Tech Notes
Ongoing technical updates from Malloy's wind team on bearing failures, root causes, and the upgrades that fix them.
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Backlash and its importance in the pitch system of a wind turbine
Setting the backlash of blade bearings during installation will help ensure proper system loading, minimize tooth, and generally contribute to the longest system life possible. This article shows how to identify where to set the backlash and what effect setting it can have.
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Separable CRB’s and Best Practices for Installation
A brief article describing roller drop, why it happens, and how to apply best practices to avoid causing any damage when installing this bearing type.
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What to know when purchasing Duplex Bearing Sets
Understanding how many bearings to purchase and the advantages of duplex bearings is important when performing repairs on wind turbine gearboxes. This article introduces the benefits of duplex bearings while being focused on helping identify the correct quantity of bearings needed and understanding the contents and labeling of the bearings found inside the crate.
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DLC no longer cutting it
DLC was once used as a solution in most main bearings, but we're now learning it's not the solution it was once thought to be. Alternative bearing steel such as Super Tough is another way to address main shaft bearing failures, without relying on this DLC coating.
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Peeling damage found in main shaft bearings
What is peeling damage, what causes it and how to avoid it.
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What are Super Tough bearings?
Super Tough bearings have a track record of dramatically improving bearing life. What is it that makes them so much better than their through hard and case carburized counterparts?
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Brinelling vs False Brinelling, how are they different?
There are some similarities, but critical differences between true brinelling and false brinelling. Learn more about what causes these different defects and how to solve them.
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Blade Bearing Cracking - part 2: Causes and solutions
Learn about the multiple contributing factors to ring cracking on blade bearings. Many of the proposed solutions to this problem will still require additional replacements before end of turbine life. Learn about a real long term solution to take your turbine to end of life on first replacement.
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Blade Bearing Cracking Part 1: What to look for
Where to look for ring cracking to identify it early.
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Understanding electrical discharge in WTG bearings
Causes of electrical fluting discharge in wind turbine generator bearings and solutions.
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White Etching Cracking Failures Explained
What causes White Etching Cracking and how to solve it.
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Blade Bearing Basics
An overview of the construction and basic demands placed on 2-row 4-point contact bearings in the Wind pitch application.
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Pitch System Peformance
There are several components in the pitch system. All of these components can contribute to common pitch system faults like Blade Angle Asymmetry.
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Through hard vs Case hard bearings
Learn more about the difference between through hardened and case hardened bearings.
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Bearing Internal Clearance
Radial vs axial internal clearance. Why it's important to understand clearance and purchase the correct bearing for your application.
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Special bearings used in GE Pitch Motors
The OEM used highly specialized bearings in position but they still had room for improvement. We have an upgraded version of this bearing with all of the original special features and the addition of ceramic balls to offer the longest life possible for this tough application.
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