Kaydon re-manufactured bearings are saving time and money for Duncan Plant and Construction, the County Antrim-based specialist in wind turbine operation management and maintenance. Duncan Plant’s wind farm customer had asked it to source a complete set of replacement wind turbine blade bearings as they were worn and damaged.
These were originally supplied by Avon Bearings, now part of the Kaydon Group. The Kaydon Group is represented in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia by R.A. Rodriguez whose industry manager Dave Young suggested the re-manufactured option.
“This is a time and cost saving alternative that proved ideal for this customer. Re-manufactured bearings still offer unsurpassed quality, they have a year’s warranty and are available on fast turnaround,” says Young.
The worn Avon double row ball slewing ring type bearings were critical elements of a Zond 550kW wind turbine. They have an outside diameter of 1,062mm and are 125mm deep with tapped holes on the outer ring and drilled holes on the inner ring. All three bearings exhibited signs of corrosion on the raceways and had been subject to a degree of structural damage.
Kaydon provided a Class ‘A’ refurbishment of the bearings. All were restored to an ‘as new’ condition and returned to Duncan Plant complete with condition and action report.
Such has been the success that Duncan Plant has been asked to arrange the re-manufacture of further Zond wind turbine blade bearings at the wind farm.