TEN levels up its production machinery
The demands for producing renewal energy are increasing and companies are facing ongoing challenges in the growing industry. TEN, Pemamek’s long-term customer, has made strategically significant investments in its wind tower manufacturing processes. The company has gained more productivity and future competitiveness by investing in modern PEMA production automation technology.
TEN’s facilities are located in the Jacobina, nearby the majority of Brazil’s wind farms.
The Brazilian steel tower manufacturer, Torres Eólicas do Nordeste (TEN), has been systematically increasing its production capacity, and safety. During the past nine years, the company has invested in three PEMA solutions as a part of a wider strategy to maintain competitiveness in constantly growing green energy markets.
TEN is located in the Jacobina, state of Bahia, nearby the majority of Brazil’s wind farms. Since the first investment in the PEMA solution in 2013, Pemamek and TEN have maintained close collaboration to improve the tower manufacturer’s production capacity, productivity, and safety while decreasing manual work at the same time.
“For us, the quality of our products is very important. The advanced technology and high productivity are the foundation for us to be the number one in the Brazilian market”, tells Carlos Konopatzki, General Director at TEN.
For us, the quality of our products is very important. The advanced technology and high productivity are the foundation for us to be the number one in the Brazilian market.
Carlos Konopatzki, General Director at TEN
Natural choice
The first machinery that the company ordered was twelve PEMA Assembly stations, integrated with six PEMA HD Column&Booms. In 2019 TEN placed another order for the PEMA Flange Fitting (FF) station to increase the stability of processes for tower manufacturing and to maintain the high quality of the products. PEMA FF station is designed to enable fast, safe and, accurate fitting and welding of flanges to the wind tower and tower foundation sections without turning the shell.
As the tower structures constantly get bigger and heavier, TEN needed to search for the most effective solution to produce the new onshore towers in Brazil. Konopatzki continues:
“We already knew Pemamek’s team very well and it was easy to work with everyone. Pemamek was a natural choice for us, because of the wide knowledge of their welding experts and high technology solutions.”
TEN’s tower production is getting more efficient since the arc welding process is fully automated.
Partnership bears fruits
As a part of the company’s wider future strategy, TEN made yet another investment in PEMA welding solution and ordered the PEMA WS2 Welding Platform. The solution, equipped with two tilting and simultaneously working welding heads, makes the welding process even more efficient. The platform saves time in TEN’s manufacturing process and it also reduces the need for manual work. Additionally, it releases the human workforce to other crucial preparation and operative production tasks.
“The diameter of our workpieces is about five meters while the material thickness is up to 60 mm. In the future, we expect the tower manufacturing to be even more demanding”, Konopatzki describes.
The WS2 welding platform is equipped with Pemamek’s in-house designed software PEMA WeldControl 500. The software is an advanced and visual tool that gives a remarkable advantage to TEN’s tower production since the arc welding process is fully automated.
“We have reached the most important technological improvements with the software. The multipass welding functionality measures groove shapes and volumes. It also gives higher productivity when working with bevels on the outside and welding two seams at the same time with consistent quality“, Konopatzki continues.
TEN and Pemamek have a fruitful long-term partnership and it was easy to work together on the latest project with the WS2 welding platform.
We have reached the most important technological improvements with the software. The multipass welding functionality measures groove shapes and volumes. It also gives higher productivity when working with bevels on the outside and welding two seams at the same time with consistent quality.
Carlos Konopatzki, General Director at TEN
Future in green energy solutions
For TEN, precise and stable production, but also reliable handling equipment, and efficient welding solutions are factors to reach more productivity and future competitiveness with a fast return on investment. Prospects for renewable energy production look good and the demand for wind energy is increasing.
“In the coming years, we are processing with bigger workpieces and welding thicker plates. With this investment, TEN prepares for the future to operate in any type of onshore projects”, Konopatzki summarizes.
Pemamek’s in-house software WeldControl 500 plays an important role in TEN’s wind tower manufacturing as it gives a remarkable boost to production efficiency.
