ematec AG is an established company based in Memmingen, in the Unterallgäu region of Bavaria, and is now approaching its 30th anniversary. The company specialises in machinery and gripping technology. More than ten years ago, its portfolio was deliberately expanded to include solutions for the wind energy sector. With around 60 employees, ematec develops technically sophisticated, practice-oriented applications for industrial use.
One such innovation is a purpose-built lifting platform for wind turbines. It enables the replacement of heavy transformers by being attached, via chains, directly to the nacelle of the wind turbine at a height of approximately 180 metres, from where it is then raised. Conventionally, this task would require the use of a large crane, which takes around five days to assemble and roughly two weeks to complete the overall operation. With ematec's lifting platform, however, the transformer replacement can be carried out within a single day.
The motor used in the lifting platform is continuously monitored by our MCflex control system. A technical advance in the software configuration allows fault messages to be acknowledged directly via the CAN bus. Access to the control system is provided through a radio remote control. Should the motor switch off or fail unexpectedly during the lifting phase, any outstanding fault messages can be reset from the ground via the CAN bus, without the need for manual intervention on the turbine itself. This reduces downtime and avoids costly high-altitude rescue operations. In the event of a complete motor failure, the integrated backup motor — likewise equipped with an MCflex — can be brought into operation directly via the CAN bus.
More about our MCflex: https://www.ehb-electronics.de/en/productview/mcflex
More about ematec AG: https://www.ematec.com/en/