Industry Leading Test and Prototype Center
The wind market continuously evolves and ZF Wind Power answers the fast-growing demand by strengthening its position as a strategic partner. ZF's engineers continuously design gearboxes and powertrains with increasing torque levels. The team strives for high quality and invests largely in validation. To extend the portfolio the company started the installation of world’s largest 30MW test rig. This Test and Prototype Center allows ZF Wind Power to extend its offering from modular wind gearbox platforms to complete powertrain systems.
Validation
"Testing allows us to contain the risks inherent to the wind industry and it is essential to receive approval from customers, insurers, and certification agencies in order to launch new designs," says Dr. Martin Knops, Chief Technology Officer, ZF Wind Power.
With a length of 60m the installation is able to test the dynamic behavior of the main bearings, the gearbox and the generator on system level in real conditions with functional load tests, dynamics and robustness tests. It covers a maximal torque of 45 MNm, a maximum bending moment of 64 MNm and a maximum axial force of 7 500kN.