Company Profile
40-year-old wind turbine manufacturer supplying 101 GW of renewable energy worldwide.
Business Challenge
The customer wanted a plan and fixture designs to swap parts without hot work while transporting multiple wind turbine components on an 8-axle railcar. Wind component fixtures and securement designed to meet or exceed AAR OTLR’s requirements and accommodate the following wind component combinations:
- Nacelle/Drivetrain
- Drivetrain/Drivetrain
- Nacelle/Hub
- Drivetrain/Hub
- Hub/Hub/Hub
- Nacelle
Solution
BNSF Logistics engineers invented a way to quickly load and unload railcars without
welding using universal fixture plates. Bolts and fixture plates quickly connect
interchangeable securement fixtures. In addition, each 8-axle railcar was fitted with
storage boxes for fixtures, hardware, and accessories. As a result, transporting empty
railcars to a new location for loading is cheaper because no attached fixtures exceed
non-dimensional shipment requirements.
Process / Procedure
BNSF Logistics completed the product design by fully understanding e customer’s needs and
AAR’s OTLR’s requirements.
- Worked closely with OTLR Customers to create a satisfying, easy-to-operate product design.
- Performed securement calculations to meet AAR OTLR’s requirements
- Completed and submitted figure loads to the AAR OTLR committee
Benefits Achieved
- Developed an innovative universal car securement strategy for transporting
- different combinations of wind components
- Minimal loading and unloading time and labor
- Submitted figure loads to the AAR OTLR committee
- Met and exceeded customers’ expectations
