The APS solution is our latest innovation, delivering improvements in safety, permitting and efficiency. The technology is specifically designed to align wind turbine components without the need for taglines.
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“The APS System has made our lifting safer for our personal”
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“This tool is a game changer”
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“The APS has reduced our installation time
and made our installation more precise and safe”
Increase your wind speed limit
The Autonomous Positioning System promotes precise and innovative positioning. This helps expand your operating and weather window – and reduces your installation time. Successful wind turbine blade installation in wind speeds up to 14 m/s.
As wind turbines become larger and taller, the cost of installation cranes increases.
Cranes used to install larger wind turbines now need to work in all weather conditions. Snow, fog, strong winds and gusts are more likely to occur in the fall and winter.
The Autonomous Positioning System ensures that the main crane continues to operate regardless of low visibility, snow and other seasonal weather conditions.
Efficiency
The APS increases the operating weather window to overcome high winds and low visibility. This increases the utilization of the main crane and improves the predictability of the installation schedule.
Integrable system
The Autonomous Positioning System can be easily attached to or integrated with existing lifting equipment. Whether you need to lift wind turbine components or assemble bridge sections, the only limit is your imagination.
Fast and reliable assembly
The APS system can be permanently integrated into your lifting device. Or it can be shipped with our quick snap system – if you need to use the APS system on more than one hoist at the same jobsite or lifting operation.
Autonomous Positioning System
The APS is an original and very popular positioning system, due to its reliability, functionality, and practical design that ensures easy handling, alignment and control.
Technology & Specifications
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Technology
The APS solves a major challenge when our customers install components on wind turbines. Especially near highways, in forests, in mountainous areas and other places where traditional solutions like tagline systems can’t be used. The system is not limited by distance or the size of hardstands.
Why is this important?
Installing renewable energy sources, including wind farms, close to where the energy is consumed reduces the need to transport energy and the resulting losses. Respecting neighbors and planning around existing infrastructure is important when installing wind farms in populated and congested areas, however, and is a delicate exercise.
Smoother planning by avoiding taglines
Avoiding taglines is an effective way to avoid conflicts with neighbors who are reluctant to allow access for tagline operators or even reels. Avoiding taglines also reduces the need for local authorities to allow temporary closures of busy infrastructure such as highways. This ensures smoother planning and execution of wind farm installations.
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Technology explained
Stronger winds, and the resulting lower tagline force at ever higher hub heights, is an escalating problem in the installation of wind turbine components.
Facts:
A person who can pull 75 kg will apply 53 kg of resultant force at a 45° tagline angle, and only 25 kg at a 70° angle.1 explained:
- Horizontal force: 45° (53 kg per person)
- Windspeed: 9 m/s
- 10 technicians total for taglines
2 explained:
- Horizontal force: 70° (25,7 kg per person)
- Windspeed: 11 m/s
- 19 technicians total for taglines
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Hardware
- Two hubs with pitch propellers
- Two 15kw electric motors
- One control unit
- Two long range remote controls (min. 250 meters)
- Power supply option 1 – From the ground – 200 meters of 4G16, 32A reinforced electrical cable
- Power supply option 2 – 2 pcs generators connected in parallel for redundant power supply
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Specifications
- Autonomous horizontal position stabilization via gyro setpoint
- Manual operation/control of horizontal position
- Operating temperature -20 to +50 degrees Celsius
- Ingress protection class IP 56
- CE marked according to Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
- UV radiation resistant equipment
- System power supply redundancy
- Redundant propeller system
- Scada on system
- Net force: 2x750N (75 kg) – thrust is relative to distance from center of gravity
Total weight 1000 kg – depending on selected configuration
APS-controlled sling load blade installation avoids taglines
Integrable system
The Autonomous Positioning System can be easily attached to or integrated with existing lifting equipment. Or even work as a stand-alone tool for sling load operations. Whether you need to lift components for wind turbine installation or assemble bridge sections, only your imagination limits the use of the system.
The most obvious use of the APS in the wind power industry is to control the lifting of wind turbine blades. These blades are designed to catch the wind while being lightweight. These are ideal conditions when the wind turbine is generating electricity, but challenging when the blades need to be installed or replaced. When lifting the blades, a strong support to keep them in precise position is mandatory for efficiency and safety. And simply to prevent the blade from accidentally turning into the tower or hub in a sudden gust of wind.
The APS is not only designed for blade lifting applications, but can also be used for other large components where precise positioning is essential.
Quick shift
The Autonomous Positioning System is designed with a quick-lock system for quick and secure integration with lifting equipment. This ensures no time is wasted on the jobsite. To enable this functionality, interface brackets must be added to your lifting equipment. Seasight Solutions has the experience and certifications to design and supply these brackets.
The alternative to the APS being fully integrated or designed as a Quick Shift solution to your lifting equipment is to use it as an independent tool under or above your payload/load.
With advanced software settings, even sling load configurations are possible.
Vestas EnVentus turbine – all major components installed with the Autonomous Positioning System.
Need for taglines is 100 % eliminated.
Rent or buy?
Commercially, the Autonomous Positioning System aims to support the planning of construction activities by offering both purchase and rental solutions. This will accommodate the diversity and needs of different regions and wind farm construction subcontractors.
In any case, the APS will be delivered with product training and service contract packages, according to your preferred choice.
