Barnhart was hired to exchange blade and pitch bearings at a wind farm in Texas. The team employed a new “craneless” method. This method utilizes a smaller assist crane and ancillary equipment in place of the large crawler cranes that are normally used.
Due to an issue with the blade’s structural integrity, the craneless method had to be modified to this specific blade type. Barnhart’s technical team quickly developed a modified procedure using mechanical rotor lock plates and trailing-edge and leading-edge protection (or blade tacos).
The first phase of the project was to lower the damaged blade using the craneless system, with the modified trailing edge and leading-edge protection.
The second phase was to safely raise the blade using the same system after the repair was completed.