Page 28 - North American Clean Energy January February 2014

wind power

SnapOn Tools

Tool and Equipment Management

Training future turbine technicians
By Andy Ginger

wind turbines operating in 79 countries he reality today is that many high school students think of a traditional, four-year
IT’S ESTIMATED THERE ARE MORE THAN 225,000
throughout the world (www.globalwindday.org ). hat’s a lot of wind turbines—and, each college as their irst option and, often times, a career in a skilled labor ield isn’t top of
and every single one requires routine checks and maintenance. A challenge facing the mind. However, in only two years, interested students can receive a technical degree and
industry is ensuring enough technicians are fully trained to keep those turbines spinning at start working in a meaningful job that ofers career advancement, and a decent living.
optimal capacity.
Gaining skills and working in the wind energy industry is a career that’s highly

Although the wind power industry is still in its infancy in the United States, some automated. It’s tough and challenging, but in a good way—with the appropriate knowledge
technical schools and community colleges are beginning to implement wind power-speciic and training. What students should be aware of is that a technical degree can often provide
education for students to learn about turbine design and control systems. However, to a much quicker path to employment, is often less expensive than a bachelor’s degree, and
support technical schooling, the wind power industry must address some speciic issues comes with reasonable assurance that a job will be available following course completion.

when it comes to tools and tool management.
And, that job may be building or maintaining massive wind turbines.
For the wind power industry, the most applicable certiication courses include
Overcoming obstacles
multimeter, torque, and asset management. Multimeters are one of the most important

Two challenges currently exist related to tool and equipment management in the wind tools used by wind energy technicians due to the sophisticated electrical and electronic
industry: education and required workers.
components, as well as the monitoring systems employed in wind turbines.
Training technicians to properly and safely use tools and equipment is especially A thorough understanding of torque is also important as wind turbines have more than
signiicant in wind energy, as often time maintenance and repair crews must work at 600 fasteners, and all of which require proper torque. Torque certiication dives deep into

heights of well over 100 feet, depending on the project scale.
how to identify bolt grades, metal grades, hardness, thread pitch, and lubricants, while
his is where suppliers it into the equation. To ensure safe and proper tool use, some applying the associated science. It should also include theory, such as application, hands-on
suppliers have developed product-speciic user certiications for tools, equipment, and asset training, and safety and calibration equations.
management. To help facilitate these certiications, the National Coalition of Certiication Technicians who complete asset management certiication should leave with an

Centers (NC3), a network of education providers and corporations that support advances understanding of general asset management principles, which consists of tool control
and validate new and emerging technology skills in a number of industries (including wind theories, and foreign object damage/foreign material exclusion (FOD/FME) principles
power), have partnered with certain suppliers to develop tooling standards and certiication.
and prevention. Asset management certiication provides practical advice and
But educational and certiication programs can’t beneit anyone if people aren’t interested recommendations to manage tools, at a jobsite and in a wind tower.

in a career in skilled trades—the second challenge facing the wind industry as discussed Great opportunities exist to those who pursue a career in the skilled trades. But special
herein. here seems to be a current shift underway of young people shying away from skills and training are required to keep high-tech equipment, such as wind turbines,
engineering and maintenance vocations. he drought of skilled workers is leaving many operating at their best. Promoting industry jobs and proper tool and equipment training
good paying jobs unilled. Some estimates have tabbed the number as high as 600,000 are essential steps in ensuring the development of future wind power as a successful,

vacant skills and manufacturing jobs available in the US. Good opportunities are available to renewable energy source.
properly trained individuals.
Andy Ginger is president of Snap-on Industrial.
The face of the industry

To some extent, the skilled trades are facing an image crisis. he key to illing the Snap-on ofers technical schools and colleges eight fully-developed training
employment gap in the wind maintenance and engineering industry lies in changing the modules that teach technicians the proper and best way to use tools and
view of this ield. he industry is often synonymous with images of a noisy, dirty, and tough equipment, in speciic disciplines including wind power, to become more
working environment, which ofers little appeal to most. Such stereotypes are hampering productive in their jobs.

the recruiting eforts of young people into skilled trades, and could hinder growth of the
wind power industry.
Snap-on Industrial | www.snapon.com

28 nacleanenergy.com
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014