Danish outfit MacArtney has completed a site acceptance test for its horizontal single blade mounting tool designed for Siemens Gamesa’s 11MW offshore wind turbine.
The acceptance test took place at Osterild test centre in Denmark, where a prototype of the 11.0-193 DD turbine has been installed for its own testing.
MacArtney said the tool is now ready for market use and has been pre-approved for an unnamed offshore wind farm off Germany.
The tool aligns the nacelle hub and allows for the horizontal mounting of each blade, the company said.
MacArtney project manager Carsten Olafsson said: “Rotation of the hub of the nacelle for single blade installation is a critical and essential operation for the direct drive turbine blade installation required offshore.
“This was achieved by creating the physical workspace needed in a controlled environment, and the HSBM tool establishes a solid foundation for this function and operation.
“The development of the 11.0-193 DD factored in dynamic implications including physical dimension constraints, transport and mobility requirements, safety and ergonomic solutions.”