NRG Systems, manufacturer of wind measurement equipment for the global wind energy industry, announces the introduction of its new IceFree Hybrid™ XT turbine control sensor designed to provide longer bearing life and improved vane response characteristics. Suitable for all weather conditions, including offshore, this sensor meets industry demands for reliability and performance while helping wind farm operators deliver more power more of the time.

“For wind farm owners, operators, and turbine manufacturers, getting more power from the wind and extending the life of their assets is of primary importance,” says Larry Jacobs, marketing manager. “Turbine control sensors help them do just that. They are essential devices that operate in turbulent, harsh conditions and help control some of the most critical functions of a turbine.”

The IceFree Hybrid XT incorporates protected bearings to guard against dirt and dust, a twin-tail vane design for better performance in off-axis winds, patent-pending magnetic damping for improved stability and accuracy, and enhanced heating properties. “The Hybrid XT represents the next iteration of our turbine control product line,” he adds. “Ease of use, durability and accuracy were primary drivers for NRG Systems in developing this new sensor.”

NRG Systems is an independently owned company that has served the global wind energy industry for 29 years. Its wind measurement systems and turbine control sensors can be found on every continent in more than 145 countries, serving electric utilities, wind farm developers, turbine manufacturers, research institutes, government agencies, and universities. For more information call (802) 482-2255, e-mail sales@nrgsystems.com, or visit www.nrgsystems.com.

Dow Formulated Systems announces the introduction of the COMPAXX™ 700 foam core system for wind blades, the first in a line of new core materials that will help manufacturers extend blade life through the creation of high performance sandwich composites. Extensive sandwich panel fatigue testing following the latest Germanische Lloyd requirements showed COMPAXX 700 exhibits long-term dynamic behavior and shear strength properties yielding lightweight composites with excellent mechanical strength and fatigue resistance. These properties, coupled with peel strength about three times higher than the historical reference of core material PVC 60 kg/m3, create the intimate core-to-skin bond necessary to achieve blade durability. In addition, COMPAXX 700 offers a high run-to-run consistency leading to predictable mechanical properties that structural engineers can use to create more precise blades.

“The COMPAXX 700 foam core, AIRSTONE™ epoxy systems, and our ongoing innovations and capital investments, reflect Dow’s strong commitment to meeting the needs of the global wind power market with industry leading technology, reliable product supply, and consistent high quality,” according to Jean Luc Guillaume, global business leader for Wind Energy Systems for Dow Formulated Systems.

Dow Formulated Systems, a global business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, is a global industry leader in the development and formulation of fully-formulated polyurethane and epoxy systems, focused on providing its customers worldwide with innovative tailor-made solutions through its Energy Efficiency, Alternative Energy & Composites, Infrastructure Life Preservation, Leisure & Lifestyle, and Industrial Castings and Adhesives businesses. Dow Formulated Systems manufactures and markets custom formulated rigid and semi-rigid, flexible, integral skin, and microcellular polyurethane foams and fully-formulated systems as well as coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, and binders used in applications ranging from residential and commercial construction, infrastructure repair, wind energy solutions, oil and gas, automotive, appliance, furniture, and shoe soles to decorative molding and athletic equipment. Striving to meet the specific needs of its customers in their local geographic regions, Dow Formulated Systems operates a global network of 30 system houses. More information can be found at www.dow.com. 

The Molded Fiber Glass Companies (MFG), announces that the company’s plant in Gainesville, Texas, celebrated the shipment of their 1,000th set of 37-meter composite wind blades. Located 60 miles north of Dallas in the wind farm hotbed of the United States, the 155,000 square-foot facility has been manufacturing wind blades since 1997 and employs approximately 200 skilled workers. The shipment marking the milestone was comprised of 37-meter blades, for 1500kw turbines. This factory has also produced another 500 sets of other blades ranging from 24 to 34 meters.

MFG Texas is part of the Molded Fiber Glass Companies, which has been manufacturing wind turbine components since the 1988. Today wind turbine components comprise one of MFG’s largest business segments. With two factories building wind blades, two factories building nacelles, and one factory building spinners, MFG is one of North America’s leading supplier of composite components for the wind industry. They currently have wind component manufacturing facilities in Ohio, South Dakota, California, Alabama, and Texas.

“What’s interesting to consider is that collectively these blades have generated on the order of 4,234,000,000 kwh of electricity—enough power to supply 1,154,000 average households,” according to Gary Kanaby, director of sales for wind energy. “Our team is gratified to be part of an industry that is poised to make a meaningful contribution to cleaner, independent energy generation for North America.”

MFG is unique among suppliers of composite components to turbine equipment manufacturers, both in output capacity and in composite manufacturing technology. Well known around the world for pioneering the mass production of commercial products out of composites, the company’s internal R&D center is still at the forefront of innovation for composite materials and processes. For example, MFG’s newest 325,000 square-foot blade facility in Aberdeen, South Dakota, opened in 2007, is the most advanced facility of its kind with an automated spray booth and robotic root drilling.

Molded Fiber Glass Companies is a leader in the field of reinforced plastics and composites, serving diverse markets with a variety of composite material systems. The company has 16 operating entities in the United States and Mexico, strategically focused to supply high value, high quality products and manufacturing services for applications such as wind energy, automotive, heavy truck, defense, and construction. For more information on the company’s wind component manufacturing capabilities e-mail Kanaby at gkanaby@moldedfiberglass.com or visit www.moldedfiberglass.com.

Mortenson Construction will soon break ground on the 44 megawatt Oak Glen Wind Farm, located on a 3,000-acre agricultural site located in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. The project’s owner is the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency and its 11-member utilities. Avant Energy, a leading Minneapolis-based energy supply management company, is the developer and the overall project manager.

Mortenson’s scope of work will include the erection of 24, 1.8MW turbines and the construction of foundations, access roads, underground collection, and a 69kV substation. The project is expected to be operational by the end of 2011. “We’re delighted by the opportunity to partner with Minnesota Municipal Power and Avant Energy on our first project together that will help promote the continued growth of  wind energy in our state,” says Tim Maag, a vice president and general manager of Mortenson Construction’s Renewable Energy Groups.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, Minnesota installed 2,192 megawatts of wind energy in 2010 and is ranked as the fourth largest wind market in the United States. Mortenson has installed 1,466 megawatts of renewable energy in Minnesota through the first quarter of 2011, which represents approximately 55percent of the total megawatts throughout the state. Oak Glen is Mortenson’s 19th wind project built in Minnesota.

Since entering the renewable energy market in 1995, Mortenson Construction has become a leading builder of wind power facilities in North America, having built more than 100 wind projects throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to wind power, Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups also constructs facilities that generate solar power and other renewable resources, and it is a leading provider of transmission and distribution infrastructure. Go online to www.mortenson.com/wind.

At the WINDPOWER 2011 conference, Moog Industrial Group—a division of Moog Inc.—unveiled a new electric pitch system that offers wind turbine operators higher performance, reliability, additional safety, and lower maintenance costs to address key challenges faced by wind turbine manufacturers and operators. The Moog wind turbine pitch system is equipped with Moog’s new AC synchronous electromagnetic brushless servo motor, which meets the requirements of onshore and offshore wind turbines. The pitch systems also include Moog’s pitch servo drive and backup systems.

Pitch control systems are responsible for the precise positioning of blades, which enable wind turbines to operate at optimum speeds to ensure the highest availability and safety. The harsh conditions that turbines operate in require the pitch system and its components to face, among other things, low and unsteady wind speeds and ambient operating temperatures ranging from -30° C up to +50° C (-22 to +122° F).

“Striking a fine balance between parameters like performance, reliability, safety, and costs are key challenges facing wind turbine OEMs and operators,” says Mauro Gnecco, business development manager, wind energy. “When compared with conventional DC pitch systems, the AC brushless technology is designed to be a very high performance system with lower maintenance costs.”

“A key challenge for wind turbine manufacturers is the selection of a motion control supplier who is capable of providing a pitch control system that maximizes reliability and minimizes mechanical complexity,” according to Sal Spada, research director at ARC Advisory Group. “Pitch control systems combined with synchronous servo motors harness advanced technologies that deliver reliable and consistent performance enabling wind turbine manufacturers and operators to maximize productivity and ROI.”

Moog designed its new wind turbine pitch servo motor to withstand extreme temperatures, vibrations, and humidity. When coupled with the associated Moog wind turbine pitch servo drive, the motor has a very high peak power density and also has the capability to be controlled in sensorless mode, which enables the servo drive to control the motor in situations where position information is lost from the servo motor’s encoder or resolver.

Moog built its pitch servo motors to meet the requirements of corrosion class C5M (according to DIN 12944 standards) and with wind-proof connector technology. The motor is suitable for Hot Climate Versions (HCV) as well as Cold Climate Versions (CCV) in both onshore and offshore environments. For more information please visit www.moog.com/wind.

What is the level of customer acceptance and understanding of the smart grid? How can utilities further drive understanding and encourage significant and permanent changes in customer behavior? The Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP) will delve into these topics with national experts at their Fall Conference in Dallas October 3-6, 2011. The conference titled “Customer Behavior & The Smart Grid” includes a keynote address by Dr. Julie M. Albright from the University of Southern California whose latest research focuses on the social and behavioral aspects of energy efficiency and smart grid technology adoption. Most recently Albright was instrumental in securing a $121 million grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) for a smart grid demonstration project.

Oncor is the Dallas-based host utility for this event that will draw industry professionals from across the country. The conference will feature a series of comprehensive educational discussions delivered by industry thought leaders. Attendees will also be able to take advantage of numerous networking opportunities, and have the chance to learn about the latest products, services and solutions from 30 exhibitors and industry innovators.

AESP provides professional development programs, a network of energy practitioners, and promotes the transfer of knowledge and experience. Its members work in the energy services industry and represent electric and natural gas utilities, public benefits associations, regulatory and non-profit entities, vendors, manufacturers, and consulting firms. For a detailed agenda or additional information about the conference, and for sponsorship opportunities, visit www.aesp.org or call (480) 704-5900.

With 30 N100/2500 wind turbines and a total capacity of 75 MW, the Germinon wind farm located to the west of Paris is currently the largest Nordex wind farm in France. On April 6, 2011, the customer GDF Suez officially inaugurated the wind farm. Germinon features the first Gamma Generation series turbines, which Nordex launched in spring 2010. In developing this high-efficiency class, Nordex drew on its 10 years of experience in the operation of multi-megawatt turbines. The Gamma Generation combines proven technology with specific enhancements derived from the latest research and meeting current market requirements.

With the N100/2500 turbine, utility GDF Suez selected a wind power system that makes optimum use of the mean wind speeds of 7.4 m/s prevailing at the site. As a result, the wind power systems will deliver a combined total of some 226,000MWh of clean energy each year, sufficient to cover the electricity requirements of around 265,000 people. Nordex handed over the wind farm to GDF Suez back in autumn 2010. Briefly after connection to the grid, the majority of the turbines achieved a reliability of over 97 percent.

During the execution of the project last year Nordex organized more than 360 heavy-load hauls to transport the turbine components to their destination. In fact, if all the towers segments were to be laid out end to end they would have a total length of three kilometers. For more information go to www.nordex-online.com.

GL Garrad Hassan’s new power market analysis services utilize state of the art simulation software to evaluate the short and long-term risks to renewable development projects associated with external power market influences. These include assessing the impacts of energy curtailment, policy changes, and infrastructure development and quantifying the financial ramifications that they have for a specific site or project. The new services support investors and developers of renewable energy projects in North America at all stages of the project lifecycle. The power market analysis services complement GL Garrad Hassan’s existing independent engineering portfolio, which has helped to deliver 45 percent of all U.S. and 39 percent of all Canadian wind farms.

As wind power has matured and the volume of projects connected to the grid has risen, there are an increasing number of geographical areas where projects experience curtailment issues. Accounting for the risk related to reduced opportunity for energy delivery, and the corresponding revenue loss, is now an essential factor in determining the value of a proposed site for project development, and it forms a key element of any technical due diligence process associated with a project. Once a project is developed, the opportunity for its extension—as well as its long-term financial viability—can be impacted by factors such as future grid limitations, decisions affecting the design of future energy markets, and changing government policy in relation to renewable energy as part of the broader energy mix.

GL Garrad Hassan is one of the world’s largest dedicated renewable energy consultancies and a recognized technical authority on the subject. It offers independent technical and engineering services, products, and training courses to the onshore and offshore wind, wave, tidal, and solar sectors. Although the GL Garrad Hassan name is new, the company has a rich heritage (see profile in September 2010 issue of Wind Systems at www.windsystemsmag.com). It is born of the integration of specialist companies that, united, form the renewable energy consulting division of the GL Group. GL Garrad Hassan is a consulting company; it has no equity stake in any device or project. This rule of operation is central to its philosophy, something that sets it apart from many of its competitors. For more information contact Gary Moland—GL Garrad Hassan Independent Engineering, San Diego—at (678) 691-5063 or gary.moland@gl-garradhassan.com. Go online to www.gl-garradhassan.com.

MidAmerican Energy Company has selected Mortenson Construction to build the 443.9MW Rolling Hills Wind Project in southwestern Iowa, one of the largest wind projects in the nation. MidAmerican Energy—which is number-one in the U.S. in ownership of wind-powered electric generation among rate-regulated utilities—selected Mortenson, North America’s leading wind power contractor, to build the project.

MidAmerican Energy also selected Mortenson to build the 119.6MW Laurel and 29.9MW Pomeroy IV wind projects. The construction of Rolling Hills marks the 100th wind project built by Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Group in North America.

“The Rolling Hills Wind Project is truly a landmark project for Mortenson and the wind industry,” according to Tim Maag, a vice president and general manager of Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups. “Having entered the renewables industry in its infancy, Mortenson is proud to achieve such a significant milestone. This is our largest wind power project to date, and it is a testimony to the strength of our industry partnerships and the depth of experience our team members bring to wind power construction.”

Together the Rolling Hills, Laurel, and Pomeroy IV wind projects span more than 150 square miles over six Iowa counties: Adair, Adams, Calhoun, Cass, Marshall, and Pocahontas. MidAmerican Energy has 1,393MW of owned and contracted wind generation facilities in Iowa. According to the American Wind Energy Association, Iowa ranks second in the nation for total number of installed megawatts of wind power and first in the nation for the percentage of electricity generated by wind power. The Rolling Hills Wind Project is the 13th wind power facility built by Mortenson in Iowa, and the sixth wind project built by Mortenson for MidAmerican Energy. During construction of the Rolling Hills Wind Project, Mortenson will erect 193 2.3MW Siemens wind turbines. This is enough electricity to power approximately 190,000 average American homes. Mortenson also will install access roads, underground collection, and tower wiring. The project will become operational by late 2011.

Founded in 1954, Mortenson Construction is a U.S.-based family owned construction company (see profile in April 2010 issue of Wind Systems at www.windsystemsmag.com). Ranked as the 24th largest contractor in America according to Engineering News-Record, Mortenson provides a complete range of services including planning, program management, preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, design-build, and turnkey development. Mortenson has offices in Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Seattle, with international operations in Canada and China. More information is available at www.mortenson.com/wind. Also visit www.midamericanenergy.com.

MYR Group, Inc. (MYR), has executed a contract with Cross Texas Transmission, an affiliate of LS Power, to construct approximately 235 miles of 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in Texas. The contract is valued in excess of $160 million and is part of the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) initiative, which is being developed to integrate additional renewable energy and increase system reliability throughout the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Under the contract, MYR Transmission Services, Inc. (MYRT), an MYR subsidiary, will provide construction management, material procurement, and construction services including right-of-way clearing, environmental controls, foundation installation, structure installation, and conductor stringing. Construction planning has begun, and construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2011 with an expected completion date of spring of 2013.

“We are proud to be playing a significant role on this important project and look forward to working with Cross Texas Transmission in building its part of the transmission system for the Texas Competitive Renewable Energy Zones,” says William A. Koertner, chairman and CEO of MYR. “This project will help move electricity generated by renewable energy resources in the Panhandle of Texas to millions of customers throughout the state, and at the same time provide transmission infrastructure to serve the long-term needs of Texas.”

MYR is a holding company of specialty construction service providers. Through subsidiaries dating back to 1891, MYR is one of the largest national contractors servicing the transmission and distribution sector of the United States electric utility industry. Transmission and distribution customers include electric utilities, private developers, cooperatives, and municipalities. MYR also provides commercial and industrial electrical contracting services to facility owners and general contractors in the Western United States. MYR’s comprehensive services include turnkey construction and maintenance services for the nation’s electrical infrastructure. Learn more at www.myrgroup.com.

The successful O-INSPECT multisensor measuring machine from Carl Zeiss allows the very easy, very accurate, and thus very efficient inspection of complex parts. It can be used in the electronics and plastics industries, for medical and automotive technology, and precision engineering. A chromatic white light sensor is now available for O-INSPECT.

The white light sensor enables the measurement of parts that cannot be captured with a contact sensor or a camera. This includes very small and sensitive workpieces that feature a transparent, glossy, or low-contrast surface. Reflections or lack of contrast, which can impede the correct focusing of a camera, will no longer be a relevant factor. With the addition of a chromatic white light sensor to O-INSPECT, even workpieces such as these can be measured with maximum precision. “Carl Zeiss thus closes the final gap in the O-INSPECT measuring range,” says Dr. Dietrich Imkamp, who is in charge of visual systems at Carl Zeiss in Oberkochen.

The workpiece is illuminated with bundled white light. Special optics with chromatic aberrations in the probe split the light into its spectral colors. A spectrometer analyzes the reflected light and determines which color has the highest intensity. The measuring machine can determine the distance from the sensor to the surface using the spectral color, and it derives the exact topography of the part from this information.

The results are displayed using CAD-based CALYPSO measuring software. It enables extensive size, form, and position measurements with systematic user guidance and makes deviations visible and quantifiable. Furthermore, O-INSPECT features an additional light source on the contact-scanning sensor that can be turned on to illuminate the measuring field when the machine is reprogrammed. With this enhancement to O-INSPECT, not only its range of use improves, but also its user friendliness. Obtain more information at www.zeiss.com.

Power Climber Wind—a division of SafeWorks, LLC—has signed a contract with one of the largest wind turbine generator (WTG) OEMs to supply and install the IBEX® climb assist systems for its Dashuiboluo wind farm located in Linxi, Inner Mongolia. The IBEX climb assist systems will be installed in 25 of the company’s 2.0MW turbines, which generate up to 50MW of wind power in the region.

The market leading IBEX climb assist is designed to retrofit and sets the standard for performance, safety, and ease of installation in any new or existing WTG. It puts complete control over the climbing effort and experience into the hands of the climber, delivering personalized performance, increased safety, and better productivity in any tower. “We work in wind turbines globally and are honored to perform in China for the world’s largest WTG OEM,” says Ruben Bake, vice president and general manager. “Our product provides a perfectly scaled solution for them, by retrofitting the wind turbines and improving the site technician’s safety and productivity, and ultimately the turbine performance.” To learn more call (206) 394-5306 in the Americas, or go to www.safeworks.com.

Sensor Products, Inc., a leader in the field of tactile pressure and force measurement, is pleased to announce it is offering Fuji Prescale pressure film. The film is a mylar tactile pressure indicating sensor film that instantly reveals surface pressure magnitude and distribution between contacting or impacting surfaces.

When placed between the surfaces it permanently turns different shades of red, with the color intensity being directly proportional to the amount of pressure applied. Prescale pressure indicating film shows precisely how bolted joints engage and deform under stress. Pressure variations are shown by the color changes left on the film. These colors can be compared to a color calibration chart to determine the exact pressure distribution.

While no instrumentation is required, the film impression can also be digitalized through imaging. Topaq, an imaging analysis program, assigns colors to pressure values. This graphic reveals pressure variations in a bolted joint interface. The non-uniform pressure distribution may be caused by a variety of factors including dimensional irregularities, surface roughness, and uneven bolt torque.

Since it is difficult to measure the force exerted by the bolts directly, torque values are often assigned for assembly based on trial and error. Prescale speeds assembly by quickly validating and confirming sufficient bolt torque to assure uniform interfacial pressure. To adjust torque values, the film is placed at the bolted joint interface and the bolts are tightened to apply pressure. The film is then removed and reviewed to see if the pressure is uniform. Common applications include measuring the interface pressure of bolted joints, gaskets, clamps, fasteners, connectors, flanges, valves, o-rings, and welding heads, among others. Wind applications include testing the bolted joints used in turbines.

Prescale is thin and flexible, allowing it to conform to both curved and straight surfaces. It may be hand or laser cut to fit unusual shapes and dimensions. It is ideal for invasive and intolerant environments not accessible to conventional transducers. The film confirms FEA predictions and has widespread applicability in research, design and test; assembly and production, quality control, and maintenance. Contact Sensor Products at (973) 884-1755, info@sensorprod.com, or www.sensorprod.com.

On March 31, 2011, the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) and Sandia National Laboratories signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which both parties agree on future collaboration in the field of wind energy. Sandia Laboratories focuses on applied scientific research for national security in the U.S., with sustainable energy being one of their key research areas. In the field of wind energy Sandia works on many aspects of wind turbine design, but it has a longstanding history in rotor design with a focus on higher efficiency, reliability, and monitoring technique for optimizing operational management and maintenance to wind turbines.

The joint Sandia-ECN research will focus mainly on scaling up (offshore) wind turbines and developing so-called intelligent blades to further increase the yield of wind turbines, while reducing the mechanical loads. This enables lighter wind turbine designs, longer operating lives, and lower electricity production costs per kWh. Various wind turbine manufacturers have already shown interest in this development. Tests with this type of dynamic blades, which can be adjusted with respect to shape and/or aerodynamic characteristics depending on the operating conditions, can be conducted at the ECN test site in Wieringermeer or at the test site of Sandia in the U.S. Additionally, both Sandia and ECN are already involved in collaborations with Delft University of Technology in this research area. Further collaboration will also be started in the field of aerodynamic wind farm modelling and maintenance and operational management of offshore wind farms. The first concrete projects are expected to start this summer.

The Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) is the largest research institute in the Netherlands in the field of energy and holds a strong international position. Go to www.ecn.nl. Sandia National Laboratories is managed by Sandia Corporation—a full subsidiary of the Lockheed Martin Corporation—and constitute the most important national laboratories of the U.S. Department of Energy. Next to research on reliable and safe nuclear technology, Sandia’s mission is to secure the future energy system and to make it more sustainable. Visit online at www.sandia.gov.

CommScope, Inc., a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks, will supply two wind farm projects with its GroundSmart™ copper clad steel solution, an alternative to solid and stranded copper that is increasingly in demand by utilities for its cost-efficiency and anti-theft characteristics. The first project is the Breckenridge Wind Farm, located outside Breckenridge, Michigan, in Gratiot County. The 30,000-acre wind farm will use stranded copper clad steel in the ground grid collector system. It is estimated to produce 200 megawatts of wind energy, which has the capacity to power nearly 54,000 homes. The second project is the Rolling Hills Wind Farm near Massena, Iowa. It is estimated to be one of the largest wind farms under construction in the state.

“As renewable energy continues to increase in popularity, developers are racing to keep up with the demand by constructing new wind farms throughout the country,” according to Ric Johnsen, senior vice president of broadband, CommScope. “These two projects are vital to the areas they serve and developers see GroundSmart as a simple solution to reducing projects costs without compromising the system’s integrity. These contracts also demonstrate that GroundSmart continues to gain acceptance in grounding applications.”

Copper clad steel provides a safe, highly reliable alternative to the use of solid and stranded copper for grounding applications. It is specifically designed to disperse fault currents and lightning strikes at a lower total cost of ownership compared to pure copper. It’s an electrical conductor that has an outer sleeve of copper metallurgically bonded to a solid steel core. GroundSmart copper clad steel benefits from a specialized CommScope BiMetals technology and manufacturing process. The products are created by bonding two different metals into a single conductor, resulting in a low-cost and lightweight alternative to using solid copper. This unique solution for the utility market is produced at the CommScope facility in Statesville, North Carolina, that is ISO 9001 and ISO 14000 registered. Learn more at www.commscope.com.

Capital Safety, home of the DBI-SALA™ and PROTECTA® brands of fall protection equipment, announces the launch of the i-Safe™ 3.0 Intelligent Safety System. The system is a significant upgrade to the existing i-Safe™ 2.0 system, which was launched in 2006. Capital Safety’s i-Safe became the first radio frequency identification (RFID) system dedicated to fall protection equipment and inspection tracking. Since the initial launch Capital Safety has continued to make substantial investments in support of i-Safe’s commitment to improve safety compliance and reduce risk. Today Capital Safety is proud to announce the launch of i-Safe 3.0, a significant upgrade that makes managing a safety program easier and more cost-effective.

“With the expanded features now inherent in the i-Safe 3.0 system, it has become an even more advantageous product for our customers,” says Tim Maroushek, global product director. “Our aim was to enhance the widely accepted i-Safe 2.0 system and build on its value to save time, improve safety compliance, reduce risk, and enhance user safety through consistent inspection and asset management. With i-Safe 3.0 we’ve made another significant leap towards achieving that goal.”

Key system upgrades include:

• Multiple software offerings: Four software options now allow a company to decide if they want Capital Safety to host their data or if they want to manage the data themselves utilizing their own corporate computers or network server.
• Customizable: Offers the speed and benefits of pre-packaged solutions along with the advantages of tailoring features to their specific needs so they can efficiently manage their safety inspection program and assets.
• Consistent inspection tracking: Extensive list of standard and customized end-user prompted inspection checklists to ensure more consistent inspections with detailed notations, photos, and inspection status.
• Effective asset management: The dynamic filtering mechanism allows a company to easily identify, track and reassign the location, status and history of their valuable safety assets.
• Versatile management reports: Generates a wide range of operations and management reports including inspection reports, summary of hazards, top 10 hazards, inspector statistics, and more.
• Inspection scheduling and trigger alerts: Proactively shares information throughout the organization by advising site managers of upcoming or overdue inspections.
• Flexibility: Provides for the flexibility to use high-frequency RFID tags and readers or barcode information capture.

Capital Safety—one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fall protection, confined space, and rescue equipment, with 20 operating sites worldwide—is home of the DBI-SALA™ and PROTECTA® brands. Call (800) 328-6146 or (651) 388-8282, or visit www.capitalsafety.com.

Availon, Inc., a premier provider of services and parts to the wind power industry in North America, is proud to announce the launch of its new, informative, easy-to-navigate, customer-focused Web site. The site’s introduction follows the November 2010 name change of SSB Service, an international independent full-service provider of parts, upgrades, services, inspections, maintenance, and monitoring for the wind energy sector. Availon North America began operations from its Grimes, Iowa, headquarters in 2009.

The new Web site features contemporary design, improved navigation, and well-structured sections offering a wealth of information on every aspect of Availon North America services like operations and maintenance, end of warranty inspections, spare part management, and the profit-enhancing engineering upgrades. Availon’s over 30 years of experience in wind energy, and specifically, in the megawatt class wind turbines, is documented in numerous case studies and the online publication, OnService Journal, that can be easily downloaded by the site’s visitors.

Steve Thompson, Availon North America president, says that “Our energetic and knowledgeable team of engineers and technicians strives to provide the best ever services to the customers, so the main goal of this new website is to allow the visitors to assess our expertise and make educated decisions on the type of services they may need.”

Availon specializes in parts and services for GE, Vestas, and Siemens turbines, and is expanding to other turbine types. In addition to being a primary supplier for SSB and Duradrive parts, Availon is also an exclusive vendor for Bachmann, Leonard+Bauer, and Convertec parts. Availon, Inc., is a part of the Availon GmbH family, with more than 170 employees worldwide and business units in the United States, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Availon is the first independent wind turbine service provider to be both ISO 9001 certified and fully certified by Germanischer Lloyd in staff training, troubleshooting, and repair processes. Learn more at www.availon.com.

The end of 2010 marked the release of the ISO 29990 standard, a quality management and service standard dedicated to the quality of learning services. Education and training centers now have a means of having their core business approved and certified according to internationally recognized standards. The new standard is designed to allow objective comparisons of the numerous quality systems and models that characterize the education and further education market. ISO 2990 demands a mastery of core processes to enable an evaluation of course offers and the professional competency of the learning service provider. The BZEE Training Centre for Renewable Energy in Husum, Germany, is the first operation in the energy sector worldwide to be awarded the new ISO certificate. Certification was provided by DNV DetNorskeVeritas.

Over the past 11 years BZEE has pioneered the development of a customized qualification program for wind turbine service technicians and delivers this service through a network of national and international cooperation partners. The program has contributed highly to closing the skills gap in the expanding wind energy sector and has opened up new career paths in renewable energy for unemployed skilled workers. DNV has now certified BZEE’s learning services and its management system.

DNV Business Assurance, responsible for the certification process, is one of the leading global certification bodies and belongs to the independent DetNorskeVeritas foundation founded in 1864 in Norway. Today DNV boasts 300 locations worldwide and a network of 8600 professionals. “We’ve benefited immensely from the ISO process and the support offered by DNV and we’re proud to be the industry’s first education services provider to meet the new standard” says BZEE General Manager Nils Peters.

BZEE’s track record shows over 1,400 successfully qualified service technicians in Germany alone, and a growing output of wind energy technicians at the partner locations in France, the UK, Ireland, Canada, and the Unites States. Throughout this expansion BZEE has remained true to its roots as an industry-driven skills initiative with its 80 company members interacting with BZEE staff to continually update curricula to meet the demands of emerging technology and enhanced operational routines. Manufacturers, investors, and insurers profit from the guarantee that BZEE qualifications meet the wind industry’s needs. More information is available at www.bzee.de and www.dnv.de.

ExxonMobil Lubricants & Petroleum Specialties has globally introduced Looble, a user friendly, online industrial lubricant selector designed to help maintenance professionals make informed lubricant decisions for optimizing equipment performance and minimizing unplanned downtime. Looble simplifies the lubricant selection process by providing targeted Mobil-branded product recommendations with performance ratings based upon users’ specific industries, applications, and equipment. With just a click of the computer mouse or a touch on most Internet-capable smartphones, Looble enables users to access:

• Lubricant recommendations and application guidance based on their specific applications and operating conditions for a wide range of industries;
• Original Equipment Manufacturers’ recommended lubricants and schematics for numerous types of equipment makes and models;
• Detailed descriptions and five-star performance ratings for each recommended lubricant, and;
• Printable recommendation reports.

“With the introduction of Looble, maintenance and production professionals now have a readily accessible resource for lubricant and maintenance best practices that can help them optimize equipment performance and ultimately, enhance their companies’ bottom line and gain a global competitive advantage,” says Ian Davidson, global industrial marketing manager. “Looble is powered by our valuable application-specific expertise and unique insights that we have gained during more than a century of working with customers and the world’s leading industrial equipment manufacturers.”

ExxonMobil’s broad portfolio of Mobil-branded mineral oils and high-performance synthetic based lubricants are relied upon by successful companies around the globe. As a company that helped pioneer synthetic lubrication technology, ExxonMobil’s popular Mobil SHC-branded synthetic industrial lubricants are approved for use in more than 10,000 applications and have exclusive/preferential endorsements from leading original equipment manufacturers for more than 2,200 applications. For more information about Mobil SHC branded synthetic lubricants, or any other Mobil-branded products and services, visit www.mobilindustrial.com. 

As proof that it can use machine tools as well as build them, MAG has developed a process that used a horizontal boring mill (HBM) and specially designed tools to cut 588 teeth in a 19-meter (62.5 ft) diameter gear assembly weighing 60 tons (54,836 kg).

The two-piece gear assembly, made of ASTM A290 steel, consists of a 24-section track that serves as the base and a 12-section upper gear rack. The MAG team designed dedicated fixtures for each operation and special tooling for cutting and finishing the gear teeth on an HBM. “We cut the gear teeth on an unconventional machine,” according to Mark Huhn, project manager at MAG Fond du Lac. “In most cases the tooth involute would be generated by the machine itself, but we used a tool with the involute built into the cutter, which was accomplished by grinding the tooth form into the cutter first.”

The gear teeth were manufactured to American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) Gear Quality No. 6, and the gear was assembled to a pitch diameter concentricity of .8 mm (.031 in). The track, comprised of A148M Grade 620-415 castings, required a special cutter to produce a 2.127-degree surface angle. “The angle was circular interpolated onto the track surface and we designed a special cutter to cut the angle on one of our gantry-type machining centers,” says Huhn.

MAG is a leading machine tool and systems company serving the durable goods industry worldwide with complete manufacturing solutions for metal cutting and composites applications. With a strong foundation based upon renowned brands such as Boehringer, Cincinnati, Cross Hüller, Ex-Cell-O, Fadal, Giddings & Lewis, Hessapp, Honsberg, Hüller Hille and Witzig & Frank, MAG is recognized as the preeminent provider of tailored production solutions based on state of the art technology. Key industrial markets served include aerospace, automotive and truck, heavy equipment, oil and gas, rail, solar energy, wind turbine production, and general machining. With manufacturing and support operations strategically located worldwide, MAG offers comprehensive lines of equipment and technologies including turning, milling, hobbing, grinding, honing, systems integration, composites processing, maintenance, automation and software, tooling and fluids, and core components. For more information please visit www.mag-ias.com.