Page 21 - North American Clean Energy March April 2015

Double-cut shears
However, the “upside-down” concept of Kett Tool’s KD-400 Double-Cut Shears help manufacturers and contractors conserve materials and cut costs.

bringing wind down to the turbine elimi- he shears deliver precision cuts in C.R. mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, plastic, and Formica without
nates the need for self-alignment with the warping or bending the original material or the inished piece. he Double-Cut Shears’ dual-blades transfer any
wind because its intake is omni-directional, distortion produced in cutting to a small 7/32" waste strip, leaving behind material edges that aren’t hardened
and all of the rotating parts are on the or burred to allow maximum use of sheet material. he blades’ swiping action also seals edges of coated metals.

ground. his simpliies operations and Kett’s KD-400 shears use a ive-amp, variable speed electric motor to produce straight or contoured cuts
maintenance, not to mention safety.
in C.R. mild steel (up to 18 gauge), most grades of stainless, aluminum (up to 0.80"), and 3/32" thick plastics
A signiicant challenge to a new tech- and Formica—all at speeds up to 300 inches per minute. he lightweight, maneuverable shears easily follow a

nology is the time and capital required to scribed line, capable of cutting a radius as small as six inches. All shear heads are precision made in the US, fea-
mature the product line, and optimize per- turing A2 tool steel blades for prolonged durability.
formance at reasonable costs. Ultimately, Kett Tool | www.kett-tool.com
a willingness to change and to test and try

new, potentially better technology, is nec-
essary for growth in any industry—and,
especially, for the ongoing success of the
wind market.

The future of wind
Beyond an ability to now control the wind,
this new application for generating wind

power allows for much smaller blades, re-
sulting in enormous savings in millions of
tons of materials, as well as in manufactur-
ing, transportation, and construction costs.

Moreover, controlling wind direction
and speed by accelerating or decelerating
when necessary, allows for more eicient
production of electrical energy. Accelerat-

ing wind allows for potential installs in low
wind regions, where wind power is simply
not viable with traditional towers. Installa-
tion of multiple turbines inside the Venturi

section of the system also means improve-
ments in availability (i.e. capacity factor),
and reduced generating costs per kilowatt-
hour (kWh). he latter allows for little or no

downtime, even when maintaining one of
the turbines.
Ultimately, this system eliminates the
main failure points with traditional wind

turbine systems: the yaw control mecha-
nism, and the blade pitch control system.
Both equate to costly repairs and long KNOW UL?

downtime. It also doesn’t pose a risk to
birds or bats, output licker or noise, and it
won’t cause radar interference.
THINK AGAIN.
Funneling and accelerating the wind to

the turbines also provides for a safe instal-
lation in low wind areas that are close to
communities, with the potential to connect
and expand microgrids. In contrast to tra-
As a wind farm stakeholder or manufacturer of wind turbines or
ditional turbines that are installed where components, you may know UL for our wind turbine testing and type
the wind is strongest, this concept allows
for a system to be installed where the need certification. But UL, just like you, is constantly evolving to meet changing
is strongest—so, closer to cities, communi- market needs on a broader level. That’s why our services also cover
wind measurement, energy yield assessment, due diligence, power curve
ties, or industrial plants. he technology verification, on-/offshore project certification, and much more besides.
could be integrated into buildings, land- Tell us your needs, our portfolio may surprise you.
marks, or retroitted to existing structures, Customer first, safety always.
vastly changing the way power is produced.
For more information on UL services for wind energy,
All it took was an ability to look at tech- please contact [email protected] or call 1.877.ULHELPS (1.877.854.3577)
UL.COM/WIND
nology from a diferent angle. It seems that
turning wind power upside down could be
the start of transforming renewable energy

into the base-load power source that coal
has been since the early 1900s.

SheerWind | www.sheerwind.com

North American Clean Energy 21