Iscar is expanding the CombiCham drill family by adding three drill diameters – 33.2mm, 36.2mm and 39.2mm – in drilling depths of 7 and 8 L/D ratio. The new drills provide a solution for drilling the most popular hole diameters in wind turbine parts, such as tower flanges, blade bearings, yaw rings and planetary ring gears. This truly effective drill enables high feed drilling, providing high drilling rates, high accuracy and excellent surface finish.

The vast majority of commercial wind turbines use tubular steel towers. Tower heights depend on rotor diameter and wind speed conditions of the site. Their heights range from 50 metres for a 1MW turbine to as high as 125 metres and more for very large turbines.

The flange comprises a large scale of rolled steel which connects the tower’s conical links. The blade bearings, made of bearing steel, adjust the angle of the blades by rotating a bearing at the root of each blade, enabling control of the power and slowing the rotor. The wind turbine yaw system is the component responsible for the orientation of the wind turbine rotor towards the wind. The mechanism rotates the nacelle to face the changing wind direction and it is made of alloy or bearing steel. Planetary ring gears embrace the gearbox’s planetary gears, allowing them to transform low incoming speed to high outgoing speed.

Featuring a pilot SumoCham drilling head and standard SOGT square precision ground inserts with a wiper in various sizes, made from IC808 SUMO TEC PVD coated grade, the new CombiCham drilling line delivers a cost effective solution for this operation and with minimum cycle time.

The HCP central drilling head provides a self-centring ability for premium hole accuracy and no pre-hole is needed. The peripheral SOMT/X wiper inserts feature four cutting edges and ensure premium surface quality.

For further details contact Iscar South Africa on TEL: 011 997 2700 or visit www.iscar.com