Sandvik Coromant is stepping up its efforts to support manufacturers operating in the wind energy sector, offering a range of competitive, component specific cutting tool and tooling system solutions, as well as a wealth of applications knowledge and technical support.

Wind power is now a global enterprise that despite the weak economic conditions recorded over the past 18 months, continues to grow at an approximate annual rate of 20-25%. Despite rapid growth in the US and Asia, Europe today remains the largest market globally for wind turbine installations.

As fossil fuels continue to diminish, Sandvik Coromant fully supports the world’s search for alternative and sustainable energy resources in order to provide a better environmental future for generations to come. However, wind power will only become mainstream technology if it can prove to be a competitive alternative.

For manufacturers keen to try new machining techniques and strategies, Sandvik Coromant claims it is able to deliver three main advantages over competitor companies centred around close customer relations and the ability to understanding customer needs; Productivity Centre training; specialist applications knowledge and; half a century’s expertise and experience in deep hole machining applications to provide important advantages in the machining of components such as main shafts for wind turbines.

Sandvik says it is well positioned to develop enhanced machining strategies with its customers, help out with special solutions or optimise processes to provide a genuine impact on bottom line profit. It can offer complete solutions packages for selected wind turbine components that include connecting rings, main shafts, hubs and planetary carriers. Specific solutions for all wind turbine parts will be continually introduced and this is anticipated to be complete by 2012.

An electronic version of Sandvik Coromant’s windmill production brochure ‘A great take-off’ can be downloaded from the company’s website.

Sandvik Coromant
www.sandvik.coromant.com