.  Preventing the contaminants in the first place is certainly the best option and this is where new solutions should be considered. Figure

During their beginning development phase, wind turbines used a basic breather vent to filter out particulate from incoming ambient air, but nothing to filter out moisture from ambient air.  AWEA/ANSI/AGMA 6006-A03 F.5.3.3.2 standard states that gearbox lubricating oils should be kept under 500 ppm, parts per million moisture. Water in excess of this standard can lead to lubricant degradation; degradation of internal components; corrosion of metallic components; accelerated metal fatigue; accelerated additive depletion; accelerated oxidation; and can interfere with an active lubricant film formation. To this point, the solution has been the use of silica gel desiccant breathers, but even their performance is very limited. Figure 1

Lessons can be learned from the Aerospace and Defense industry, where maximizing performance in the harshest environments has been the status quo of daily operations. Moisture control solutions are vital for proper operation of various military and aerospace systems. All of these moisture control solutions have one thing in common, the desiccant being used, ZEOLITE. Currently within the wind energy industry, silica gel breathers are the standard to protect against moisture contamination, however silica gel is not the highest performing desiccant available. Firstly, there is a common misconception within the industry about a desiccants adsorption capacity by weight. For example, the highest performing indicating silica gel can adsorb up to 33 percent by weight, where ZEOLITE can adsorb up to 27 percent by weight; therefore it appears silica gel is the better option. This is simply not the case, although silica gel adsorbs 33 percent by weight, the actual dew point or PPM level achieved is limited to around 250 ppm and can only achieve this level in a very narrow operating temperature range, above 25°C silica gel performance drops off drastically, whereas ZEOLITE can provide a significantly lower PPM level, less than 100 ppm at a very wide operating temperature range.

 In addition, silica gel’s higher 33 percent adsorption capacity is a bit of an unfair claim, since that capacity should be equated to a specific temperature and PPM level achieved. For example, a silica gel providing dry air at 10°Cdp (12,317 ppm) at 30°C will adsorb 36 percent by weight, and a  ZEOLITE providing dry air at 10°Cdp (12,317 ppm) at 30°C will adsorb 23 percent by weight, which appears that silica gel performs better. Silica gel does indeed have a higher adsorption percentage by weight, but it only provides relatively “dry” air, 10°Cdp (12,317 ppm).  Let’s look at a scenario where we would exceed the ANSI 6006-A03 F.5.3.3.2 standard of less than 500 ppm moisture. A silica gel providing dry air at -40°Cdp (188 ppm) at 10°C will adsorb 3 percent by weight, and a  ZEOLITE providing dry air at -40°Cdp (188 ppm) at 10°C will adsorb 18 percent by weight.  In a scenario where silica gel is being used and temperatures exceed 10°C the desiccant will not adsorb any moisture, therefore ZEOLITE desiccant should be used as it maintains 5-20 percent adsorption capacity throughout almost any temperature conditions while exceeding the ANSI 6006-A03 F.5.3.3.2 specification of less than 500 ppm moisture.

After reviewing testing results Drytech can conclude that ZEOLITE significantly outperforms silica gel in any environment, but what does this mean for the industry? The company took a closer look and tested the headspace air dynamics of gearbox lubricating oils. After analyzing several gearbox lubricating oils with Karl Fischer Titration testing, the results were interesting.  (See Table 1). 

Test 1: New ISO 320 Gear Oil tested
Test 2: ISO 320 Gear Oil Saturated under the following conditions: 80% RH @ 75°F for 88 hours
Test 3: “Test 2 Saturated Gear Oil” conditions: 96 hours in DRYKEEPER box with ZEOLITE
Test 4: New ISO 320 Gear Oil conditions: 96 hours in DRYKEEPER box with ZEOLITE

The test results show that samples significantly increased in PPM level under test “saturation” conditions. In Test 3, where ZEOLITE desiccant was used, the specimen from Test 2 dropped dramatically in PPM level.  In Test 4, where ZEOLITE desiccant was used again, the specimen from Test 1 NEW OEM gear oil dropped significantly. This is a very crucial dynamic that proves by keeping  the free air headspace above lubricating oil in a gearbox or reservoir at a low enough PPM level it will liberate moisture within the lubricating oil itself. ZEOLITE desiccant should the industry standard, as its performance is superior to silica gel and will actually condition gear oil over its use.
 
Reducing operations and maintenance costs have been widely debated, and one suggestion is to extend operations and maintenance intervals beyond the 6 month industry standard. To accomplish this goal, operators must ensure the size of the breathers being used in their application is sufficient. One solution is to use a manifold to allow for multiple breather use simultaneously. Depending on the environment, and free air volume within a gearbox or reservoir, maintenance intervals could be extended beyond two years.  Looking closer, it appears that silica gel breathers are being saturated or fully spent well before their 6 month life span.  (See Table 2)

Example: Typical air inhale into a 10 ft3 gearbox free air head space under a diurnal temperature swing of 30°F.  Based on MIL-STD-810.

At the end of the day desiccant breathers are still a disposable commodity and longer term solutions should be developed. With the advancements of wind turbine technology, turbines are being placed further offshore, where operations and maintenance costs increase exponentially.  Not only do wind farm owners need to pay for technician labor, but additional fuel and transportation costs make six month maintenance intervals cost prohibitive. Long term regenerative moisture control systems should be considered. Figure 2

Currently, there are a few regenerative solutions in the industry, all which use silica gel.  Silica gel has been the preferred choice when selecting a medium to be regenerated, because silica gel will regenerate when baked at 195°F. This low reactivation temperature is attractive as there are many options to generate a temperature of 195°F, but each time silica gel is reactivated it loses a percentage of its drying capacity.

One alternative would be to reactivate ZEOLITE which guarantees better adsorption performance in all environments and temperatures. ZEOLITE is much harder to reactivate, but thankfully, the need for these technologies has already been developed within the Aerospace & Defense industry.  For example, Drytech, Inc., has developed a proprietary, Self Regenerating Filter System (SRFSTM), which provides a constant blanket of dry purge air less than 10 ppm moisture which can condition a gearbox, reservoir, and many other applications. The SFRS system requires a power connection and is maintenance free for 5 years.

As the wind industry continues its astonishing growth, OEMs and wind farm operators should explore new and innovative technologies to provide more robust operations and maintenance programs. 

Breaking into the O&M Market

Mike Schmidt
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Breaking into the O&M Market

There was a time not too long ago when starting a business as an independent service provider (ISP) in the wind industry was as easy as hanging a shingle. Wind was new and exciting; money could be made and the explosive growth made huge demands of the supply chain. Since the industry was in its infancy, not many standards were in place requiring third-party service providers to show credentials or prove that they had experience providing maintenance and repair services working on anything, let alone wind turbines. Figure 1

Times have changed. Many of the start-up companies that tried their hand at wind services are no longer around, and that may not be such a bad thing. Some of these companies were started and run by true opportunists, out to take advantage of a fledgling industry still learning how to walk. These companies regularly made commitments that they couldn’t keep, hired workers that weren’t properly trained to perform the work, nor were they prepared to complete the work to the safety standards expected from the power industry.

Though the wind industry is still young, it’s maturing quickly. Wind farm owners and operators have become smarter over the past several years in regards to contracting for maintenance services. They screen providers more rigorously and weed out the ones that don’t measure up. More and more of the nation’s wind fleet are falling into the asset portfolios of energy companies and utilities. Figure 2

These owners may be new to wind but are very experienced at asset management and are savvy when it comes to awarding any type of service or repair contract to companies where staffing, experience, parts acquisition, and financial stability could leave their assets at risk. To mitigate that risk and manage cost, owners have taken different approaches, what works for some doesn’t work for all. Take for example the model of self-performance; several companies are moving in the direction of not only managing the asset but operating and maintaining the equipment as well.

Some companies have been successful with this approach while others continue to experiment. This may work for asset owners who have economies of scale, but smaller owners need to rely on proven service providers to help them. Others have tried their hand at self-performing to one degree or another and have come to the conclusion that leaving maintenance and repair services to companies that specialize and have built a reputation providing these services is their best option.

WindIngen, a division of MD&A, was launched to support these customers. Starting WindIngen (the ‘-Ingen’ part is short for ‘ingenuity’) was a logical move for MD&A, since many of their existing customers were expanding their portfolios to include wind.

MD&A (Mechanical Dynamics and Analysis) has been providing service and maintenance in the power generation industry for more than 30 years and has grown to be one of the largest independent service providers in the United States with more than 400 employees. MD&A’s intention with WindIngen is to offer both new and long-time customers the same level of quality service in wind that they’ve come to expect from MD&A in traditional power generation.  Drawing on decades of experience and relationships, MD&A is leveraging their experience in power generation marketplace.

While the industry realized some considerable growth during 2006 through 2010, and lots of new people came into the wind industry, most came up through the ranks. Few moved to wind from traditional power. As such, wind asset managers and operations personnel did not have relationships with their counterparts in traditional power, even within the same company. Many still don’t.

MD&A’s WindIngen division started in June, 2010—a tough time for any company to get a start in the wind energy industry. MD&A could rely on a strong reputation in service, but would not be entitled to anyone’s business. With the number of companies already in the space, many of whom were struggling to keep their teams busy, prices were and continue to be artificially low. Some companies have left wind and others are showing weakness. Starting a new service business in the wind service business is further challenged by the industry’s general financial dependence on the Production Tax Credit (PTC). The PTC had been extended through the end of 2012. However, as the expiration deadline neared, uncertainty loomed in the industry regarding the PTC’s renewal. Projects that were not already under construction stalled in the planning phase. Margins were under significant pressure, industry momentum had slowed to a crawl and owners were also under significant cost pressure. It was difficult to get owners to try a new company when many were still reeling from wounds suffered from poor service providers between 2005 and 2010. At the same time, OEM’s were placing a larger focus on service. If they weren’t going to be selling turbines until the recession ran its course, they would have to work harder to increase market share in post-warranty service.

In short, WindIngen could take nothing for granted. They would need to work hard to overcome the stigma of being the new guy on the block, and become recognized as a bona fide and qualified ISP in the industry. WindIngen would have to prove all over again to many MD&A customers—to whom they had been providing service to for decades—that they could be trusted to service, maintain, and repair their wind equipment at the highest level, especially during a time of stymied growth and with stronger competition from the OEM’s. They knew that they could do that if they continued to operate under the company’s core philosophy of sticking to what you’re good at: providing high quality service. Figure 3

In the three years that MD&A has been providing service in the wind industry under the WindIngen name, they have steadily built a reputation of providing quality service primarily through project type work.

• WindIngen has performed more than 1,000 end-of-warranty inspections on a broad array of OEM platforms. These inspections have ranged from evaluating the general condition to more comprehensive inspections, including: electrical testing of up-tower transformers, generators, vibration data collection, blade inspections, and gearbox borescope inspections; as well as generator borescope inspections of windings and wedges.
• WindIngen has performed numerous major correctives such as gearbox and generator change-outs.
• WindIngen has performed nearly 400 oil changes ranging from a basic dump-&-fill to more involved 3-stage and 4-stage oil change when changing oil brands. Though they have performed oil changes going from the original lubricant to all of the major oil brands, WindIngen technicians are trained and certified by AMSOIL, a leader in developing the change process and the only company offering such certification.
• WindIngen has been selected by Winergy as an ASP (Approved Service Provider) for performing inspections and up-tower repairs (warranty and otherwise) on Winergy gearboxes. WindIngen techs have completed several weeks of rigorous training at the Winergy factory in Elgin, Ill.

 One specific example of how the company draws on MD&A’s experience occurred when MD&A was asked to perform some unusual electrical testing on generators as part of extensive EOW inspections. While the technicians understood the test procedure, they wanted to make sure that the test was conducted properly in the field and the data was reliable. Figure 4

WindIngen contacted the generator division of MD&A, located in St. Louis, and discussed the test procedure with one of the experienced engineers that specializes in generators. To ensure that the test was conducted properly in the field, the engineer was trained in climb safety and accompanied the team uptower for the first few tests. The test was conducted safely and the customer was impressed with the commitment to quality and the resources at WindIngen’s disposal. Figure 5

In the three years that the division has been around, they’ve worked diligently to bring the same level of quality, service, and professionalism that customers have come to expect from MD&A. The feedback received from customers regarding the level of safety, communication, job knowledge, work ethic, and professionalism displayed by WindIngen field technicians has been consistently positive, and has brought the division many repeat opportunities with customers. Figure 6

Additionally, WindIngen offers site O&M services and they’ve been working toward landing their first site O&M contract. Owners are rightfully careful when selecting for company for this type services. Selecting a provider that can be trusted to perform all aspects of site operation from making availability a primary concern to procuring and managing parts, unscheduled maintenance, and major correctives, while making safety a part of the daily work culture. Figure 7

MD&A has proven over the years to be resourceful in meeting their commitments and the needs of their customers. This resourcefulness has allowed MD&A to become a force in traditional power.
WindIngen will get its chance at O&M services as they continue to increase their presence in the industry. Several of the issues that smaller ISP’s face in regards to being accepted by asset owners as viable alternative to larger ISP’s and OEM’s, MD&A already has covered:

• Financially, MD&A is strong and owners will conclude that the financial risk to their assets is mitigated.
• MD&A is not new to acquiring or creating parts for power generation equipment. The company owns two parts businesses and will leverage that experience to identify sources for parts and consumables. 
• With regards to staffing, MD&A/WindIngen offers wages and benefits that are above the industry average. The company has a low employee turnover rate and an ability to source experienced technician staff in short order.

MD&A’s success over the years has come from providing service in the power generation industry. They will make their mark in wind as owners come to understand who they are, where they’ve come from, and how they meet the commitments to their customers.  Figure 8

Curtailing Threats of Anchor System Failure

Jorge Goudet
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Curtailing Threats of Anchor System Failure

It is no surprise that a common goal amongst the wind industry’s participants is to lower the total cost of ownership associated with developing wind farms without sacrificing on HSE. One way that companies can achieve this goal is by consistently seeking ways to adopt best business practices and by thinking outside of the box.

Auge Industrial Fasteners has a commitment to safety and innovation. One way in which it demonstrates this is through the integration of R&D and customer collaboration, or concurrent engineering. Figure

To help illustrate this point, this article focuses on the significance of removing entrapped hydrogen from steel and how Auge, in collaboration with a customer, sought an innovative approach to minimize the risk of hydrogen embrittlement without cutting back on quality or safety.

In seismic regions around the world, hardened high-tensile strength anchoring systems are required (See  Figure 1.), which must be at a minimum 1040 Mpa (Reference ISO 898-1).

To make such materials comply with this value of resistance, its hardness is usually located above 35 HRC, as these are thermally treated by means of quenching and tempering. The original equipment manufacturers of wind turbines have established as a requirement the avoidance of the natural phenomenon of corrosion by means of hot dip galvanization.

The process of hot-dip galvanizing typically consists of three steps per the American Galvanizers Association, including surface preparation, galvanizing, and inspection. During the surface preparation step, the steel material is introduced to acidic solutions like sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid as a method for the removal of surface impurities and oxides.

The problem arises when coating a high-strength hardened alloy material by means of the hot-dip galvanization process. During this first step, there is a high probability of a phenomenon known as “Environmental Hydrogen Embrittlement” occurring because of the material coming in contact with the acid medium. SideBar

Environmental Hydrogen Embrittlement results from hydrogen being absorbed by solid metals. When hydrogen diffuses along the grain boundaries the hydrogen atoms are absorbed into the metal lattice and diffused through the grains, tending to gather at inclusions or other lattice defects.
Disassociated hydrogen ions take up very little space, but when the hydrogen ions combine to form hydrogen molecules (H2) they take up tens of thousands of times more space.

This applies stress on a granular level and may cause cracks to form, thus causing the part to fail when additional outside stress is applied during use. Also, this usually results in a loss of ductility or load carrying capacity, which may cause catastrophic brittle failures at applied stresses well below the yield strength. Failures occurring in service are serious and may be very costly.

Figure 2 and  Figure 3 show hydrogen embrittlement introduced during the galvanizing process.

For hydrogen to impose damage to steel, it must be in the atomic form. Being that hydrogen has the smallest atomic mass, it can enter the molecular structure of the steel. This is not true when two hydrogen atoms combine to form a stable H2 molecule. Hydrogen in the molecular form is too dense to penetrate the steel structure.

Because hydrogen is exceptionally mobile, it quickly penetrates into any recently formed cracks, lesions, or material surface discontinuities, and creates high stress areas within the steel structure.
When embrittlement failures do occur, they often drastically increase the costs and lead times associated with the development of a project.

In order to prevent this phenomenon, it is very common to use alternative methods of cleaning such as sand blasting or air blasting instead of using acid solutions. Also, it may be recommended to use post-backing for dehydrogenization.

To ensure risk reduction, Auge Industrial Fasteners has developed an alternative cleaning method consisting of an alkaline de-scaling process. The results are in full compliance with ASTM A153 and EN 10684 (thickness, adhesion test, etc.). Upon completion of laboratory testing and customer approval, Auge now applies hot-dip galvanized anchoring systems safely, through a process free of acidic solutions. This process achieves the reduction of cost and lead time by reducing the need for baking the steel.

This alkaline cleansing process, known as Auge Rhino™, is one example of how Auge can create secure and innovative solutions that benefit the customer’s bottom line, security, and industry. Since 1965, Auge Industrial Fasteners has been recognized as a leading manufacturer and distributor of a wide variety of commercial, specialty, and exotic alloy fasteners, and specialty machine parts. Auge’s 150,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art manufacturing facility near Mexico City has a large capacity to produce specialty fasteners tailored to the customer’s unique specifications and drawings. The plant is a fully integrated turnkey operation. Every process is performed under the same roof, from the stocking of the raw steel (foreign and domestic), to the in-house heat treatment, to the coating/plating (if applicable).

Maximizing long-term integrity of turbine foundation integrity requires attention to fundamental aspects of construction and design

Julian Bell
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Maximizing long-term integrity of turbine foundation integrity requires attention to fundamental aspects of construction and design

There are four major areas of wind project construction: civil (roads, wind turbine foundations, etc.); electrical collection system; wind turbine erection; and high voltage electrical work (substation/switchyard/transmission line).  This column will examine some of the critical aspects of foundation design and construction. Quality foundations are one of the most important aspects of wind farm construction.  Balance of plant contractors must exercise diligence throughout the wind turbine foundation design, procurement and installation process to insure that their foundations maintain their integrity for the full life of the wind project.

Compatibility with Geotechnical Characteristics
Foundation designers choose the appropriate foundation type based upon the soil characteristics at each foundation location.  Borings should be done at each turbine site to determine the suitable design.  There are a number of commonly used foundation types: spread footing (or inverted “T”), tensionless pier, rock anchor, and soil anchor.  The geotechnical investigation must include the appropriate geotechnical tests necessary to appropriately select and design the foundation.  The geotechnical report results will be used not only for the foundation design, but also to determine the appropriate concrete mix, collection cable sizing and grounding grid design.

Wind Farm Foundation Designers/Engineers
Contractors that are engaging foundation design firms should consider several factors in making their selection.  The design firm should have experience in designing foundations in the soil conditions similar to the specific project site, along with knowledge relative to the foundation’s constructability and costs.  The firm should understand the turbine’s electrical interfaces (conduit) and be comfortable integrating them into their design.  The firm should be accustomed to developing a design that meets all codes, standards, and turbine manufacturer requirements, and at the same time is cost efficient.  Importantly, owners typically employ a third-party engineer to review the foundation design, often as a requirement of the project lender.  Foundation design reviews can be extremely rigorous and the design firm should be familiar with this process and capable of successfully shepherding their design through this review. Figure 1

Construction Issues
Foundation costs comprise a significant percentage of the overall construction costs, and are often on the project’s critical path.  In addition, foundation quality must be checked at multiple points on every foundation.  Accordingly, each aspect of the wind turbine foundation design/construction must be planned carefully before construction begins:

• Weather conditions–Concrete placement in both hot and cold weather conditions requires the performance of specific tasks to ensure wind turbine foundation quality.  Proper planning is essential to make sure that the proper options to deal with weather conditions are available before the project starts.
• Concrete sourcing–Wind projects located beyond the acceptable driving distance from a permanent ready mix plant, or in areas where permanent ready mix plants are not capable of meeting the quantity requirements, will typically use an onsite batch plant. Permitting the plant can be a schedule issue, and batch plant operational availability is critical.  Accordingly, whenever a batch plant is used, permitting should be performed early in the preconstruction phase, and a secondary concrete source must be available as a contingency.
• Material Procurement–Foundations use large quantities of reinforcing steel.  Rebar is a commodity and is subject to price and availability fluctuations.  The contractor must ensure that the wind turbine foundation design is completed (and approved) in sufficient time to allow for timely site delivery.  In recent years, large foreign purchases of rebar have created extremely long lead times and upward price pressure.
• Installation Expertise–Wind farm foundation installation is essentially a manufacturing process that occurs in the field.  Not all installation firms excel at relatively small, but repetitive, pours.  Choosing the right installer is extremely important.  Foundation quality depends upon attentiveness to detail in each installation phase:  excavating, forming, rebar placement and tying, and concrete placement.  Installation procedures are repeated for each foundation and it’s important to get it right the first time.  Successful foundation installers understand that crew efficiency increases with each foundation, and they count on this increased efficiency in pricing each project and in developing their quality procedures.
• Quality Assurance/Quality Control–Contractors must have a stringent QA/QC process for wind turbine foundation installation.  The QA/QC system should be designed to verify each aspect of foundation installation.  Signal Energy’s list of inspection and verification activities for foundation construction contains over eighty items and is too lengthy to repeat in this column.  However, two practices are worthy of mention:  (1) Requiring a qualified representative of the project geotechnical engineer to observe the foundation excavation to verify that the soil conditions are consistent with the report; and (2) Requiring a qualified representative of the foundation engineer to observe the foundation installation to confirm that it is installed in accordance with the foundation design. 

Wind farm foundation failures can have serious economic, safety and reputational implications for contractors, engineers, owners and turbine suppliers.  Accordingly, contractors must exercise a high degree of diligence to ensure foundation integrity and reliability. 

Avoiding contamination and performing grease sample analysis during low-speed bearing maintenance help mitigate chances of surprise events

Jack Wallace
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Avoiding contamination and performing grease sample analysis during low-speed bearing maintenance help mitigate chances of surprise events

On most wind turbines today, bearings outside of the main gearbox are lubricated with grease. Grease is typically pumped into a bearing with a grease gun, either manually or automatically. Other items such as open gear teeth are also protected with a layer of grease—applied by a brush, or automatic lubrication device. Applying this lubricant is fairly simple and is very successful in providing the necessary lubrication to bearings or gears. 

For low-speed bearings, such as the blade pitch bearings and the main bearing(s) on the low speed shaft, grease is used to provide barrier lubrication to the mechanical components. This means that grease is used to coat the components so that the typically metal rollers and races don’t touch each other during movement.  This allows components to work without suffering any wear during use. If the metal components become bare of the grease coating, metal-to-metal contact occurs, causing wear and potentially resulting in damage to component surfaces. Usually this damage results in scarring the surface of the rollers and races, and wear debris is generated. The debris may not fall away from the wear surfaces and can be held in place by the surrounding grease.  This debris then can be run through and in between items that should be protected by the grease coating, and instead the debris is caught between the two mating surfaces causing more damage and more debris. This is kind of like getting a rock stuck in your shoe and causing pain to your foot.  It just doesn’t belong there. 

To prevent this from happening, you have to ensure to have enough grease in the mechanical device at all times. You also have to be careful when adding grease to the system not to introduce dirt or other contaminants into the lubrication system. This means that you must always be mindful when opening grease containers to not allow dirt from the ambient area to contaminate the exposed replacement grease. If you are pumping grease in with a standard grease gun, you must also always ensure that the grease fittings are wiped clean and that the grease gun application tip is clean. Usually it is good practice to discard the first pump from the grease gun to ensure that the grease at the tip of the gun is not contaminated. This helps to prevent introduction of contaminants during the maintenance service. 

For all of you managers and owners, how do you know if your low speed bearings, such as your low speed shaft bearing(s), are being properly lubed?  How do you know that the pitch bearings on your turbines are not being damaged due to insufficient barrier lubrication or contamination? The way to monitor the wear of these items is by collecting and performing “Grease Sample Analysis.”

Grease sampling of low-speed bearings protected by grease for barrier lubrication has been used in the wind energy since the beginning of our modern industry. Part of the U.S. Windpower 56/100 wind turbine maintenance is to take grease samples during the service from the turbine’s “free yaw” roller bearing. The grease samples are used to track the size and quantity of particles found in the sample over the life of the turbine. Grease samples are compared to previous samples, and to other turbine samples. Trending is done, and if the sample contains evidence of particles larger than considered acceptable, the bearing is scheduled for replacement. This collection of grease sample data helps to prevent surprises. For this type of turbine, the surprise that can happen is the failure of the bearing and the turbine coming off the top of the tower, unplanned, destroying the machine. The collection of grease samples is not a trivial pursuit.

Grease sampling of all low-speed bearings is something that all turbine owners and service providers should be performing. This is a fairly simple task and can be performed during the normal maintenance services without incurring that much more additional time to perform the service. It also helps to reinforce attention on the color and quantity of expelled grease from grease systems, which can also supply information as to the performance and health of the specific mechanical system. 

These grease samples can be sent to a test center to be analyzed for wear debris. Usually the lab can determine if the wear particles from the grease sample are ferrous wear particles, non-ferrous wear particles, and if outside contaminants are present. The particles are classified for comparison. The analysis usually is supported by photographs, and is performed by experienced analyst.

Collecting and analyzing grease samples on a  regular basis gives you the ability to spot trends or abnormalities that could potentially lead to equipment failure. This information allows  you to make good decisions and reduces your chances of being broadsided by a surprise event. Remember, surprise events on a wind farm are rarely positive, and result in less production and expensive  repairs.  

Computerized maintenance management systems offer streamlined approach to maintenance and integration

Steven Quayle
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Computerized maintenance management systems offer streamlined approach to maintenance and integration

It wasn’t so long ago that I witnessed paper service reports being stored at the base of a tower. For many organizations, things haven’t advanced far beyond that, with spreadsheets still being acceptable to some as a legitimate method of data storage.

In their 2011 study on Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) usage, Reliabilityweb.com reported that almost half of all respondents believed there to be no return on investment from their CMMS. It’s a staggering statistic, but kind of understandable.

Why then, in a recent report for Sandia Laboratories, did Management Resources Group conclude that a good CMMS “can play a significant role in achieving critical goals” on wind farms?

The truth is that a quality, well-implemented CMMS is critical to any legitimate service division. It starts by viewing a CMMS as not just a repository for asset history, but as a tool that can streamline and control day-to-day facility management.

Backbone of a Service Division
A quality CMMS will permit all stakeholders, from technicians to service managers, from HR to the asset owners, to be in touch with the goings on of a facility, without having to necessarily be a power user.  It should allow management to focus attention elsewhere and allow the system to do what it is supposed to do. 

A CMMS should allow management to systematically manage workflow with consideration to the resources that are required. This not only means replacing the whiteboard of daily work with a more sophisticated and visible approach, but generally tying together key functions like safety, planning, troubleshooting, to mention but a few, in order to gain a holistic view of one or multiple sites.

The advent of Software as a Service (SaaS) is helping this happen, with CMMS users reaping the benefits of “anywhere, anytime” access, low start-up costs, reduced (and often eliminated) IT costs, painless, automated upgrades, and seamless integrations with other software including Enterprise Resource Planners (ERP’s). Application Programming Interfaces, or API’s, allow integrations to be established quicker and more easily than in the past. It also means that technicians are not spending time in front of big, clunky ERP’s. 

As the industry somewhat ironically plays catch-up to older, more established ones, the shift in asset demographics following a construction boom period is forcing all stakeholders to reassess systems and procedures to reduce overheads and streamline operations.  IHS business analysts report that operations & maintenance costs are expected to double to around $6 billion within 12 years. This means that asset owners need to get smart about knowing their assets now. For many of them this has been severely neglected in the past resulting in an overall lack of quality historical data upon which to not only judge service tenders, but to predict future maintenance costs as the assets age.

Herein lies an opportunity for service providers, be they the OEM or ISP, to use their CMMS to strengthen and enhance their relationship with their customer by way of data openness. Owners on the other hand need to ask themselves if they are sufficiently prepared ahead of time with a comprehensive, searchable asset history. It creates an environment whereby knowledge is retained regardless of staff changes or shift in O&M strategy by the asset owner.

Beyond SCADA
The benefits of SCADA are well documented, but what it can’t tell is what actually went wrong, what the actual cause of the fault was, how the issue was rectified and can consequently be prevented in the future. It doesn’t tell us what materials would be required if the same event occurred again, and what manpower would likely be called upon. Technicians and engineers tell us this, and a quality CMMS is the means by which that feedback can be stored and systematically called upon when and as required.

It therefore stands to reason that quality CMMS data will play an effective role going forward for troubleshooting, resource planning, and even design modification. The wind industry is really only scratching the surface of where the use of CMMS’s can drive efficiencies. They are undoubtedly the next frontier in predictive maintenance and performance enhancement as quality subjective and often anecdotal data is harnessed and turned into a powerful resource.

It’s impossible to predict the full extent to which CMMS data will be fully leveraged in the future. And yes, it is undoubtedly difficult to define a true return on investment of a CMMS. But perhaps instead of trying to determine ROI we should be asking if any legitimate service division can compete, both in service offering and in operational efficiencies, without this essential tool? 

More info: www.maintainly.com

Making accurate comparisons and a greater understanding of the budgeting process can aid in avoiding transportation “bill shock”

Michael Graska
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Making accurate comparisons and a greater understanding of the budgeting process can aid in avoiding transportation “bill shock”

As the saying goes, “the devil is in the details.” This holds true when budgeting a transportation project. Items are often left out of the budgeting process that are not accounted for when the final tab is added up. These unexpected, unexplained charges cause arguments between clients and vendors, and can cause the relationship to be damaged. This angst could have been avoided with a better budget process. 

Before I go into the details of what should be included in a project transportation budget, we should first address why and how such budget gaps accrue. First, often a customer is inclined to accept the lowest bid without confirming if all quotes are equal. Bids often don’t meet the “apples to apples” comparison test. Assumptions made without taking this variance into account often prove to be false. Second, suppliers often fail to  include costs related to circumstances that they hope will not occur but often do. I call this the “ask for forgiveness rather seek permission” method of quotation. The best way to counteract budget gaps is to be totally transparent in the process while maintaining a consistent punch list so that all vendors are quoting the same items.

I suggest that the transportation budget be broken into three categories: Mobilization, Execution and De-Mobilizations. Budget items and associated costs should be considered for each category. As the category titles suggest, there is a natural flow in the budgeting process: ramping up, doing the work and ramping down. There may be similar tasks in each category, but the associated costs may vary. For example: In the mobilization phase, welding may be needed to attach a fixture to a rail car.  Consequently, this welding will need to be removed from the fixture during de-mobilization. The two tasks are related, but the costs are not the same.

In the mobilization category, items to be considered are: design and engineering costs; installation costs; procurement of materials; logistics costs associated with preparing for the work; and acquisition of information. As the category title indicates, mobilization involves getting everything ready and mobilized in preparation for work to start. This includes understanding how to position resources, information, and money. An example of positioning of information is issuing the proper permits are in place before work begins. This phase is critical to the success of the overall project.  The more issues are understood and anticipated, the more costs become transparent and lessen the chances for budget surprise down the road.

The execution phase is how you use the resources, information, and money to do the work. If the budgeting process was effective, you are matching actual costs to budgeted costs with very few surprises. Beware that this is the category that often vendors skimp on during the bidding process to earn a job, with hopes of recovering costs later. Once the project is initiated, the execution phase is where the time, resources and scope that were estimated and budgeted are compared to the actual.  This is where the game is actually being played and you are keeping score. To do this, I like to use variance reporting to track project progress. 

De-mobilization costs are often neglected to be considered or short-budgeted. But the money and time is real when it comes to ramping down a project. Clean-up and restoration costs should be included in this category. Movement of resources to a pre-project stage also has to be considered. I like to emphasize this category with clients since it is the one most underestimated and least understood.

So how do you avoid budget gaps, unnecessary conflict and strained relationships between clients and suppliers? The answer truly is: “the devil is in the details.” The more thorough and detailed the budget is in all three categories, the easier it is to compare bids, understand true costs, and execute the project on time and budget. Always ask for the details of the budget. This allows you to compare bids and ensure that you are comparing apples to apples. 

Conversation with Craig Firl

Wind Systems staff
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Conversation with Craig Firl

Tell us about yourself and your responsibilities at Capital Safety.

Over the 30 years I’ve been with Capital Safety, I’ve held various positions in engineering support, quality assurance, customer support, marketing, and technical services. I have extensive knowledge in the areas of fall protection applications, product support and service, product development, and fall protection standards/regulations.

What can you tell us about the recent changes to the ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Code?

One of the most recent ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Code standards is ANSI Z359.7. This is a new umbrella standard, meaning it applies to all component standards within the Z359 family (i.e., it applies to the harness, energy absorbing lanyard, self retracting device, and anchorage connector standards within the Fall Protection Code). The ANSI Z359.7 standard is for testing and verification, and it requires all ANSI Z359 compliant products to be tested in an accredited laboratory to the most current version of the specific standard. All aspects and areas of the standard must be complied with.

While most manufacturers did test some items to the ANSI Z359 standards in the past, testing is now mandatory per the 359.7 standard. In addition, retesting is required to assure the products continue to comply; testing is required at least every five years if the manufacturer has a documented quality system, or every two years if no formal quality system is in place.

Is this standard something that will have to be adopted by all wind energy PSE suppliers?

ANSI remains a voluntary standard, but because of the mostly outdated, minimal OSHA standards that we have for fall protection, the ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Code is typically where most companies in any market or industry will look to for guidance and direction when it comes to protecting people working at height.

What steps are being taken by Capital Safety to have its equipment certified under the changes to the standard?

Capital Safety has always performed extensive testing and documentation on its products and has had its own accredited lab for about three years now. With that said, we still needed to conduct an extensive amount of testing to bring everything up to full compliance with the new standard. The documentation and making it available to customers was a large project, but one that the company saw as important. Customers can now go online via the Capital Safety website and download a certificate of compliance for all applicable ANSI Z359 complaint products.

What is the approval and certification process for products?

ANSI Z359.7 applies to all new ANSI compliant items being produced. Therefore, if it is marked as ANSI Z359 compliant, it has been thoroughly tested in an accredited lab. Most manufacturers have to go to an outside lab to have this testing done, resulting in a bit of a waiting period.

Over the past year or so, Capital Safety has been testing its products in its own accredited lab in order to meet the new compliance standard. If an item is not an active product in our manufacturing system, but someone requests that product be certified, Capital Safety would run the required tests. This normally amounts to no more than a week or two.

How will the changes to this standard benefit wind energy industry personnel, such as O&M techs?

Knowing that the products have been tested in an accredited lab should be important to anyone who has to work at height, and having the documentation available to prove it gives peace of mind. People using ANSI compliant equipment are assured that the product performs in accordance with the most recent standard.

For more information about Capital Safety’s line of safety equipment, visit en.capitalsafety.us. For information regarding the ANSI Z359.7 standard, visit en.capitalsafety.us/ANSI3597/tabid/3202/language/en-US/Default.aspx.

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