A short one year after introducing a system that combines lubrication storage and filtration for greater contamination control, Des-Case today announced that it has sold nearly 100 LT Series Lubricant Management Systems (LT-LMS) into a range of industrial settings in North and South America.
   
“To date, customers both domestically and around the world have embraced this product as a key component in their reliability programs,” said Michael Powers, vice president, sales & marketing with Des-Case.  “It’s gratifying to see it being accepted as a product of choice to transform the lube rooms of manufacturers both in the U.S. as well as countries like Brazil, Mexico, and Canada. We’re pleased with its potential in the marketplace.”

The stackable, all-in-one systems are completely customizable and offer various flow rates, container sizes (in both steel and high-density polyethylene), quick-connect fittings and accessories. The simple, easy-to-set-up design comes with a stand and  frees up valuable lube room floor space.

To learn how the LT-LMS system can revolutionize lubricant storage and handling practices, readers can click here to view a product information sheet, call 615-672-8800 or go to www.descase.com.

Maxwell Technologies, Inc. , the leading global supplier of ultracapacitors, announced today it has introduced a 160V ultracapacitor module designed to provide energy storage and power delivery for wind turbine pitch control, short-term uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and renewable energy systems. Primarily targeted at pitch control systems for 1.5 to 3MW wind turbines, the 160V module provides a turnkey solution to simplify the installation process and reduce costs for all integration partners.

According to the company, the new 160V module is a cost-effective and easy-to-install energy storage and power delivery solution for wind turbine pitch control systems from Maxwell Technologies who has ultracapacitor technology installed in more than 20,000 wind turbines worldwide. Ultracapacitors have been designed into an increasing share of the electric pitch system portion of the market because of their longer operating lifetime, low maintenance requirements and superior cold weather performance compared with batteries.

“Our new single-module solution for wind turbine pitch control systems is easier and less costly to install than other product designs, requires fewer connections improving safety and reliability and reduces overall system build and maintenance costs,” said Jeff Venegas, senior product marketing manager, Maxwell Technologies.

Ultracapacitors provide burst power for electrical blade pitch control systems that enhance the consistency of wind turbines’ electrical energy output and ensure rotor speed remains within a safe operating range by constantly adjusting turbine blades to compensate for changes in wind velocity. Ultracapacitors also provide an independent source of backup power for orderly shutdown in the event of a main system power failure and are used to smooth the flow of wind farms’ output to the electric utility grid.

Unlike batteries, which produce and store energy by means of a chemical reaction, Maxwell ultracapacitor products store energy in an electric field. This electrostatic energy storage mechanism enables ultracapacitors to charge and discharge in as little as fractions of a second, perform normally over a broad temperature range (-40° to +65°C), operate reliably through 500,000 or more charge/discharge cycles and resist shock, vibration and overcharging.

For more information, visit www.maxwell.com.

A new anti-corrosive coating with a drying time of just 60 minutes promises to increase line-speeds for wind tower manufacturers by at least 50 percent compared to standard two and three-coat systems. Launched by international coatings manufacturer Hempel, Hemperea DTM 55973 can be applied directly to metal and is suitable for C3 corrosive environments.

Hemparea DTM 55973 is a new anti-corrosive splash zone coating that combines a primer and top-coat in a single coat. Based on polyaspartic fast-cure technology, it is the only C3 classified coating on the market that can be handled within one hour at 20°C (50%RH).

Anders Voldsgaard Clausen, Group Wind Power Segment Manager at Hempel, believes the new coating could significantly increase line-speeds for onshore wind tower producers, especially those currently using two or three-coat systems.

“Many onshore wind towers need a C3 classified anti-corrosive coating to protect them from wear, tear and corrosion,” Clausen explained. “However, a standard coating system can take between four and twelve hours to dry, which causes huge bottlenecks in the production line. By reducing that curing time to one hour, Hemparea makes it possible for wind tower manufacturers to vastly increase line speeds and therefore reduce production costs.”

Hemparea releases very few volatile organic compounds into the environment. It can be applied manually or with robotic spray equipment directly on the metal.

“We developed Hemparea specifically for wind tower producers who want to handle tower parts quickly after coating them in order to improve efficiency,” Clausen said.

“If a wind tower producer, for example, uses a protective coating with a six-hour drying time, each tower section has to sit in the production hall for almost an entire shift before it can be handled. If the producer switches to Hemparea, that waiting time will be reduced to an hour, which means five or six times as many sections can be completed in one shift.

For more information, go to www.hempel.com.

An Australian company specializing in composite repair structures for marine pilings recently selected SCIGRIP’s SG230 HV (high viscosity) methacrylate adhesives the bonding agent in its PileJax™ pile encasement repair system. The selection came after rigorous testing by the renowned University of Southern Queensland Structural Composites Faculty, National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) certified laboratories and a specialist composite facility in the USA.

Brisbane-based Joinlox required an adhesive that could provide strong durable joints for assembling composite forms in a variety of chemical environments, including permanent and complete immersion in salt water. In addition to the ability to withstand prolonged salt water exposure, SCIGRIP’s SG230 HV was also recommended for its proven ability to adhere to vertical or overhead surfaces without sliding or sagging — and cure completely under water.

“The PileJax system is designed to be a heavy duty structural component in the rehabilitation of aging wharf and bridge piles,” said Joinlox CEO John Pettigrew. “SCIGRIP’s SG230 HV adhesive provides our rapid-fit composite jacket with a bonding agent that is lightweight, easy to apply and exceedingly strong.”

SCIGRIP’s SG230 HV methacrylate adhesive is a two-component, 10:1 mix ratio product for bonding composite and other plastic parts with minimal surface preparation. The adhesive is designed to work with a selection of activators, providing a wide range of working times ranging from 30 to 120 minutes. Typically used in marine, transportation and construction applications, and especially suited for bonding large structural parts requiring long working times and for filling deep irregular gaps up to 1.5 inches (39 mm), the SG230 HV adhesive is available in 490 ml cartridges; 5- and 50-gallon (19- and 189-liter) bulk containers for application with meter-mix dispense equipment.

“At SCIGRIP we continually strive to find smart adhesive solutions to difficult bonding problems in collaboration with customers, such as Joinlox, who need solutions to their product development challenges,” said Manny Tesfaye, director of Global Technical Services. “The unique advantages of the SG230 HV enabled Joinlox to offer the Pilejax encasement system as a cost effective method of repairing and strengthening marine and land infrastructure.”

PileJax systems have been engineered to suit any profile concrete, steel or timber piles as a cost-effective repair system for structural rehabilitation and ongoing protective requirements. PileJax protects against conditions including corrosion, sulphate attack, alkali aggregate reactivity, splashzone degradation, impact, cracking and organism attack such as fungi and borers. The patented PileJax systems are made from unique lightweight, long-life composites, and incorporate the revolutionary Joinlox joining system that is stronger than fasteners or straps and greatly reduces labor, dive time and lifting equipment. PileJax is ideal for marine, tidal or freshwater installations from the silt bed to above the splash zone. Extensive development and university testing has proven the PileJax can withstand the most arduous installations and engineering criteria.

For more information, go to www.scigrip.com. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 14, 2012 – Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, announced today that she is resigning, effective January 1, to return to private practice as a tax attorney.

“There is now a strong, bipartisan team of Congressional champions for the wind industry, and the all-important extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC),” Bode said. “When that is secured, all of my goals from the AWEA Board will have been accomplished. I am extremely proud to have led the AWEA staff as we worked together to get that job done, and, of course, grateful to the AWEA Board for the opportunity to serve this very promising industry.”

Tom Carnahan, chairman of the Board of Directors, said, “We are grateful to Denise for her countless contributions to the wind industry as the Association has undergone a successful transformation to a first-class bipartisan business trade association. She has been a critically important agent for change and growth at AWEA, and she will be sorely missed. We wish her continuing success.”

“I will be working with AWEA’s Board to appoint a search committee to recruit a new leader for the organization who will work closely with AWEA’s excellent staff to build on Denise’s legacy,” Carnahan said. “In the meantime, Senior Vice President for Public Policy Rob Gramlich has agreed to serve as interim CEO through the transition period. Gramlich, a well-known electric industry expert, has been at the center of AWEA’s external relationships and internal strategic planning for over seven years, and will be able to keep AWEA’s initiatives moving forward without missing a beat. We thank him for his willingness to serve.”

Carnahan also said he was pleased that Bode has agreed to be available to the AWEA leadership for her additional guidance in the future.

During Bode’s four-year tenure at AWEA, the Board charged her with reorganizing and upgrading the professional staff to build a team with strong accountability and professionalism; and with assuring that the wind industry had a seat at the policy table, for which she added advocacy campaign tools and expanded media relations. She worked with the Board to institute best practices for association governing bodies and procedures, and sponsored the creation of the Wind Energy Foundation to expand the industry’s public educational outreach. With extension of the PTC, all of her goals for the organization will have been accomplished.

“I am also proud of the opportunity to have been part of the one of the largest growth periods in the wind industry’s history—doubling capacity and increasing American manufacturing to now almost 70% made in America,” Bode said.

She added, “I am excited to be returning to private practice. With tax policy the dominant interest of my career and prospects for a real tax reform bill in the air, I can’t imagine a better time to make this move.”

Bode took the helm at AWEA on Jan. 1, 2009. She previously led the American Clean Skies Foundation, and before that the Independent Petroleum Association of America. For ten years she served as an elected Corporation Commissioner of Oklahoma, and worked for six years on the staff of then-U.S. Sen. David Boren as his legal counsel,

Gramlich joined AWEA in 2005 and oversees its federal, state, regulatory, and data and analysis teams. He previously worked as Economic Advisor to Pat Wood III, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 2001 until 2005. He holds a Masters in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.A. in Economics from Colby College.

“Rob Gramlich will provide the steady hand needed to represent the industry during this critical period,” said Bode. “I am confident that AWEA will continue to fulfill its mission of driving demand for wind energy in America.”

DONG Energy, E.ON and Masdar have announced that the first power had been produced at the London Array Offshore Wind Farm.

The 630MW scheme, located in the Thames Estuary, will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.  The development has been under construction since March 2011 and 151 of the 175 turbines have now been installed, with construction on schedule to be finished by the end of the year.

The 175 turbines will produce enough power to supply over 470,000 UK homes with electricity.
“With its 630MW the London Array project will be the first of the next generation of larger offshore wind farms and we are pleased to have reached first power,” said Benj Sykes, Wind UK Country Manager at DONG Energy. “Being able to efficiently develop large offshore wind farms and harvest the scale advantages in both construction and operation is an important element in our continuous efforts to bring down costs of energy of offshore wind.”

London Array is being built around 20km off the coasts of Kent and Essex. The wind farm will be installed on a 245km2 site and will be built in two phases. Phase One will cover 90km2 and include 175 turbines with a combined capacity of 630MW. The consortium plans to complete the first phase by the end of 2012. If approved, the second phase will add enough capacity to bring the total to 870MW.

“The London Array offshore wind project is a landmark achievement for Masdar, its partners and the United Kingdom,” said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar. “We are proud to be making a significant contribution to the UK’s renewable energy portfolio and targets. The London Array development is an example of the true potential and commercial viability of renewable energy. It is also a model of the collaboration and action required to implement large-scale clean energy projects in an effort to sustainable meet our growing energy demands.” For more information, visit www.londonarray.com.

Each year, the European Wind Energy Association organizes an event for the wind industry that takes on a new theme to foster progress and industry growth. EWEA 2013 will focus on providing participants with real opportunities to help them find the real growth. New sources of finance and investment, new growth opportunities in the wind energy industry, new markets and technology developments all represent opportunities for new sources of growth and jobs that should be grasped.

EWEA 2013 Annual Event (February 4–7 2013) comprises a conference and exhibition. The conference is developed by industry experts and covers six tracks, where sessions will update attendees with the latest and most up-to-date developments and explore the industry’s most pressing issues. The exhibition will serve as the center point for the whole event, bringing together industry leaders and technology pioneers from mature and emerging markets, enabling delegates to meet, do business and learn first-hand about how challenges are being overcome and the new opportunities that are emerging.

“While the wind industry continues to grow in mature markets, developers are also looking to emerging markets,” EWEA president Arthouros Zervos said. “The Austrian capital — Vienna, a central location between the east and west of Europe, is a fitting place for mature and emerging wind energy markets to meet at the European Wind Energy Association 2013 annual event.”

The EWEA will issue a new report at the conference, entitled “Wind Energy Opportunities in Emerging Markets.” “This event is for anyone who wants to learn about the current state of the wind industry,” Zervos said. For more information, visit www.ewea.org.

Northern Power Systems announced that 74 of its wind turbines, including three in the Caribbean, were in the path of Hurricane Sandy and were undamaged by the high winds. Following Irene, a Category 3 hurricane, Sandy was the second powerful Atlantic storm to hit Northern Power turbines within a year and all turbines that were impacted performed safely as expected.

“The losses experienced from Hurricane Sandy are a tragic reminder of how powerful nature can be,” said Troy Patton, Northern Power Systems President and CEO. “Many of our turbines, from the Caribbean to the eastern seaboard of the US, were directly in the path of Hurricane Sandy, but none were damaged by the high winds. At Northern Power Systems, we have the experience and commitment to continue to make products that are safe and reliable.”

As a testament to the design of Northern Power’s turbines, as soon as each turbine detected Sandy’s hurricane force winds, it automatically entered safe mode. Once conditions returned to normal, each turbine started generating electricity again.

“Having been in the wind business since 1974, we know the ultimate test of a wind turbine is not the design specification, but how well it stands up to extreme winds in real life,” said Jonathan Lynch, Chief Technology Officer at Northern Power Systems. “Although powerful storms such as Sandy occur infrequently in the Northeast, Northern Power turbines routinely experience hurricane force winds in Alaska and continue to operate at high availability.” For more information, visit www.northernpower.com.

Manufacturers who utilize composite materials to build their products will converge at the Long Beach Convention Center for Composites Manufacturing 2013, March 19-21. This event, featuring a content-rich conference and industry-leading exhibitors, provides practical solutions and cutting-edge knowledge on composite applications, processes and best practices. The three-day program features a combination of education, networking, exhibits, exclusive tours, industry keynotes and in-depth manufacturing insight. This event will attract manufacturing engineers and management from many leading industries, including: wind energy, aerospace, medical, transportation, recreational, consumer products and green manufacturing.

The Composites Manufacturing event is developed by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), who work with an industry advisory board. The team drives the content, scope and direction of the event, while providing a maximum return on investment.

Experts from an array of industries will share their professional knowledge, providing information attendees can use as soon as they return to work.

Composites Manufacturing continues to evolve and improve to provide a range of different educational and networking opportunities. Industry keynotes, exclusive facility tours, in-depth workshops, peer-to-peer networking and hands on evaluation of the latest products and services enhance the learning experience.

This year, Composites Manufacturing will be held alongside SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing 2013 event.  This co-location allows attendees from wind energy, automotive, and recreational sporting goods industries to collaborate with aerospace and defense companies.

The applications for composites continue to grow exponentially each decade. Over the past 30 years, advanced composites have found their way into everything from phone covers and gear-shift knobs, to 60-meter-long wind blades and entire commercial airplanes.  As of 2009, the $42 billion U.S. composites industry consisted of more than 3,000 different companies servicing a diverse group of industries.

Composites Manufacturing 2013 is supported by the American Wind Energy Association, Abaris Training and media partner Wind Systems. For more information, visit www.sme.org.

Colorado now has almost 2.2GW of wind energy in place after developer NextEra Energy Resources began commercial operation of its 400MW Limon I and Limon II projects about 90 miles southeast of Denver.

The facility is comprised of twin 200MW projects each with 125 General Electric 1.6MW wind turbines. Xcel Energy subsidiary Public Service Company of Colorado, the dominant electric utility in the state, is buying all the power under long-term contract. NextEra will own and operate it. “Wind continues to deliver cost-competitive energy,” says Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper. He notes that royalty payments to farmers hosting the turbines will help build “strong, vibrant rural communities.”

NextEra estimates that it will generate $130M in taxes and royalty payments over the initial 25 years of operation.

Public Service Company of Colorado President David Eves says the project offers its customers some of the lowest-priced wind energy the utility has seen. “They demonstrate that renewable energy can compete on an economic basis with more traditional forms of generation fuel.”

Limon I and II are NextEra’s fourth and fifth wind projects in Colorado, bringing total nameplate capacity to 975MW, enough power for 450,000 average size homes. For more information, visit www.nexteraenergyresources.com.

The Windreich Group, comprised of British Wind Energy GmbH and TenneT TSO GmbH, has signed an agreement for the production of a temporary grid connection of the offshore wind farm, Deutsche Bucht. Subsequently, the wind farm Deutsche Bucht will be connected to the already commissioned grid connection, BorWin2 by TenneT, to serve as a temporary solution in order to generate power until the originally intended wind farm grid connection, BorWin4, is completed.

While BorWin4 is still in the tendering phase, BorWin2 is already under construction with a total capacity of 800MW. The primary legitimate offshore wind farms are Veja Mate and also the 400MW wind farm Global Tech I initiated by Windreich AG. After the grid connection BorWin4 is completed, the wind farm Deutsche Bucht is to be integrated to these connections in full power. In addition, it was also agreed upon to settle the ongoing litigations. Under this agreement, a timely construction and commissioning of the third Windreich`s wind farm Deutsche Bucht in 2015 is secured.

“Our common interest in contract negotiations was to successfully contribute to the implementation of the energy transition, to which billions of euros have been invested from both companies respectively,” Windreich AG CEO Willi Balz said.

The installation, commissioning, and acceptance of the converter stations, cable conduction, and installation of the AC cable will continue to be managed under the responsibility of TenneT TSO. These regulations shall not be affected by the temporary grid connectivity.

“We want to promote the development of offshore wind energy, so that the objectives of the energy transition can be achieved,” TenneT board member Lex Hartman said. “I am therefore delighted that together with Windreich AG, we have quickly and constructively found a pragmatic solution for the wind farm Deutsche Bucht”. For more information, visit www.windreich.ag or www.tennet.org.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) announced the election of the following industry professionals to its Board of Directors for 2012-2013 at the organization’s Annual General Meeting in Toronto Oct. 16:

Adarsh Mehta, Director of Development, Acciona Wind Energy Canada — Ms. Mehta has been involved in the wind industry for the past 14 years, and joined Acciona Wind Energy in 2010. Ms. Mehta was previously elected to the CanWEA Board of Directors for 2008-2011, during which time she served as Vice-Chair, Chair, and Past-Chair.

Ben Greenhouse, Director of Development, NextEra Energy Canada — Mr. Greenhouse has worked in the wind industry since 2007, and has been involved in multiple phases of wind farm development and operations across Canada. As the current Director of Development for NextEra Energy Canada, he leads the development of multiple wind projects.

Colin Edwards, Senior Developer Canada, Pattern Energy Group — Mr. Edwards has been a Senior Developer at Pattern Energy Group since the company’s formation in 2009 and established the Toronto office where he now leads Pattern’s Canadian development activities.

Roby Roberts, Vice President Communications and Government and Regulatory Affairs, EDP Renewables North America — Mr. Roberts joined EDP Renewables North America in 2010 and has more than 20 years of experience in renewable energy policy, communications, business development and regulation.

Roslyn McMann, Senior Sales Manager, GE Renewables — Ms. McMann joined GE in 2008 as the Sales Manager, Western Canada for GE Energy – Power Generation, and is now responsible for the growth of GE’s Renewable Energy portfolio in Canada.

Shannon Wever, Manager, Business Development — Wind Energy, TransAlta — Ms. Wever has led TransAlta’s wind energy business development efforts for all Canadian markets since 2011, and has been employed in the wind energy industry since 2003.

By the end of this year, wind energy’s contribution of clean power to Canada’s electricity supply is projected to grow by nearly 20 percent, with the addition of 1,200MW of new wind energy capacity. This will mark the second consecutive year with well over 1,000MW of newly installed capacity, maintaining Canada’s position as one of the world’s leading wind energy markets. Canada will see wind energy projects commissioned in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec in 2012, with over 60 percent of Canada’s new wind energy capacity in Quebec. For more information, visit www.canwea.ca.

Aggreko and ComRent International have signed an agreement to provide a specialized temporary power and load bank solution to the wind turbine industry.

The agreement covers the continental United States and Canada, and enables Aggreko and ComRent to combine efforts to offer complex wind turbine commissioning services that save significant time and money for owners and operators.

“Aggreko and ComRent are well-established in providing commissioning services to the wind energy sector,” said Neil Hamilton, National Manager, Corporate Accounts, Aggreko North America. “Working together, we will be able to capitalize on these market strengths and deliver an unrivaled solution to more users. This relationship represents another step forward in Aggreko’s global strategy to provide customers worldwide with leading-edge power products and technologies that allow them to succeed.”

Utilities that manage the grid where wind farms seek connections often require certification prior to grid operation — an often time consuming and expensive process. To address this issue, Aggreko and ComRent’s innovative solution will establish realistic conditions where the turbines are fully tested to their limits in a controlled environment prior to initial grid interconnection.  This unique offering reduces the time needed to commission wind farms by testing all associated transformers and switchgear as well as the substation. With the new process, the commissioning is reduced from months to just weeks for a fully compliant wind farm — with revenue opportunities realized immediately.

“This is an exclusive, combined offering which uniquely positions ComRent and Aggreko to deliver a strong, end-to-end solution to developers in the wind energy industry,” said Paul Clewell, Vice President, Global Development, ComRent. “Together the two organizations can offer the North American wind energy industry unparalleled technology and seasoned technical teams, comprehensively addressing clients’ needs.” For more information, visit www.aggreko.com or www.comrent.com.

Cable and wire manufacturer HELUKABEL has announced that its North American Headquarters is moving to a new location in the Chicago suburb of Elgin, Illinois. The new headquarters will house U.S. and Canadian corporate, sales and warehousing/distribution operations. HELUKABEL USA has been in their new facility since the end of October.

“Elgin’s location to one of North America’s busiest transportation hubs has been a great asset to us since we started our operations in 2007. Other than finding a larger building in order for us to keep up with increased customer demand, from a product and customer service standpoint, we felt that staying in Elgin was an ideal fit,” said Marc Luksch, president of HELUKABEL USA.

The 40,000 sq. ft. warehouse will now carry 3,600 line items in stock. The warehouse will also be equipped with a high-speed spooler for standard size cables and a heavy-duty spooler for kcmil (MCM) size cables to increase the speed with which orders can be processed, packaged and shipped out to customers. Both the larger warehouse and office space will accommodate the current staff and allow for future expansion as the company continues to grow its presence in the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.helukabel.com.

In the construction of wind turbine foundations, accurate bolt templates are critical in the precise placement of bolts in the bolt cage.  Improper placement can result in delays while setting the tower base as well as resulting in bent or damaged bolts.  Bolt templates can also serve to form a grout trough, which is patented by Alan Henderson of Patrick and Henderson Engineering.
 
The traditional one-piece templates are heavy, expensive and difficult to transport.  Clearly, safety issues are also a concern.   To address these concerns, Norm Tooman Construction has developed and patented a segmented template that is lighter, easier to transport and safer to handle.

The “full-floating template” divides the traditional template into easy to manage segments.  Each segment is light enough, at approximately 40 pounds, for employees to safely handle by hand and the full set is easily moved from one foundation to another in the back of a pickup truck.  Yet, the full-floating template is strong enough to suspend bolts for leveling at the mud mate.  The full-floating template is designed to be absolutely parallel with the embed plate, making leveling quick and easy.  Using Norm Tooman Construction’s patent pending bolt spacers, Wiggle Bars™, in conjunction with the full-floating templates allows bolts to be tied horizontally at ground level, lifted and installed in the bolt cage in batches of up to 20 bolts at a time. 

Traditional bolt cage construction has changed very little over the years.  As the wind industry continues to mature, it should be our primary objective to seek out safer, less expensive and more efficient construction methods.  Norm Tooman Construction’s full-floating template is a straightforward, easy step toward enhanced safety, savings and efficiency.  For more information, visit www.normtoomanconst.com or call 760-408-9878.

Nord-Lock adds a new dimension of safety to bolt security with the launch of the Nord-Lock X-series washer. X-series combines Nord-Lock’s unmatched wedge-locking protection against spontaneous bolt loosening (due to vibration and dynamic loads) with an exclusive spring effect that protects against slackening due to settlement and relaxation. This unique combination makes X-series the first, true multifunctional solution — offering the highest security for critical joints, without compromise.

The new multifunctional wedge-locking product from Nord-Lock offers bolt security without compromise.

With new technologies and demands, joints increasingly have to withstand stresses from multiple fronts, including vibration, dynamic loads, settlement and relaxation. Yet, no solutions on the market have previously been designed to secure bolts from all of these at once. This has left designers with the difficulty of figuring out which issue — spontaneous bolt loosening or slackening — will have the biggest effect on the joint, and choosing a solution to handle that single problem. Now, there is no need to compromise. Nord-Lock X-series ensures total bolt security while simplifying design and maintenance since there is no need to use and stock multiple solutions.

The principle of Nord-Lock X-series washers includes multiple functions that act on the bolted joint to maintain preload and prevent spontaneous bolt loosening.

How it Works:
As with Nord-Lock’s original washers, each washer pair has cams on one side and radial teeth on the opposite side to secure the bolted joint with tension instead of friction. The Nord-Lock X-series washers’ conical shape also creates an elastic reserve in the bolted joint to compensate for the loss of preload and prevent slackening. For more information, visit www.nord-lock.com.

The new ND 120 Quadra-Chek metrology digital readout (DRO) from Heidenhain is designed specifically for manual measuring machines such as optical comparators and measuring microscopes.  As an offshoot of Heidenhain’s ND 1200 Quadra-Chek, the ND 120 offers most of the functionality but at a lower price point.  It supports two- to three-axes with the third axis switchable between linear or rotary.

The new ND 120 Quadra-Chek has a monochrome flat-panel screen for displayed values, measured features, and graphical displays.  It combines the robust design and hardware of Heidenhain’s machine tool DROs with the software and functionality of the Quadra-Chek metrology units.  The rugged diecast aluminum enclosure makes the ND 120 perfect for harsh factory floor environments where production control takes place.  Meanwhile, the capability to measure and tolerance points, lines, circles, distances, and angles makes the ND120 well suited for the demands of metrology.

The appropriate combination of defined function keys and context-dependent soft keys provides the user with a clear overview and a simple-to-use system.  The user friendly GUI follows previous Quadra-Chek software, providing users with a simple, convenient, cost effective digital readout.

Finally, to keep up with market demands, the ND 120 is capable of direct USB communication with a computer.  This feature allows for easy storage of data and convenient interfacing with any current computer the user may have.  In keeping with Heidenhain tradition, the ND 120 offers reliability and ease of use now in a more economical package. For more information, visit www.heidenhain.com.

Western Pacific Crane & Equipment (WPCE) is pleased to announce a new facility in Kapolei, Hawai’i in order to better meet the equipment and maintenance needs of customers in the Pacific Rim region. WPCE is an authorized distributor for Manitowoc, Grove and National Boom Truck that is expanding rapidly throughout the Pacific Rim, the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada.

“We bring decades of knowledge and experience in heavy equipment gained from our sister company, Walter Payton Power Equipment, one of the leading Manitowoc Crane distributors in the US,” said Robert Johnson, president of WPCE. “Walter Payton Power Equipment has set the standard for sales and service in the industry, and we are applying the same basic principles at Western Pacific. Foremost is our commitment to building strong relationships with our customers and always striving to exceed their expectations.”

The new WPCE facility will offer regional sales, maintenance, and parts distribution for our customers in Hawaii, Guam and the Marshall Islands. The grounds will feature a full-service shop and almost an acre of yard space in the Campbell Industrial Park. In addition to Manitowoc, Grove and National Crane equipment sales, Western Pacific will provide these customers with a modern parts center and state-of-the-art service bay staffed with factory-trained technicians.

Dennis Piatek has been named the Branch Manager of the new WPCE Hawaii facility. “I am pleased to have joined Western Pacific Crane and Equipment a year ago and to have the opportunity to continue representing the premier leader in lift equipment – Manitowoc Crane Group,” he said. “As part of the Lanco Group of Companies, WPCE has demonstrated their commitment to the Hawaiian ‘Ohana’ with their dedication to their customers in the Pacific Rim region”, says Piatek. “I look forward to continuing working hard for our Hawaiian, Guam and Marshall Islands customers to fulfill their lifting and service needs.”

For more information, call (808) 682-7263 or visit www.wpcrane.com.

The new Werner Fall Protection product portfolio reaffirms Werner’s commitment to safety and position as a professional products manufacturer. Werner is extending their promise to end-users by providing safe access at any height with the introduction of this new category. 

Werner has complemented their extensive line of climbing equipment with a wide range of Fall Protection products. The complete line includes a variety of anchors, connecting devices, harnesses, vertical lifelines, compliance kits and accessories.

Unique features of the Werner equipment include WebAlert Inspectable webbing with contrasting colored fibers embedded in the harness and lanyard structure to provide an instant visual indicator of wear, impact or damage. INSPECT™, a safety label/tag system, is also featured on all harnesses to ensure safety monitoring, maintenance and data recording.

The harness family includes the LITEFIT™ safety harness, the Blue Armor 1000 inspectable harness designed to meet the needs of pros, and the Blue Armor 2000 manufactured for serious professionals with the most demanding jobs. The harness line also offers a complete range of safety levels with the right harness, the right fit and the right value based on the user’s working conditions. Harnesses come in standard, climbing, positioning, retrieval and construction styles with alternate attachment hardware for specific applications.

Lanyards are available in DeCoil™ energy absorbing, DeCoil™ Stretch with energy absorbing elastic, and SoftCoil™ internal energy absorbing models with various configurations and lanyard hook options. AutoCoil™ self-retracting and vertical lifelines, along with a variety of anchor connectors, accessories, and compliance kits round out the new Fall Protection line by Werner.

For more information, visit www.wernerfallprotection.com.

Torkworx, a leader in bolting solutions, introduces an electronic digital torque control solution for the wind energy industry. The E-RAD system provides a safer, more repeatable and user-friendly tooling solution that increases accuracy and includes torque data recording capabilities, where not previously available in older hydraulic methods.

The E-RAD system uses electricity directly from the WTG along with digital torque control firmware to insure high accuracy and repeatability. This eliminates the possibility of hydraulic failure that may result in injury or environmental contamination in the WTG.

With user-friendly controls that are completely programmable by the operator. In addition, the E-RAD electronic torque system operates at 75 db reducing the noise level considerably from older hydraulic torque systems. With exceptionally low vibration levels and a lightweight pistol grip style design, the E-RAD is ergonomic.

The E-RAD’s capability of real time torque data collection enhances the traceability of critical bolts that require regular maintenance torque checks. It also includes torque and angle bolt torque operation as a standard in a single actuation eliminating possible user error and incorrect torque being applied.

The unsurpassed power-to-weight ratio and the convenience of a lightweight ultra-durable portable carrying case eliminate the need to move heavy hydraulic pumps and reduce operator fatigue.

The E-RAD is available in several models with torque ranging from 200 to 6000 foot-pounds and accurate to +/- 3%. The E-RAD electronic series pistol-grip torque wrenches are lighter, faster, quieter, and more reliable than older hydraulic means of bolting, which insures that each bolt is tightened to exacting standards. 

For more information, visit www.torkworx.com.