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In response to growing market demand, polymeric technology company, Belzona, now offers a complete leading edge repair and protection solution. Optimised to be easy-to-apply, fast-curing and hard-wearing, the combination of Belzona 5711 and Belzona 5721 is specially designed to fortify wind turbine blades with outstanding protection against leading edge erosion for the long term.

Fast, in-situ application of leading edge repair and protection solution, Belzona 5711

New Thixotropic Paste Repair System Builds on Success of Leading Edge Protection (LEP) Coating

From Norway to North Dakota, since its launch in October 2019, Belzona’s leading edge protection coating, Belzona 5721, has already been deployed at numerous wind farms worldwide to great success. Lauded as an “extremely fast and cost-effective solution for protecting leading edges” by Jæren Vind Energi AS in Norway, the turbine blade coating provides a quick and straightforward means of protecting leading edges in situ.


2-part leading edge protection coating, Belzona 5721, being applied in situ at a wind farm

Now, building on this knowledge and experience in the field, the Company has developed Belzona 5711 – a thixotropic paste specially designed to be applied in conjunction with the Belzona 5721 protective coating (amongst other product options). This solvent-free, 2-part repair paste is specially formulated for the in-situ repair and rebuilding of leading edge erosion and impact damage on wind turbine blades.

New Leading Edge Repair Paste Facilitates Fast Turnaround Time

Commenting on Belzona’s new polymeric solution for the wind industry, Jason Horn, Research and Development Manager, said: “Whilst offering rapid cure, Belzona 5711 also has a good working life which allows for the material to be perfectly contoured/formed to the leading edge of the blade. This removes the need for sanding, therefore, eliminating a step in the repair process and simplifying the application.”

He continued: “Belzona 5711 cures quickly and can be directly overcoated with Belzona 5721 in as little as 30 minutes at 20°C/68°F - without the need for any additional preparation. At the same temperature, Belzona 5721 will be fully cured within five hours, allowing the turbine to be returned to service in the same day.”

He concluded: “With the combination of Belzona 5711 and Belzona 5721, the balance between usability and rapid return-to-service makes the products ideal for in-situ repair across a broad application temperature range. The long shelf-life also makes Belzona an ideal stocking material for wind turbine maintenance.”

Key Benefits of New Belzona Leading Edge Repair Product VS. Leading Competitive Products

• 60-minute cure time in ambient temperatures ensures rapid return-to-service
• Product is suitable for all climates (5-40°C / 41-104°F) with a maximum overcoat window of 24 hours
• Cartridge packaging ensures good mixing quality and ease of use
• Easy to contour and long working-life ensures a smooth finish
• Reduced health and safety risks (CMR free labelling in EU)
• Durable technology provides a long-lasting repair
• Sanding is not required prior to overcoating with Belzona 5721, thus speeding up the application process
• Single component rather than two grades for all climates
• Three-year shelf life allows for flexibility in application planning 
• Higher volume per cartridge ensures reduced packaging waste
• Can be applied either at offshore or onshore wind farms
• Can be used to repair manufacturing defects


Belzona 5711 cartridge packaging facilitates a fast and simple application procedure

In addition, Belzona 5711 is available worldwide through the network of Belzona international Distributors. In order to ensure that the product is applied correctly, Contractors can be trained in the application of Belzona 5711 locally on site by one of the local Distributors.

Repair not Replace: Leading Edge Repair and Protection System Supports a Circular Economy

According to the European Wind Energy Association, the estimated lifespan of a wind turbine is typically 20-25 years. Environmental factors, such as weathering, lightning, icing, birds and insect collisions, can seriously limit this lifespan. In addition, there is evidence that damage to the leading edges of a turbine blade can lower the annual energy production, with energy losses that range between 4 to 20% when the damage is severe. 

By investing in a high-performance leading edge repair and protection system, asset-owners can protect wind turbine blades against the environmental damage outlined above. In doing so, polymeric systems support a circular economic strategy as this technology helps to extend the lifespan of wind turbine blades. In turn, this reduces the demand for blades to be manufactured and, eventually, disposed of. Therefore, by giving the blades a new lease of life in this way, the combination of Belzona 5711 and Belzona 5721 will help towards mitigating the carbon footprint of the wind power industry.

In addition, by bypassing the expensive process of both replacing and disposing of damaged blades, asset owners will be able to make significant financial savings as well.

Safeguarding Wind Turbine Blades with Polymeric Technology Supports a Net-Zero Future

According to the 2021 State of Climate Action Report, authored by the world’s top climate analysis coalition, Climate Action Tracker (CAT), in order to meet the Paris Agreement’s net-zero by 2050 target, the share of wind and solar energy in electricity generation needs to increase from 7.03% (based on 2018 figures) to 37 - 72% by 2030. By 2050, the share needs to rise further to 80 - 82%. 

This means that by 2050, wind and solar electricity generation needs to increase by between 72.97 – 74.7%. In order to support this seismic growth, leading edge repair and protection systems, such as Belzona 5711 and Belzona 5721, play a critical role in extending the lifespan of wind turbine blades and, therefore, supporting a net-zero future for the planet.


Polymeric repair and protection systems support a net-zero future for the planet

More information on Belzona’s leading edge repair and protection solution can be found here.

Peppers Cable Glands are world leaders in the design, manufacture, and supply of Hazardous Area Connectivity Solutions for use within industries such as Oil, Gas, Marine, Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical and Food.

The Peppers product range includes a vast array of Elastomeric Seal and Barrier Cable Glands for use with armoured, unarmoured cables and conduit systems. Alongside an extensive range of enclosure accessories like Blanking Plugs, Thread adaptors and Breather Drains

Peppers understands your requirement for simplicity in all its forms, from initial contact and quotation to ordering and final delivery. Their simplified processes ensure that within 24 hours they can not only provide a quote, but in many cases and due to holding stock, they can often dispatch on the same day; by using a clever "component manufacturing" processes it allows them to remain agile and react fast to customer demands.

With an unfaltering reputation for knowledge and expertise in the industry, when charged with supplying products into hazardous areas, customers need to know they're receiving accurate technical information that they can rely on; and this is an integral element of the service Peppers provides.

Innovative gland styles such as the new Eclipse Liquid Barrier range provide added versatility to their existing barrier range. The EC-S*M & CR-S*M, unlike any other gland on the market, known as a "Conduit Stopper Box", can effectively stop explosions from either direction. Peppers has also integrated its ingenious MAC system and Deluge protection concept into various gland designs, ensuring even more installations are completed without mistakes.

Peppers maintains a quality management system approved to ISO 9001 :2015, BS EN ISO/IEC 80079-34:2020. Application of quality systems for equipment manufacture and an Environmental System approved to ISO 14001:2015 as well as operating within Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHS) to ISO45001.

Semiconductors have changed the way we live and continue to play a key role in our future. As the number of production facilities increase, so the potential for harmful emissions also rises. Sensor technology supports the semiconductor industry by enabling consistency and uniformity, while at the same time protecting those working directly on the fabrication process, and off-site emissions that can potentially impact local communities.

With product standards and safety requirements so crucial, the highest quality standard of sensors and monitoring is imperative. ION Science, leaders in PID (photoionisation detection) technology are experienced in delivering those solutions.

Demand for semiconductors is at an all-time high with a wide spectrum of usage including smartphones on a small scale, electric cars on the medium scale and within smart factories on an industrial scale. Whatever their end application, they require extremely precise fabrication.

Different types of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and gases are used in the development of integrated circuits on silicon wafers. Determining and ensuring the exact amount of VOC exposure is crucial, both for consistency and for personal health. Unaccounted-for VOCs have the potential to interfere with the creation of a wafer and ruin a circuit, potentially even a whole batch.

The Water Jetting Association, the UK member organisation for water jetting, has introduced an annual audit system to help set uniformly high standards across the industry.

The measure is designed to ensure all members fully understand and meet the criteria for joining the WJA and continue to meet those standards as their membership is renewed each year.

It also promises to give members a commercial edge as they will be able to promote their audited status with a special WJA logo.

Jeff Haigh, a member of the WJA Ruling Council, is leading the audit initiative. He said: “Members have responded very positively to our new audit system.

“It is allowing us to be more certain that organisations seeking to join the WJA meet our criteria and that members continue to meet these standards as their activities develop.

“We’re also able to give companies who want to join the WJA better support and advice, as well as identifying where we can improve ongoing advice for members and raise standards still further.

In response to regulatory change and industry demand for safer assembly solutions, Henkel has exchanged certain raw materials in selected products in its LOCTITE® range of Instant Adhesives in line with these new regulatory classification requirements. Spearheaded by the introduction of the new ultra-performance cyanoacrylate adhesive, LOCTITE 402, this initiative combines raw materials that comply with the latest regulatory requirements and the high quality and reliability synonymous with the LOCTITE brand.

This has been achieved without compromising any of the key properties that have come to define the LOCTITE Instant Adhesive range including fast fixture times, high bond strength, material versatility, and temperature resistance.  And the result is a comprehensive range of instant adhesives and accelerators that will allow industry to take full advantage of the technology’s potential to simplify design, improve reliability and increase productivity while also enhancing occupational safety through a reduction of hazardous substances.

Industrial electricians can be wearing their hard hat for up to – or sometimes over – eight hours a day. Around 2,000 hours a year. That’s a lot of time. And during it all, its job is to protect our most important asset and greatest tool – the brain. A complex organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, and every process that regulates our body. It’s a pretty tough and important job. That’s why, at MSA Safety, we see hard hats as much more than merely a protective shell. We see them as an electrician’s companion – your companion. One that’s with you throughout most of the working day, five days a week, 12 months a year. And one that might just be a lifesaver.

In this article we’ll walk you through a day in the life of an industrial electrician’s safety helmet. Why? Because we want to bring to life what hard hats withstand on a daily basis and reveal how quality head protection not only keeps electricians safe but contributes to increased confidence, wellbeing and greater productivity. It’s time to shine a light on your most important – yet lesser celebrated – companion.

9am: the workday begins

It may be the end of a long week, but your electrician helmet with integrated arc-flash visor needs to show up and set about its job: being ready to save your life. It’s an important job. You need to feel confident that your hard hat can withstand whatever’s thrown its way. So, what are the characteristics of a quality helmet with integrated full-face shield that that makes it robust enough to do its job, day in, day out?

• A protective arc-flash resistant foam at the top of your face shield helps enhance the seal between shield and hard hat, elevating your safety.
• An anti-scratch coating face shield – that’s also anti-fog – means your vision is unimpeded.
• A reusable storage bag means you can stow away your hard hat and keep it protected when not in use, helping it to stay at the top of its game. It can also help increase the service life of the hard hat, providing an added cost-effective bonus.

Precision equipment manufacturer Link Instruments has won the title of Level Indicator Instrument Manufacturer of the Year in the sixth annual UK Enterprise Awards 2022. The judging took into account a range of criteria including client dedication, innovation, business growth, longevity, online reputation, customer feedback and business performance.

The Awards are open to exceptional small and medium-sized businesses in the UK and they recognise the dedication of companies in overcoming the hardships of the past two years.

"It is very gratifying to receive this public recognition for all the hard work we have put in, particularly over the last couple of challenging years," said Link Instruments' Dominique Christie.

One of the company's flagship instruments is a fire extinguisher fill checker for quickly assessing banks of fire extinguishers. Known as the ULLC IS, the hand-held unit uses ultrasound to locate the boundary between the liquified and gaseous gas in the cylinder so that the amount of extinguisher fluid present can be calculated.

Rated for use in hazardous areas, the ATEX approved instrument is particularly in demand in industries such as oil, gas and marine, especially on LPG carriers.

 www.linkinst.com

SFC Energy launches EFOY Hydrogen fuel cell products together with Oneberry Technologies in Singapore at the grand opening of the new Oneberry Technologies headquarters

Brunnthal/Munich, Germany, May 06, 2022 - SFC Energy AG (F3C:DE, ISIN: DE0007568578), a leading supplier of hydrogen and methanol fuel cells for stationary and mobile hybrid-power solutions, celebrates another milestone together with its long-standing partner Oneberry Technologies in the corporate development of the two Groups. Today, Oneberry Technologies, the Singaporean provider and innovator of security and surveillance technologies, opens its new headquarters with a grand opening ceremony.

The Guest of Honour of the event was the Senior Minister of State from the Ministry of Communications and Information Singapore, Dr Janil Puthucheary. Dr Puthucheary obtained on site a personal impression of the new Oneberry Technologies headquarters including the environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions of both partners. SFC Energy and Oneberry Technologies have been working together for twelve years, shaping the transformation of the energy landscape towards sustainable solutions. Thus far Oneberry Technologies has purchased more than 1800 EFOY fuel cells for deployment in numerous applications such as flood early warning systems, highrise littering, and ad-hoc and mobile surveillance to name a few.

Safe, durable and efficient: Manufacturing, construction professionals and facilities managers can say goodbye to complicated and time-consuming scaffold structures with PAXTower, an innovative new modular tower system. The new range, launched in February 2022 by leading access equipment specialist ZARGES, is equipped with a range of new features to make working at height safer and easier than ever before.

With both user convenience and versatility at the forefront of its design, the PAXTower offers the perfect all-in-one solution for carrying out maintenance work or jobs at height within a factory or site setting.

The easy-to-assemble and easy-to-use structure ensures that maximising productivity on site is readily achievable, while guaranteeing the ultimate user safety. The adjustable 7.6m working height provides access, making it suitable for a variety of different applications; while the stringently tested and ergonomic design, in accordance with the latest EN1004 standards, ensures safe working at all times. 

With Brady Corporation's complete RFID solution, assets in any industrial environment can be given unique digital identities just by applying a label. Users will be able to identify and locate labelled assets all at once, from a distance, in real time, without needing line of sight.

Your needs. Your solution.

To make RFID driven efficiency possible in any unique workplace, Brady leverages its global manufacturing capabilities and services to customise each of the components in its complete RFID solution. Label read range can be adapted, as well as all other label properties that enable labels to stay attached to any user's asset selection in a wide range of industrial environments. Sensors can be embedded to capture environmental data including temperature or moisture levels. Scanners can be equipped with custom programmed apps that processes data to unlock the benefits a specific business needs, and Brady can integrate the entire solution with existing ICT infrastructure.

Discover Brady’s RFID complete solution >>

A major leap in workplace efficiency

Well implemented, quality RFID solutions enable a major leap in operational efficiency for many industries. With a handheld RFID scanner, multiple assets can be located, identified, tracked and traced from a 15m distance without needing line of sight. Fixed RFID scanners can even cover the entire workplace to considerably accelarate asset tracking. As a result, employees can quickly find any labelled asset they need, inventories can be automated, and outgoing cargo can be checked for completeness in seconds.

Business at your fingertips

Automatically collected data on all labelled assets can help inform strategic decision making on capital asset numbers, their locations, preventive maintenance and environmental elements. Decisions on stock levels can be supported by the latest data, all generated and collected automatically, to further drive business efficiency and profitability, all by giving assets a unique digital identity.

Download the free RFID Guide >>

Brady Corporation

www.brady.co.uk