1. BOLTED JOINT ASSEMBLY WIND ENERGY FIELD SERVICE TECHNICIANS
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
BOLTED JOINT ASSEMBLY WIND ENERGY FIELD SERVICE TECHNICIANS
INTRODUCTION
This course is focused on the practical principles of assembly, not the design of bolted joints. It is targeted to field service technicians, supervisors, engineers and others who are responsible for quality in bolting and who need to acquire or refresh their knowledge of best practices so that they can better assess performance and achieve the results they seek.
A one-day course for mechanics is also available.

2. 1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
The following material is intended to make you aware of the commonly accepted and recognized principles and methods used in assembling bolted joints. However, every possible application of these methods cannot be foreseen and these general guidelines do not supersede any other applicable rules or regulations.
ALWAYS FOLLOW CURRENT COMPANY AND SITE SAFETY RULES AND PROCEDURES WHEN PERFORMING ANY OF THE WORK DESCRIBED IN THIS PRESENTATION.
The authors and sponsors of this course have no control over, and assume no responsibility for any damage, injury or work interruptions due to any person’s use of, or reliance upon these generally accepted methods and principles.
>
No course can cover all possibilities and address all problems. The key is to know what to look for, and where to go to get the answers.
Hopefully that is what you will take away from this course.

3. But you might be surprised about how much there is to know!
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
We have all grown up around nuts and bolts and don’t give them much thought.
Since we were old enough to remember we have always been around nuts and bolts.
But you might be surprised by how much there is to know.
But you might be surprised about how much there is to know!
FOR EXAMPLE…

4. MANY INDUSTRIES - HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
MANY INDUSTRIES - HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS
You may become involved in the maintenance and overhaul of hundreds of different types of equipment, but although the machinery may be different, with regard to bolting there are common principles and procedures you can apply across the board.
>

5. NO MATTER HOW BIG AND COMPLEX THE MACHINERY GETS...
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
NO MATTER HOW BIG AND COMPLEX THE MACHINERY GETS...
AT ITS HEART,
HOLDING EVERYTHING TOGETHER IS
THE HUMBLE LITTLE BOLT
But at the heart of the matter, holding everything together is the humble little bolt.
>
Let me introduce you to Bubba the bolt!
Bubba will help us highlight some important principles and help us with a few demonstrations as we proceed.

6. WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT BOLTED JOINT ASSEMBLY FOR THE WIND ENERGY INDUSTRY?
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
BOLTED JOINTS ARE EVERYWHERE…
TOWERS AND TURBINES
MACHINE JOINTS
COUPLINGS AND
ALIGNMENT

7. THE AVERAGE WIND TOWER HAS OVER…
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
500 CRITICAL BOLTS!
BEDPLATE BOLTS
GENERATOR COUPLING
GEARBOX BEARINGS
MAIN BEARINGS
YAW BEARING
BLADE BEARINGS
ROTOR TO MAIN SHAFT
TOWER TO NACELLLE
TOWER BOLTS
BLADES TO HUB
The simplest reason is that the average modern wind tower has over 1000 bolts each of which is critical to its stability and performance over its planned 20 year life cycle!
From the base of the tower, to the turbine, to anchoring each of the huge blades to its hub, the integrity, efficiency and safety of the structure depends on every single fastener doing its job. The failure or loosening of a single bolt could begin a chain reaction that could cripple the entire system.

8. AND WHEN MACHINES BEGIN TO COME APART THINGS CAN GET EXCITING IN A HURRY!
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly

9. BOLTING IS ALWAYS IN THE CRITICAL MAINTENANCE PATH…
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
BOLTING IS ALWAYS IN THE CRITICAL MAINTENANCE PATH…
DISASSEMBLY
OVERHAUL
RE-ASSEMBLY
EVERY HOUR OF DOWNTIME COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN LOST GENERATION $

10. TRAINED DEDICATED PEOPLE
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
Getting things RIGHT
When you’re working at HEIGHT..
Safely
And doing it
DEMANDS
Wind towers are inherently dangerous places to work. What, on the ground might be a simple task, becomes much more challenging 300 feet in the air. In addition to the problems of working at height, there are confined spaces, restrictive harnesses, high electrical voltage, confined spaces, and isolation from help if an emergency does occur. People must learn to work with and depend upon their buddy because their safety and very life may depend upon carefully following the established operating procedures and doing the job right the first time so that someone else is not put at risk to fix a problem you left undone.
TRAINED DEDICATED PEOPLE
Wind Towers Are Not For Rookies!

11. TRAINING BENEFITS EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
THE DOOR TO THE SAFETY, QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OPENS WITH A KEY!
TRAINING
TRAINING IN THE WORKPLACE IMPROVES BOTH THE JOB AND THE PEOPLE
QUALITY, EFFICIENCY, SAFETY AND WORKER SATISFACTION ALL IMPROVE
TRAINING BENEFITS EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES
Training is the key to safety, to quality, and to efficiency.
Both the job and the people are made better when they get an opportunity to learn how to improve their skills. People feel good about themselves and stay longer with an employer who expresses enough confidence in them to spend time and money to train them.
Training benefits everything it touches.

12. Critical learning goals for bolting personnel:
1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
PRINCIPLES OF JOINT RELIABILITY
BASICS OF TORQUE AND TENSION
FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE ACCURACY OF LOAD AND HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL
SAFE OPERATION AND HANDLING OF INDUSTRIAL BOLTING TOOLS
WHY BOLTS COME LOOSE AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL WIND BOLTING TASKS
PRACTICAL APPLICATION – NOT JUST TALK!
Here are some of the key subjects we will explore in this course.

13. 1 BOLTING ASSEMBLY TRAINING - INTRODUCTIONNotes from the Training Course on Bolting Assembly
LET'S GET STARTED!
So let’s get started!