Klüber Lubrication’s analysis service is now available for lubricants in generators, blades and main bearings of wind turbines. It examines several aspects of a grease‘s current condition, including overall status, oxidation, wear particles and behavior of additives, mixing with foreign matter and oxidation and the extent to which old and new lubricant are mixed after changeovers. A sampling kit with a detailed description is available from Klüber Lubrication. The company also will provide a report on the results of the analysis, along with future recommendations. 

In addition, Kluber introduces a new line of lubricants. The new versatile adhesive lubricant, Klübersynth AG 14-61 is designed for girth gear/pinion drives and plain bearings, or yaw bearings, in wind turbines. The wide service temperature range of the synthetic lubricant, which is also spreadable at low temperatures, ensures trouble-free operation. Klübersynth AG 14-61 can be applied by central lubrication systems down to -30 °C. The product ensures excellent wear protection and contributes to longer girth gear/pinion drive lifetime due to its combination of selected solid lubricants and additives. Furthermore, the new lubricant is very versatile. 

The synthetic gear oils of the Klübersynth GEM 4 N series offer high scuffing load capacity, micro-pitting resistance and wear protection, meeting the specific requirements of the wind industry. They are also resistant to ageing and oxidation and have good viscosity-temperature behavior. Additionally, the synthetic gear oils of the Klübersynth GEM 4 N series also have excellent anti-foam properties, as they contain raw materials with low tendency to foam combined with highly effective anti-foam additives. 

For more information, visit www.klueber.com. 

Wind Systems magazine has applied for business publication membership in BPA Worldwide. The magazine is published by Media Solutions, Inc. (Pelham, AL).

BPA Worldwide will track circulation for Wind Systems based on business/distribution, demographics and geographic coverage. The magazine will have 12 months to complete its initial circulation audit.

“The strong growth of Wind Systems magazine has made it a perfect time to apply for membership with BPA Worldwide,” said Publisher David Cooper. “Our firm commitment to our recipients and advertisers will be enhanced by our future membership in BPA.”

“We are pleased that Wind Systems magazine has applied for membership in BPA Worldwide,” said BPA president and CEO Glenn Hansen. “We applaud the publisher for providing advertisers and prospects with the solid assurance of an independent circulation audit conducted according to our world-respected, uncompromising standards. With a BPA audit, media buyers can be confident that circulation claims are accurate, and that they have the verified data that they need to assess a publication’s effectiveness in serving its market.”

BPA Worldwide is a not-for-profit organization since 1931 and headquartered in Shelton, CT, USA. BPA has the largest membership of any media-auditing organization in the world, spanning more than 30 countries. The organization conducts 2,600+ audits for media brands in print, online/digital and live events. Additionally, under the iCompli brand, BPA documents compliance to defined standards including data protection, provides assurance of sustainability reporting, and verifies technology, service and privacy claims. BPA is supported by 2,700 advertiser and agency members.

For more information, visit www.bpaww.com.

As the importance of wind power increases, so will the challenges to be met by wind power plants, also in terms of efficiency. Downtime, short maintenance intervals, complex supplier management, high storage costs for lubricants and gear oils are just some of the challenges influencing operators’ success. Klüber Lubrication will present high-quality speciality lubricants and tailor-made services for the wind energy industry under the motto “Wind beneath your wings” at the HUSUM WindEnergy 2012 in hall 3, stand 3E 08.

The new adhesive lubricant Klübersynth AG 14-61 has been especially designed for girth gear/pinion drives and plain bearings, e.g. yaw bearings, in wind turbines. The wide service temperature range of the synthetic lubricant, which is also spreadable at low temperatures, ensures trouble-free operation. Klübersynth AG 14-61 can be applied by central lubrication systems down to -30 °C. The product ensures excellent wear protection and contributes to longer girth gear/pinion drive lifetime due to its combination of selected solid lubricants and additives. Furthermore, the new lubricant is very versatile.

Besides this newly developed product, visitors can also find out about Klüber Lubrication’s speciality. The synthetic gear oils of the Klübersynth GEM 4 N series offer high scuffing load capacity, micro-pitting resistance and wear protection, meeting the specific requirements of the wind industry. They are also resistant to aging and oxidation and have a good viscosity-temperature behavior. Additionally, the synthetic gear oils of the Klübersynth GEM 4 N series also have excellent anti-foam properties, as they contain raw materials with low tendency to foam combined with highly-effective anti-foam additives.

Klüber Lubrication will also present a wide range of services in the field of speciality lubrication. The Grease Condition Analysis (GCA) service has been added to the portfolio this year. Availability is a key factor for operators of wind turbines. Lubricant analysis can provide information that helps to optimize availability. Bearing grease condition analyses by means of standardized methods on a regular basis provide information on the current condition of the grease. Based on analysis results, the failure risk of expensive components or systems can be reduced and useful life be increased. Grease condition analysis is available for selected lubricating greases from Klüber Lubrication.

For more information, visit www.kluber.com.

Ecotech Institute, the first and only college entirely focused on preparing America’s workforce for careers in clean technology and sustainability, held its first graduation on Thursday, June 21, 2012. Forty-two students received their associate’s degree, which prepares them for a career in the clean technology industry. The graduates received degrees in Wind Energy Technology, Solar Energy Technology, Renewable Energy Technology and Electrical Engineering Technology. Former Governor Bill Ritter, who currently serves as the Director of the Colorado State University Center for the New Energy Economy, delivered the commencement speech at the graduation.

“As Governor, I was proud when Ecotech Institute chose Colorado as the place to locate the country’s first private technical institute devoted solely to preparing the workforce for the clean energy economy,” said Ritter, “It is a privilege to play a role in Ecotech’s first commencement, and to see the efforts of the staff and faculty come to fruition.”

Students in this first graduating class began classes in a temporary facility in June 2010 as Ecotech completed an overhaul of an existing vacant building. In January 2011, they moved to the current LEED gold-certified campus in Aurora, Colorado. Today, Ecotech has more than 500 students and continues to grow.

“This initial group of students are visionaries, as they signed up for classes before they were able to see the beautiful campus and cutting-edge labs,” said Mike Seifert, president of Ecotech Institute. “Now, a variety of clean tech companies are offering them excellent positions and their forward-thinking commitment is paying off. We applaud each of them and look forward to watching their success.”

At Ecotech all students develop soft skills (communication, workplace etiquette), and math and science basics and technology skills, but the educational emphasis is on hands-on, practical training.  Ecotech’s prestigious national board of advisors, who all work in clean tech industries, helped design the school’s curriculum, providing coursework that reflects what the students will experience upon graduation. For a demographic breakdown of this first graduating class, please visit http://www.ecotechinstitute.com/pdf/ecotech-graduate-information.pdf.  

“Ecotech is producing well-prepared graduates that are highly sought in industries such as ours,” said Jesse Masters, Recruiter from M-I SWACO, a Schlumberger Company. “Its curriculum and practical labs offer complete training that makes new employees ready to hit the ground running. We were very impressed with the interviews we conducted with students from this graduating class and are excited to have several of these graduates join our team.”

Ecotech’s campus is LEED-gold certified and supports a commitment to sustainable living. The school generates approximately 5-10 percent of its energy from on-site clean, renewable energy sources such as rooftop wind turbines, solar panels, integral thin solar technologies embedded into the glass of the building canopy, and solar trees.

Ecotech Institute, which is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, offers five highly practical associate’s degree programs that provide graduates with skills valued by today’s alternative renewable energy employers.

To learn more about Ecotech Institute, visit us online at www.ecotechinstitute.com or call 877-326-5576.  The next round of classes begins in July and applications are being accepted now. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify.

AWS Truepower, LLC, an international leader in renewable energy consulting and information services, announces the release of “Wind Resource Assessment: A Practical Guide to Developing a Wind Project” (Wiley, 2012). The book provides authoritative, practical guidance wind energy planners, managers, developers, tower installers, and others involved in wind monitoring and resource assessment for utility-scale wind projects around the world.

Michael Brower, PhD, lead author and Chief Technical Officer of AWS Truepower, noted, “Every industry needs standards to succeed. This is especially true of wind resource assessment. This new book – representing the knowledge of a team of AWS Truepower experts who have assessed over 60,000 MW of wind projects – will help readers avoid costly mistakes in a project’s development.”

The book explains how readers can achieve a high standard of resource assessment, reduce the uncertainty associated with long-term energy performance, and maximize the value of their wind assets. Topics addressed include siting, installation, and operation of a high-quality wind monitoring program, methods of data quality control and validation, extrapolating measurements from anemometer height to turbine height, adjusting short-term observations for historical climate conditions, and wind flow modeling to account for terrain and surface conditions. In addition, special topics such as remote sensing (sodar and lidar), offshore resource assessment, climate change, uncertainty, and plant design and energy estimation are reviewed.

Visit http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118022327.html or www.awstruepower.com.

Availon, Inc, announces that it is now a certified ASP (Authorized Service Provider) for Winergy Drive Systems Corporation, USA. Winergy offers a full range of components for the wind turbine drive train including gearboxes, couplings, and generators.

To gain ASP Certfication, a team of Availon’s engineers and technicians attended extensive training at the Winergy Plant in Elgin, IL. The subject of hands-on training was the up-tower gearbox repair for GE 1.5 wind turbines. As a result, Availon’s personnel are certified in borescope services for identifiying of the gear and bearing damages inside the gearbox; high speed bearing replacement; high speed shaft replacement; intermediate speed bearing replacement (generator side only); intermediate speed shaft replacement; low speed bearing replacement (generator side only); pitch tube replacement and/or repair.

All works performed by factory-trained Availon technicians are covered under the Winergy standard one-year warranty. In addition to the certified services, Availon is stocking Winergy-manufactured parts needed for repair and replacement of gearbox components at Availon’s Service and Distribution Centers in Des Moines, Iowa, and Sweetwater, Texas.

Availon and Winergy plan to continue training and the certfication process to allow Availon’s wind technicians to perform up-tower services for other wind turbine brands and makes.

John Brown, Availon North America’s Special Projects Manager and a Winergy-certified technician said, “The gearbox converts the low speed high torque energy produced by the blades into a high speed low torque energy that drives the generator, and as such it is truly the central component of the drive system. If any component in the gearbox has been damaged, the entire drive system may be compromised causing serious loss of production.

The ability to perform up-tower gearbox repairs helps cut crane costs and significantly reduces a turbine’s downtime. For more information, visit www.availon.com.

General Machine Products Company, Inc. reintroduces its repair facility dedicated to the reconditioning of the company’s brand of cable lashing machines. Staffed by a team of experts with decades of hands-on experience, GMP’s Lasher Repair Center facility thoroughly inspects, reconditions or replaces worn-out or damaged cable lasher components with original quality parts. Cable lashing machines, sometimes called “lashers” or “spinners”, are designed to wind stainless steel wire around telephone, power, and other utility cable, thereby securing or “lashing” the cable to the supporting messenger strand that spans between utility poles. Since its introduction, GMP has produced over 30,000 lashing machines, with some manufactured in the 1950’s still in service today.

Accepted as the industry standard, GMP lashers have been known to operate typically for 25 years or more, lashing thousands of miles of cable in their lifetimes. This wear and tear can necessitate factory-authorized repairs during the life of the machine. The Lasher Repair Center provides a convenient solution for keeping lashers on the job longer. GMP also discounts the parts used in its repairs, adding more value to this needed maintenance function.

To offset the purchase price of brand new units, the company also accepts GMP brand lasher trade-ins. Contact the sales department at 215-357-5500 or info@GMPtools.com for details about the lasher trade-in program or visit www.GMPtools.com.

Located in Austin, Texas, FT Technologies announces the opening of its office. Gordon Bease will manage all business operations from this site.

“FT Technologies has been very successful in creating a portfolio of established clients in North America, and the N.A. office and operations will capitalize on our geographical proximity to existing and new markets. I believe that excellent in-region customer service, in addition to superior and differentiated products, are the keystones to business success,” said Bease.

With over 10GW of installed wind power capacity, Texas has a significant installed base of FT Technologies’ FT702LT ultrasonic wind sensors, and also has a strong academic focus on wind power. Austin, in particular, is very active in attracting investment from leading-edge Cleantech companies and provides an excellent business environment.

Greg Wortham-Executive Director, Texas Wind Energy Clearinghouse, added “TWEC is delighted to have FT Technologies setup their North American headquarters in Texas. This reflects our State’s leadership in wind energy and is indicative of the potential of the North American wind industry as a whole.”

The new office is located at: 12600 Hill Country Boulevard, Suite R-275, Bee Cave, TX 78738.
For more information, call 512-329-2622 or visit www.fttech.co.uk.

LORD Corporation–a global leader in the management of motion, vibration and noise–now offers gearbox bushing and generator mounts for the growing wind turbine industry.

According to Susan Alice, LORD National Account Manager, at the request of OEMs, LORD entered the wind energy market by applying technological solutions proven in other industries.

“With more than 80 years of experience in vibration isolation and industrial damping applications, LORD is uniquely qualified to respond to the growing industry need for solutions in the wind energy market,” said Alice. “Our expertise serving the demanding global aerospace and industrial markets makes us a prime candidate to be a major supplier to the wind energy market because we understand the importance of durability and long life-cycles for all components.”

Vibration and motion can contribute to premature failures in wind turbine gearboxes and generators, and the cost of service and the associated downtime is significant.  LORD is able to leverage its engineering design, testing and quality systems developed to make mission critical parts on helicopters and industrial vehicles to provide isolation and motion control products to more than meet design requirements.

LORD Corporation’s first production contract is for a major North American manufacturer of large wind turbines. This OEM sought a local source for key critical components of their turbines in order to reduce supply risk. LORD responded with a design for gearbox bushing and generator mounts. Not only does LORD Corporation’s vast global manufacturing capabilities ensure local production, but the bushing and mount design has proven, through internal testing, to exceed the 20-year service life requirement.

“As a North American supplier, we offer the market the opportunity to design and manufacture components here in the United States, eliminating the need to import large, heavy parts,” said Alice. “But, as a global supplier with manufacturing throughout the world, we can meet customer requirements on a global scale.”

LORD is now working on vibration and motion control products for larger turbines and for new applications including pitch control box mounts. For more information on custom or off-the-shelf design solutions for the wind energy market, please contact LORD at +1 877 ASK LORD (275 5673) or visit www.lord.com/products-and-solutions/wind-energy.xml.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) applauds the Québec government announcement of a fourth call for tenders for the commissioning of a new 700-MW wind energy block. In issuing this new call for tenders, Québec Premier Jean Charest reaffirms his government’s commitment to renewable energy by seeking to attain the 4,000-MW objective set in its 2006-2015 energy strategy.

“This is great news for communities where new projects will be developed. In addition to the significant investment it will bring into the province, new wind energy projects will create new jobs throughout Québec,” said Chris Forrest, vice-president of Communications at CanWEA. “We applaud the Quebec government for its vision and leadership in supporting the development of more wind energy to deliver clean electricity, new jobs and regional economic investments.”

Experience has shown that the economic impact of wind energy is considerable. Between 2005 and 2015, wind energy is expected to generate investments in Québec exceeding $10 billion and economic benefits for municipalities and landowners in the tens of millions, as well as create some 37,000 jobs (person-years). In 2011, the Gaspésie region – birthplace of Québec’s wind energy industry and home of several businesses operating in this sector – posted its lowest unemployment rate since 1987 and positive net migration for the first time in a decade.

Quebecers show strong support for continued development of their province’s wind energy sector, the highest level of enthusiasm being among those who live closest to wind farms. A new survey, conducted earlier this year by Léger Marketing, found that 83 per cent of Quebecers see wind energy in a positive light.

The wind energy industry is very well established in Québec and continues to show growth. In 2010, CanWEA unveiled its strategic vision for development of this form of energy in the province beyond 2015.

“Québec’s wind energy potential is immense. Almost 4,000 MW will be installed by 2015, and we expect to increase this objective by another 8,000 MW between 2016 and 2025 –which will generate $25 billion in investment and create 90,000 jobs in the construction phase,” said Jean-Frédérick Legendre, Québec regional director for CanWEA. “Revenues to landowners and municipalities could reach as much as $25 million annually by 2015,” he added.

The document, titled WindVision 2025 –A Strategy for Quebec can be found online at:  http://www.canwea.ca/windvision_quebec_e.php.

AEE announces the 35th anniversary of the World Energy Engineering Congress (WEEC) at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center, October 31 – November 2, 2012. The WEEC is recognized as the most important energy event of national and international scope for end users and energy professionals in all areas of the energy field. This year’s keynote speakers will include General Colin Powell and legendary newsman Ted Koppel. The WEEC will feature 14-track conference agenda, a full line-up of seminars on a variety of current topics, and a comprehensive 100,000-square-foot exhibition of the world’s most promising new technologies. Topics will include energy policy, high performance buildings and energy management “best practices” for the federal, commercial, institutional and industrial marketplace. Stimulus funding updates, green jobs and financing will be covered in detail. For more information, please visit http://www.energycongress.com.

For more information, visit www.aeecenter.org.

A consortium including GE and Spanish energy services company Tamoin Energias Renovables signed the largest single GE wind turbine maintenance agreement in Europe with Iberdrola Renovables S.A. of Madrid. The contract with Iberdrola, one of the largest wind energy companies, covers servicing 310 GE wind turbines installed in Spain.

The agreement is set for three years with an option to extend for two additional years and provides the foundation for a long-term relationship among Iberdrola, GE and Tamoin. GE will act as the technology partner in the consortium to provide high availability and reliability for the installed GE wind turbine fleet by supplying parts, specialized labor and technological support, while Tamoin will supply skilled labor. The scope of the agreement includes planned and unplanned maintenance for the GE wind turbines at the following Iberdrola wind farms: Cuesta Colorada, Cerro Calderon, Cerro Palo, Muela 1, Maza, Calleja, Isabela and Sierra Quemada y Gavilanes.

GE also announces that it has received commitments to provide its 1.6-100 wind turbine for projects that will add 1.8 gigawatts of capacity to the worlds’ clean energy supply by the end of 2012. Agreements for the 1.6-100, the highest capacity factor wind turbine operating in North America, have totaled $3.6 billion since its introduction a year ago, with projected volumes of more than 1,500 units installed globally by 2013.

Recent commitments for the 1.6-100 have come from Canada, Brazil and Turkey, as well as the United States, according to the company. With blades and towers that extend 100 meters, the 1.6-100 wind turbine captures additional wind energy. It offers a 47 percent increase in swept area over previous megawatt-class models, resulting in a 19 percent increase in annual energy production at wind speeds of 7.5 meters per second. This enables the turbine to deliver moderate wind speed performance even when operating in low-wind environments.

The 1.6-100 wind turbine builds on GE’s global fleet of 18,000 operating wind turbines. It is based on the proven hub and blades of GE’s 2.5-100 and the nacelle and electrical system of GE’s 1.6-82.5, which is currently operating at 98.5 percent production-based availability.

For more information, visit www.ge.com.

The heart of a wind tower is a large metallic box filled with specially designed gears, bearings, an input shaft, an output shaft and a couple gallons of highly engineered lubricating oil. It’s the gearbox and its job is to help convert the rotary movement of the impeller blades, into energy. If it’s working well it’s an asset, generating Kw’s and revenue, but when it fails, it quickly becomes a liability costing thousands of dollars and lost revenue.

Every minute of every day the gearbox is exposed to many high stresses and the only thing preventing its immediate deterioration and eventual failure is the specially designed lubricating oil. It reduces friction between wear surfaces. Typically it is not the gearbox that fails, it is the lubricant that breaks down due to heat, moisture, or particulates. No generator is 100% efficient, so heat will be a condition of all gearboxes. The lubricant is designed to help reduce and dissipate the heat and as long as the heat doesn’t become excessive, it shouldn’t be an issue in the lubricant degradation. Moisture and particulate however are two conditions that are usually over-looked.

When the wind starts blowing and blades start to turn, that means the gearbox is turning also and the oil is going to warm up. That thermal expansion of the oil means that air will be evacuated from the gearbox (this is the exhale of air). When the blades slow or stop turning, the gearbox will also decrease in speed, causing the oil to cool and a thermal contraction (this is the inhale of air). This cycle of air into and out of the gearbox occurs all day, everyday, it’s how the gearbox allows for the various operating temperatures. It is also single leading cause of lubricant failure, external contamination sources.

Ask your maintenance staff what type of breather is on your gearbox. Most breathers consist of a small plastic or metallic body with a course screen inside. They cost around $10 and only prevent large obstacles from entering the gearbox, but they do not filter out humidity, condensation, or smaller contamination particles. Those are the attributes that will accumulate and break down lubricating oils, causing premature failures.

A Guardian gearbox breather is a desiccant type breather that filters both humidity and small particulates from the air, before it enters a gear box or comes into contact with the lubricating oil. It is specially designed to protect lubricating oils with two 2 micron absolute particulate filters and a solid bed of desiccant that the air must pass through, proving three layers of high efficiency air filtration. This helps elongate the life of the lubricant and allows for longer, more efficient operation of the gearbox.

Whether on a family farm or offshore platform, all wind tower gearboxes require better air filtration to protect gearbox lubricant longevity and integrity. The Guardian breather was designed to provide that barrier of protection and help extend the life of gearbox lubricants.

For more information, visit www.airsentry.com.

Leading global developer and manufacturer of polymer and syntactic foam-based solutions for the offshore industry, Trelleborg Offshore, has been awarded the ISO 22899 certification for its passive fire protection material, Firestop. The official certification, which was awarded by the International Organisation for Standardization, confirms that the company’s innovative solution can safely and confidently be used for Jet Fire protection within pipes and hollow sections.

Oddvar Kopstad, Senior Design Engineer at Trelleborg Offshore, commented: “Passive fire protection systems are designed to contain fire and provide protection for people and equipment when it matters the most. In the extreme conditions of the offshore oil and gas industry, it is absolutely essential that engineers have the peace of mind that only comes from high performance, quality products.

“Achieving the ISO 22899 certification is an extremely positive step for Trelleborg Offshore and clearly demonstrates our dedication to continually ensuring the upmost quality and performance of our passive fire products and solutions.”

Firestop is a rubber-based passive fire protection solution, which can be customized to meet the demands of specific offshore oil and gas projects and installations. By utilizing a layered construction, Firestop provides corrosion, thermal, fire and mechanical protection.

Applications for Firestop include rigid riser or tubular fire protection, flexible riser fire protection, ESD valve protection, escape way tunnel seal and protection of riser Hang off arrangements.

For more information visit www.trelleborg.com/offshore. 

Ingersoll Cutting Tools introduces the T-Micro system specifically designed for the machining of very small internal diameters. The T-Micro system is a 2-piece design, consisting of a sleeve and replaceable carbide inserts. Applications include grooving, profiling, chamfering, face grooving/deep face grooving, threading, and back turning starting at .024” (.6mm). The inserts feature coolant thru capabilities and are available in grade TT9030, a submicron substrate with PVD-TiAlN coating, making them the perfect solution for all miniature internal applications.

Inside the new T-Micro sleeve design is a locating pin to ensure repeatability when indexing the inserts. This allows operators to return to machining without resetting the tool. The locating pin also allows operators to replace inserts without removing the sleeve from the tool post. The T-Micro sleeve also features an angular clamping design to avoid interference when replacing the insert allowing simplified tool change on Swiss-type and other multi-spindle lathes.  Ingersoll offers this sleeve in many shank sizes .500”, .625”, .750”, and 1.00” also 12mm, 14mm, 16mm, 20mm, 22mm, and 25mm to accommodate all machines. For more information visit www.ingersoll-imc.com.

NK Technologies introduces the newly re-designed ASM Series Smart-Switch. These self-calibrating switches use the actual load current to set the trip point and provide the simplest way to ensure that a motor is working properly. These current sensing Smart-Switches are self-powered and self-calibrating to speed start-up and minimize installation costs. Three models are available to provide status monitoring, overload or underload, or operating window (overload and underload) functionality to suit particular pump, fan, heating element, conveyor or multi-load safety-interlocked application needs. The output contact is AC and DC compatible for use with any automation system.

The ASM sensor slides or snaps over one conductor feeding the load. The contact controls the input voltage, AC or DC, to 135 volts to a controller or small relay. It takes just a couple of seconds of steady running conditions before the sensor locks onto the normal current level. If the load draws more current than normal or the current drops significantly, the sensor output will open. If the current falls below 85% of normal or increases above 125% of normal the contact will open, with no manually setting trip points and no adjustments needed unless a motor is replaced. Should a motor be replaced calibration is very easy, and within a matter of minutes the system is back in operation.

For more information, visit www.nktechnologies.com.

Herguth Laboratories, the industry leader in specialized and innovative oil analysis and tribology testing is proud to announce the introduction of its new Flender Foam Test.

Critical foaming and air release properties of wind turbine gearbox lubricants are effectively measured and analyzed using the Flender Foaming Test procedure ISO/DIS 12152.

Excessive foaming and too slow of a release of dispersed air in gear oils have a negative influence on the load-carrying capacity of gears and bearings and causes low oil trips costing thousands of dollars if not corrected.  Additionally, excessive foaming can result in oil leaking at shaft seals and breather screws.  For this reason, gear oils should be checked for foaming characteristics and air release properties using an appropriate test method.

A gear pair rotates in the oil to be tested and thus mixes air into the oil. In this way it is possible to rapidly evaluate how oil behaves with regard to the absorption of air, oil-air dispersion, and surface foam at various temperatures.

Herguth Laboratories has a full complement of state-of-the-art testing equipment. All equipment is calibrated to the most demanding industry standards to provide customers with quality decision data.

For more information visit www.herguth.com or call 1-888-HERGUTH (1-888-437-4884).

Greg Knitz, President of Alignment Supplies, Inc., announces the ALiSENSOR™ LEVEL, for super-accurate geometric measurements. The ALiSENSOR™ platform, which is known as Industrial MFi (Made for iPad), is a groundbreaking integration of the iPad and other iOS devices into industrial-grade tools and equipment.

The ALiSENSOR™ LEVEL system consists of a sensor unit and an iOS unit (iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch).  The ALiSENSOR™ LEVEL sensor unit is a complex but rugged data collector that contains MEMS gyros, accelerometers, and a microprocessor.  Data of angular and translational movements are provided via Bluetooth® to the iOS unit, which provides an unsurpassed user-friendly environment for the operator to analyze the data. Typical measurement applications to be performed with the ALiSENSOR™ LEVEL are: straightness, level, inclination, and base flatness, with the accuracy required by precision machine workshops.

The ALiSENSOR™ LEVEL is supported with a dedicated App (Application), downloadable for free from the App Store, which guides the user throughout the measurement. The ALiSENSOR™ LEVEL hardware will be supported by several free Apps that can use the functionality of the hardware to implement different types of measurements.  New Apps designed for use with the ALiSENSOR™ LEVEL will soon be available for use in measurement applications such as: flatness, squareness, parallel, milling machines, lathes, and more. For more information, visit www.alignmentsupplies.com.

Cape Wind Associates announces it plans to base its wind farm operations on Falmouth Harbor, in another step toward building the more than $2.7 billion Cape Wind offshore wind project.

The development firm said it signed a purchase and sales agreement earlier this week for the East Marine boat yard, located on Falmouth Heights Road. The site will employ 50 permanent full-time operations workers.

The Cape Wind project, a 130-turbine wind farm slated for construction in Nantucket Sound, has yet to finalize its financing but has signed agreements with National Grid and Nstar for the purchase of a combined 77.5 percent of the project’s electricity.

The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound appealed the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval of the project, Wednesday after the FAA issued permitting approval.

Existing operations at East Marine will continue unchanged for this winter’s boat storage season and for summer operations of 2013, according to Cape Wind. The firm plans to begin interior renovations of East Marine’s two buildings after that.

Moventas, one of the world’s leading wind gear manufacturers, is expanding its up-tower service globally after a successful track record in North America. up tower repair significantly lowers wind farm O&M costs, hence making wind power even more competitive than before.

Developed by Moventas’ U.S.-based engineers and following a year of successful up tower full-helical gear repairs in North America, the Moventas up-tower ability is the finest in the industry. Moventas can perform on-site inspections and repairs of high speed, low speed and intermediate assemblies to its own gearboxes as well as competitor models.

“Our goal is to significantly shorten response time, reduce customer cost and to continue to lead the industry in repairs that can be done on-site rather than in a workshop. This is a significant cost-saver for the industry, making it even more competitive compared to traditional energy forms than before”, says Olli Välimäki, Senior Vice President of Service with Moventas.

By utilizing a mobile service unit and a small hydraulic crane, the Moventas up tower repair eliminates the costs associated with mobilizing large boom and secondary cranes normally required to bring the complete gearbox down from the nacelle. Shipping costs to and from the workshop are also eliminated, as well as the cost of the longer downtime of the turbine.

Every Moventas up tower repair also contains Moventas CMaS, an industry leading preventative condition management system that raises the turbine’s reliability to the next level. All up tower repairs are carried out by experienced Moventas field service personnel, all qualified and trained to work safely at heights.

Moventas is currently building multiple self-contained mobile workshops specifically designed to perform this service at the wind site. Five mobile workshops will be strategically located in North America and an additional two units will be located in Germany and Spain before the end of the year.
For more information, please visit www.moventas.com.