Replacing sacrificial anodes in wind turbines with robust OMEGA Offshore manual wire rope winch from Pfaff-silberblau

Kissing/Germany, 25. March 2013 – Specifically for anode adjustment in wind turbines, Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH of Kissing/Germany is presenting an application-specific version of the OMEGA manual wire rope winch from Pfaff-silberblau. Outstanding features of the new OMEGA Offshore wire rope winch are its encapsulated and, consequently, weather-resistant gearbox for long-lasting maritime deployment as well as its convenient operation in harsh environmental conditions. The OMEGA wire rope winch, which has already proven itself in numerous off-shore applications, supports loads of up to 500 kg and offers the option of manual operation or operation via an external actuator. Its high-grade surface coating and its enclosed spur gear with oil bath lubrication combine to guarantee a long service life and high operational reliability, also for long periods of non-use. These features make the OMEGA Offshore wire rope winch from Pfaff-silberblau the perfect lifting gear for example in wind turbines both near the coast and out at sea. The dedicated field of application of the modified OMEGA is the replacement of sacrificial anodes. Generally speaking, these are made from zinc and protect (installed in the foundation of the wind turbine) the steel against corrosion. To facilitate the routine replacement of these metal blocks, they are lifted onto the maintenance deck on carrying ropes with the aid of the OMEGA Offshore winch. The OMEGA winch is actuated via a driving hexagon either by hand or motor-driven. For manual operation, a detachable crank is used. Minimal effort is re-quired thanks to the ratio of the high-precision spur gear. An even more conven-ient option is to actuate the winch via an on-site external drive, which raises and lowers the load with a maximum speed of 100 min -1. The OMEGA Offshore wire rope winch complies with DIN EN 13157 as well as the classification and design specifications for lifting gear on ocean-going vessels and offshore installations (abbreviated to: lifting gear regulations) of Germanischer Lloyd. More information on lifting equipment and system solutions for offshore applications by Pfaff-silberblau is available at www.pfaff-silberblau.com/offshore-en/.

About Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products The company Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH, Kissing/Germany, has ranked with its brands Pfaff-silberblau and Alltec Antriebstechnik for many decades amongst the technology leaders in components and system solutions for mechanical motion and lifting technology. The portfolio ranges from sophisticated screw jack elements to innovative linear drives through to powerful lifting tables and wire rope winches. On the basis of these components, Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products also offers customised solutions for a wide range of different fields of application. Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products is a subsidiary of the listed Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO), Amherst/USA, a leading supplier of lifting and materials handling equipment. Worldwide, the Group has around 2,600 employees at 18 production sites in seven countries and at 52 other company branches. Further information on Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products along with its brands Pfaff-silberblau and Alltec Antriebstechnik is available online at www.pfaff-silberblau.com.