In cooperation with Vestas, MacArtney Offshore Wind Solutions developed the requisite tool for blade handling and, subsequently, mounting onto their new V236-15.0 MW™ prototype at Østerild National test centre for large wind turbines (on the west coast of Northern Jutland).

The handling process includes three pieces of specially designed equipment:

• A cradle for placement of blade root, preparing the blade for installation
• A C-yoke for lifting the tip end
• A release lock to free the sling at the root end

The C-yoke and the release lock are remotely operated from the ground with the same remote control in a failsafe setup to ensure the employment of the right equipment.

The release lock is customised for this application as no existing equipment could handle the wide sling requested to protect the blade.

The two lifting systems have a battery packet, an integrated charger and a status indicator light.

Before equipment delivery, we performed the load test on our premises in Bur via our unique test facility, enabling static load tests of up to 80 tons and dynamic load tests of up to 32 tons.

We are often presented with new concepts requiring us to innovate and generate solutions. We love taking on new challenges and developing solutions in close cooperation with the client and a hand-picked, dedicated in-house team with a good mix of skills.