PRECISION ENGINEERING FOR SUSTAINABILITY

How Gala Precision Engineering is protecting the integrity and durability of fasteners in the wind energy sector

The renewable energy sector depends on the seamless running of large machinery, such as wind turbines, solar panel arrays, and hydroelectric equipment. Naturally, these types of machinery require very specialist styles and sizes of fasteners to meet their performance and maintenance requirements, as well as to enable them to withstand all kinds of weather conditions and environments.

Renwable energy is a rapidly growing sector, with wind energy being one of the most significant contributors to renewable energy production worldwide. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), wind energy is set to grow fourfold by 2030, with the potential to generate over 4,000GW of electricity by 2050. With such significant growth, the demand for high­quality precision engineering products is only set to increase.

Having identified sustainability and renewable energy as its strategic focus, Gala Precision Engineering’s expertise in this area has made it a trusted supplier of critical components for renewable energy applications, in particular for wind turbines. One of the most critical components the company supplies for this application is its Gallock wedge lock washer, which protects the integrity of the fasteners in various components within a wind turbine.

Gallock washers are used in blade connections, in nacelle, and within the towers for onshore and offshore applications, protecting the critical fasteners that keep a wind turbine erect and supporting them in producing maximum energy throughout the turbine’s lifetime. The most important wind energy applications for the wedge­lock washers is for blade studs and nacelle fasteners.

Reducing costs

By using Gallock wedge lock washers, OEMs save on a large portion of their costs due to fewer maintenance cycles associated with the fasteners. Alongside the Gallock washers, Gala’s product range for wind turbine applications also includes heavy­duty fasteners such as high tensile studs and bolts, anchor foundation bolts, blade studs, tower connections, nacelle fasteners and crossbones. According to Gala, it is one of the few companies that provides in­house manufacturing of these types of critical components.

Having intently studied the requirements of wind turbine OEMs and the surrounding environments that the fasteners are exposed to, Gala has developed a variety of coating solutions, such as zinc flake coatings and hot dip galvanising, to meet its customer’s specific needs. These coatings provide a salt spray life of up to 1,200 hours and beyond, which is essential for reducing the maintenance of wind turbine­based fastening solutions.

Investing in India

To further expand its product range and provide comprehensive solutions to the wind energy market, Gala is setting up a new plant in Chennai, India, which is the wind capital for manufacturing in India. At the plant, Gala will manufacture high tensile bolts and other critical fasteners with the aim of becoming a one­stop­shop for its clients. The new plant will expand Gala’s already strong presence in various regions of India and complement its existing plant locations.

The new plant will bring Gala closer to its customers in the region, including leading wind turbine manufacturers Vestas, Nordex and Enercon which are currently expanding their operations in South India. The plant will also enable Gala to invest in a new product line of in Hexagonal High tensile Bolts for applications in wind towers and nacelles as well as in­house inspection and coating facilities that are widely used in the wind industry, such as automated spray­based zinc flake coatings.

The company’s focus on precision engineering for renewable energy is in line with the Indian government’s push for greater alternative energy production. The Indian government has set a target of achieving 450GW of renewable energy by 2030, with wind energy contributing significantly to this target. The country’s wind energy potential is estimated to be around 302GW, and the government is taking several initiatives to realise this potential.

While Gala aims to become a major player in the renewable energy sector, the company’s precision engineering capabilities are not just limited to wind turbines. The company also has diversified clientele in the industrial, railway and automotive industries, delivering critical fasteners and springs to OEMs and distributors across the globe.

www.galagroup.com