Keystone Tower Systems has begun commercial production of the first utility-scale spiral-welded towers at its new factory in Pampa, Texas. The factory currently has 40 employees with plans for further hiring. The first tower will be delivered this summer to a project in Texas.
Keystone Tower Systems has invested more than 10 years into developing tapered spiral welding to address wind tower logistics constraints. The spiral welding equipment can be operated directly on-site at a wind project, allowing steel to be shipped in as flat sheets, then rolled and welded at the project site into 20- to 25-ft diameter towers. By making towers on-site larger in diameter than can be shipped, it is possible to cost-effectively reach hub heights in excess of 500 ft.
“Spiral-welded towers have many advantages,” said CEO Eric Smith. “To deliver the most advanced towers on the market, we’ve designed them in close partnership with the world’s largest turbine OEMs. Spiral welding makes possible a new level of automation, which will result in the fastest production and highest quality the industry has ever seen.”
The Department of Energy continues to highlight Keystone Tower Systems as a success story. Having received funding in the past from the Innovative Small Business Research Program and the Wind Energy Technology Office, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy last week published the article, “How Spiral Welding is Revolutionizing Wind Turbine Manufacturing.”
Source: Windpowerengineering.com
